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Quiz Session - Attempts With Random Questions

ASQ CSSBB Exam Questions

Page 7 of 33

121.

Peter is working to understand the distribution of various defects in Frisbees at his plant relative to past data on the plant's production history where the cause of defects was understood and tightly controlled. Among his first steps was to arrange the data into frequency histograms to test for a significant difference between the modern data with the historical data. 

What kind of statistical test is Peter planning?

  • Chi-square test

  • ANOVA

  • Contingency tables

  • Tolerance intervals

Correct answer: Chi-Square test 

Also known as the goodness-of-fit test, the Chi-square test is useful in testing whether a specific distribution "fits" another distribution of specified characteristics, such as historical distributions from factory or industry data.

The advantage of this test is that it can be used for any distribution, versus ANOVA, which is specifically designed for normal distributions. Peter is not building a contingency table, which tests for the independence of test groups. Tolerance intervals specify upper and lower boundaries and would not apply in this circumstance. 

122.

The XR-1000 production team has measured that the production bottleneck currently produces 100 liters of adhesive in 50,000 seconds. They have identified a Takt time goal of 250. What is the percentage improvement they are seeking?

  • 50%

  • 45%

  • 30%

  • 25%

Correct answer: 50%

Takt time is calculated as time available/units required. The production bottleneck's current Takt time is: 50,000/100, or 500 seconds/liter. An improvement to 250 seconds/liter is: (250/500) * 100 = 50%.

123.

Which of the following techniques is inferential and not a descriptive statistic?

  • Histogram
  • Scatterplot
  • Box and whisker
  • One sample hypothesis test

  • One sample hypothesis test

  • Histogram

  • Scatterplot

  • Box and whisker

Correct answer: One sample hypothesis test

This test focuses on making predictions or generalizations about a larger dataset through a specific hypothesis; if the hypothesis is true, then an inference is made regarding the nature of the larger dataset.

Histograms, scatterplots, and box and whisker diagrams all provide very good basic information about a specific population. However, they are all descriptive in nature.

124.

Of the following, which does not belong in an Ishikawa diagram?

  • The 5 Whys

  • The 7Ms

  • The 'Effect'

  • Branches and stems

Correct answer: The 5 Whys

This might be a methodology applied to understand some of the causes and help populate the diagram, but it is not by itself included within the diagram's structure.

The building blocks include the 7Ms: Mother Nature, materials, methods, manpower, measurement, machines, management; the effect that is being studied, and the branches and stems that connect the 7Ms (and their subements) to the effect.

125.

A fishbone is one form of the following:

  • Cause and effect diagram

  • Control circle

  • Statistical engineering

  • Quality loss function chart

Correct answer: Cause and effect diagram

Fishbone is a synonym of a cause and effect diagram. Control circles are small organizational study groups focused on a specific quality subject. Statistical engineering is the act of processing industrial data using statistics to understand trends and other parameters related to a process. A 'quality loss function' chart graphically displays the magnitude of quality loss across a process.

126.

Theo is working with his tennis ball supplier to reduce the variance of canister psi from 0.125. In the latest shipment of 3,000 tennis ball cans, Theo samples 49 cans and finds the data has a highly left-skewed distribution. 

What hypothesis test should Philip employ in this situation?

  • Mann-Whitney test

  • Kruskal-Wallis test

  • Two-sample T-test

  • One-way ANOVA test

Correct answer: Mann-Whitney test.

The data is not normally distributed, eliminating using the two-sample T-test or ANOVA, which are parametric tests. Mann-Whitney testing is specifically designed for significant differences between two means. Since he knows the variance of canister psi in the previous shipments of tennis ball cans, he can effectively use this test.

Kruskal-Wallis testing is used for multiple means; although it could be used in this instance, it is a less powerful test.  

127.

A computer peripheral device company just developed a new webcam for home and business use. Consumer testing results were poor, principally because the companion software package did not have a robust troubleshooting algorithm. What DFX methodology should be used in this situation?

  • Design for Test (DFT)

  • Design for Maintainability (DFM)

  • Design to Cost (DTC)

  • Design for Producibility (DFP)

Correct answer: Design for Test (DFT)

Consumer electronics manufacturers have a reputation of cutting corners in designing software and/or instructions to allow consumers to effectively troubleshoot their own problems. Invariably, they must remedy the deficiency or face rapid sales decline in this fast-moving and competitive marketplace. 

