Yellow Belt - 01 - Basics - SS

Question 1

1. What is Six Sigma

Answer 1

1. It is a quality improvement methodology.

Question 2

2. How is statistics used in Six Sigma

Answer 2

1. It’s used to Analyze data
2. It’s used to Identify Variables
3. It’s used to Reduce Variation to improve the capability of a process

Question 3

3. What does 6σ mean

Answer 3

1. It is a measure of quality.
2. It represents the variation in a process.

Question 4

4. What is a defect in Six Sigma

Answer 4

1. A defect is anything that results in customer dissatisfaction.
2. Six Sigma Standard is less than 3.4 defects in 1 million opportunities or 99.99966% accuracy

Question 5

5. When did attention to Quality start

Answer 5

1. The craft guilds were the first to look into the quality.
2. This started in the 13 century.
3. The guilds ensured the quality & Skill of their practitioners.

Question 6

6. What is the history of six Sigma?

Answer 6

1. 1920 - Shewhart - showed how a process which is 3σ from the process mean needs correction and may go out of control.
2. Shewhart’s work kicked off the 6σ measurement standard.
3. 1940 - manufacturers used Statistical Quality Control (SQC) during the war.
4. 1950 - TQC - Total Quality Control took over from SQC in Japan ( Joseph M. Juran helped with that move).
5. 1970 - TQM started to grow in the US to compete with the Japanese TQC.
6. 1986 - Motorola - started 6σ.

Question 7

7. What value does Six sigma bring?

Answer 7

1. There is a positive impact on a company’s bottom line (profit)
2. Variance in business processes is reduced, which means reducing all possible errors.
3. Quality and productivity are improved.
4. Identification and correction of flaws in business processes.

Question 8

8. What do Sigma projects need to be able to bring value?

Answer 8

1. Connected to business priorities
2. Focused on returns which are Measurable and Financial.
3. Decision making based on Statistical tools, methods and analysis.
4. Supported and approved by top-level management.
5. Possible to complete in three to six months

Question 9

9. Which methodology does six sigma follow?

Answer 9

DMAIC

1. Define
2. Mesure
3. Analyze
4. Improve
5. Control

Question 10

10. Define the “Define” stage

Answer 10

1. Define the problem
2. Look for gaps between desired process performance and the current process.
3. Answer “what is the Pain”

Question 11

11. Define the “Measure” stage

Answer 11

1. Collect data from the current process.
2. Identify metrics to measure.
3. Develop operational definitions of the measures, so everybody understands, then.
4. Validate the repeatability and reproducibility of the measures.
5. Collect baseline measures for the current process using past data.
6. Work out the averages for the past data, eg cycle time and error rates.
7. Work out financial loss
8. “how bad is the pain”

Question 12

12. Define the “Analyze” stage

Answer 12

1. Analyze the current process.
2. Understand what part(s) of the current process is causing the pain.
3. Understand which part(s) of the process is taking the most time or producing the most errors ( variation)
4. Understand key factors which have the biggest impact on the process performance
5. “What is the root cause of the pain”

Question 13

13. Define the “Improve” stage

Answer 13

1. Implement process improvement ideas.
2. Brainstorm potential solutions.
3. Verify process performance is at the desired level.
4. Compare the before and after measures and financial savings
5. “What solution(s) eliminates the pain”

Question 14

14. Define the “Control” stage

Answer 14

1. Implement controls to ensure the process continues to perform.
2. implement dashboards or regular monitoring
3. Regular meetings may be implemented to monitor the process
4. “How can I ensure the pain does not come back”