Design for Maintainability (DFM), to Cost (DTC), and for Producibility (DFP) are subordinate considerations in this circumstance. 

128.

Which of the following is not a Lean tool?

  • Design of Experiment (DOE)

  • Kaizen

  • Workplace organization

  • Value-stream mapping (VSM)

Correct answer: Design of Experiment (DOE)

Design of Experiment (DOE) is a Six Sigma methodology, whereas Kaizen, workplace organization, and value-stream mapping (VSM) are all distinctive tools used in Lean. DOE is a systematic, efficient method that enables scientists and engineers to study the relationship between multiple input variables (factors) and key output variables (responses). It is a structured approach for collecting data and making discoveries.

Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning "change for the better" or "continuous improvement." It is a Japanese business philosophy regarding the processes that continuously improve operations and involve all employees.Workplace organization is a workplace organization methodology to improve productivity, through eliminating waste, and quality, through reducing variation. Value-stream mapping (VSM) is a lean tool that employs a flowchart documenting every step in the process. Many lean practitioners see VSM as a fundamental tool to identify waste, reduce process cycle times, and implement process improvement.

129.

The Internet of Things (IoT) allows manufacturers and service organizations to monitor device performance in real-time. To troubleshoot a device, what DFX methodology is enabling this objective?

  • Design for Test (DFT)

  • Design for Maintainability (DFM)

  • Design to Cost (DTC)

  • Design for Producibility (DFP)

Correct answer: Design for Test (DFT)

Embedding computer chips into devices to monitor and save massive amounts of performance information has unlocked a new world of opportunities for manufacturers to enhance the consumer experience.

DFM, DTC, and DFP are subordinate considerations in this circumstance. 

130.

Which example is not a typical contingency planning category?

  • Five-year business plan

  • Computer network access

  • Supplier force majeure

  • Labor strike

Correct answer: Five-year business plan

This category might be affected by a crisis, but is not an operational or tactical issue that can be directly managed within a contingency plan.

Computer network access, supplier force majeure, and a labor strike are all good examples of issues that can be included in a contingency plan.

131.

Carl, in reviewing his control data, finds that his measurement system's long-term discrimination average is one sixth of the smallest process variation found. Should Carl find this capability acceptable?

  • No. Carl should improve the system to at least one-tenth of the smallest variation.

  • No. Carl should improve the system to at least one-ninth of the smallest variation.

  • Yes. The measurement system has good discrimination.

  • Yes. Carl should always look to improve the measurement system's capabilities.

Correct answer: No. Carl should improve the system to at least one-tenth of the smallest variation. 

This is known as the 10:1 ratio rule.  

132.

Jeff has completed a regression analysis on customer data and has discovered that only 2 out of 7 product factors show a significant contribution to customer preference. With this knowledge, what type of Matrix Diagram should Jeff build with his customer service team?

  •  L-shaped Matrix Diagram

  •  C-shaped Matrix Diagram

  •  T-shaped Matrix Diagram

  •  Y-shaped Matrix Diagram

Correct answer: L-shaped Matrix Diagram

A Matrix Diagram is a tool that identifies the relationships that exist between groups of data. Based on the number of variables, the matrix can assume a "C" shape, an "L" shape, a "T" shape, a "Y" shape, and an "X" shape. Data with only two sets of variables can only assume an "L" shape.

133.

Harold has itemized the savings on his global sourcing of an acetone project. All savings resulted from contract negotiations to reach a new price level, effective at the start of the new calendar year. The company had already budgeted for existing pricing in the coming year. What type of savings is Harold delivering to his company?

  • Hard savings

  • Cost avoidance

  • Preventive cost

  • Appraisal cost

Correct answer: Hard savings

In this circumstance, as the company had already allocated monies based on existing pricing, Harold's project allows for repurposing the difference between the new and existing contract pricing. Soft dollar savings are cost avoidance savings.

The savings would have been cost avoidance if the company had not allocated monies for its global acetone purchases. Preventive costs are those where monies are spent on mitigating perceived risks. Appraisal cost is an example of a preventive cost.

134.

Ron has a bag of randomized glass marbles of various colors and sizes (large, medium, and small) and wants to calculate the probability of selecting any marble. What type of data is he using?

  • Discrete, ordinal data

  • Continuous, ordinal data

  • Discrete, nominal data

  • Continuous, nominal data

Correct answer: Discrete, ordinal data

Discrete data is also known as attribute data, which has a finite number of values. The data is also ordinal because there is no need to describe differences between marbles other than color and that they are large, medium, or small sizes. Because Ron is working with attribute data (color, size), the best way to understand his population is to count the number of each color that falls into a discrete size category. 

Continuous data results from measurements made against a standard scale, such as length or temperature. Nominal data are categories or labels, such as types of materials.

135.

Herb, in preparing an FMEA for a high pressure chemical reactor, is working to confirm that a pressure gauge monitoring a pressure relief valve has the capability to measure changes in psi to 0.01. What part of the FMEA is Herb populating?

  • Detection

  • Current controls

  • Occurrence

  • Potential causes

Correct answer: Detection

This FMEA category quantifies the ability to detect a particular failure mode.

Current controls summarize all existing controls related to preventing a failure mode. Occurrence quantifies the frequency that a failure mode may happen. Potential causes identify all root causes leading to a failure.    

136.

What is the basic goal of Lean?

  • To eliminate waste

  • Teamwork

  • Cleaning

  • Reducing lead time

Correct answer: To eliminate waste

Lean can be applied to almost any activity, process, or system to identify and eliminate non-value added actions. Teamwork, cleaning, and reducing lead time are all specific means to reducing waste, but are not by themselves the basic goal of Lean.

137.

Consider the following experimental design:

Three species of adult locust are treated with three different types of pesticides at three different concentration levels typical of agricultural practice to look at mortality rates. Brent runs the experiment and finds, when he goes back through the data and finds that gender was not accounted for and appears to be a significant factor that is confusing the main effects. What type of factor is species gender in this situation?

  • Gender is a confounding variable.

  • Gender is a Resolution IV variable.

  • Gender is a blocking factor.

  • Gender will require more repetition in the experimental design.

Correct answer: Gender is a confounding variable.

In this case, it would appear that gender is confounding to main effects and the experimental design has very low resolution (Resolution II).  

Resolution IV would mean that the main effects are not confounded. A block aggregates homogeneous factors. Repetition of a flawed experimental design is a waste of time and resources.

138.

A project team spends half its time during a team meeting ironing out the sequence of action items. What should the Team Leader have done to prevent this type of discussion?

  • The Team Leader should have plotted all action items into a Gantt chart and issued them to team members as pre-meeting homework.

  • The Team Leader should have brought in a facilitator to generate new ideas and approaches.

  • The Team Leader should have put this discussion into a bucket list and moved further into the agenda.

  • The Team Leader should have convened a sub-team to iron out the action item sequence

Correct answer: The Team Leader should have plotted all action items into a Gantt chart and issued them to team members as pre-meeting homework. 

Use of a visual tool allows all items to be clearly understood as to the proper sequence.

Assigning the review of this graphic as pre-meeting homework would surely cut down on meeting time that the team needs to align on its execution. Bringing in a facilitator to generate new ideas would not be effective in this circumstance as the team needs to align on current actions. Putting the discussion into a bucket list only delays the necessary activity and could delay the entire team schedule. Assigning a sub-team to help with this task could be feasible, but carries with it the risk of alienating other members of the team, whose input might be quite valuable. 

139.

What is not a coaching responsibility?

  • Help the leader keep the team on track

  • Help provide resources for completion of team member assignments

  •  Work with teams and facilitators to move the team toward the objective

  • Evaluate the team's progress

Correct answer: Help the leader keep the team on track 

This is the role of the facilitator, not the coach. The coach works with the team and facilitators to move the team toward project objectives, providing resources for the completion of team member assignments and evaluation of team progress. 

140.

Paul decides to use the Kruskal-Wallis test on his data, based on its properties. What properties does his data exhibit?

  • Non-normal, sample size > 5

  • Normal, sample size > 5

  • Non-normal, sample size < 5

  • Normal, sample size < 5

Correct answer: Non-normal, sample size > 5

The Kruskal-Wallis test is non-parametric and designed to compare the means of non-normal distributions. For best results, the test requires sample sizes greater than 5.  

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