Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Exam Project Identification and Selection 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Black Belt is using a SWOT analysis to identify Six Sigma projects. Which quadrant would most likely surface projects driven by internal performance gaps?
- Strengths
- Weaknesses (Correct answer)
- Opportunities
- Threats
Correct answer: Weaknesses
The Weaknesses quadrant of a SWOT analysis reveals internal deficiencies and underperforming processes that are prime candidates for Six Sigma improvement.
Question 2: Which metric, often used during project identification, captures both the frequency and severity of defects to prioritize improvement opportunities?
- Defects Per Unit (DPU)
- Risk Priority Number (RPN) (Correct answer)
- Process Capability Index (Cpk)
- Throughput yield
Correct answer: Risk Priority Number (RPN)
RPN from an FMEA combines occurrence, severity, and detectability scores to prioritize failure modes and guide project selection.
Question 3: In the context of Six Sigma project selection, what does 'strategic alignment' mean?
- The project team is cross-functional
- The project's goals directly support the organization's key business objectives (Correct answer)
- All stakeholders agree on the project timeline
- The Black Belt has authority over the process being improved
Correct answer: The project's goals directly support the organization's key business objectives
Strategic alignment means the project's expected outcomes directly contribute to the organization's stated priorities, ensuring resources are invested where they matter most.
Question 4: A project selection committee uses a scoring model with five weighted criteria. After scoring, two projects have identical total weighted scores. What is the BEST next step?
- Select the project with the higher financial score regardless of other criteria
- Conduct a sensitivity analysis to see how small changes in weights affect the ranking (Correct answer)
- Flip a coin to decide between the two projects
- Reject both projects and find alternatives
Correct answer: Conduct a sensitivity analysis to see how small changes in weights affect the ranking
Sensitivity analysis reveals whether the tie is robust or breaks under slight weight adjustments, providing a more defensible selection decision.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of an 'appraisal cost' within the Cost of Poor Quality framework used to identify Six Sigma projects?
- Scrap material from a defective production run
- Inspection and testing of incoming materials (Correct answer)
- Warranty claims paid to customers
- Process redesign after a product recall
Correct answer: Inspection and testing of incoming materials
Appraisal costs include inspection, testing, and auditing activities performed to detect defects — they represent a target for reduction through Six Sigma projects.
Question 6: A champion insists that a Six Sigma project must have a 'hard savings' target rather than 'soft savings.' What is the key distinction between these two types of savings?
- Hard savings reduce actual cash expenditures or increase revenue; soft savings reflect cost avoidance or productivity gains not reflected in the budget (Correct answer)
- Soft savings are larger and more significant than hard savings
- Hard savings apply only to manufacturing; soft savings apply to services
- Soft savings must be approved by the CFO while hard savings do not require approval
Correct answer: Hard savings reduce actual cash expenditures or increase revenue; soft savings reflect cost avoidance or productivity gains not reflected in the budget
Hard savings directly impact the financial statements (e.g., reduced headcount, lower material costs), while soft savings represent potential or avoided costs that don't change the bottom line directly.
Question 7: During project selection, a team identifies a process with a Cp of 0.65 and a Cpk of 0.40. What does the gap between Cp and Cpk tell the team about this process?
- The process has no centering issue but is inherently incapable
- The process is both off-center and incapable, indicating two separate improvement opportunities (Correct answer)
- The process is centered but the specification limits are too tight
- The Cpk value is irrelevant when Cp is already below 1.0
Correct answer: The process is both off-center and incapable, indicating two separate improvement opportunities
When Cpk is significantly lower than Cp, it indicates the process is off-center in addition to being incapable, revealing that centering and variation reduction are both needed.
Certified Six Sigma Black Belt Exam Project Identification and Selection 5
A Black Belt is using a SWOT analysis to identify Six Sigma projects.
Which quadrant would most likely surface projects driven by internal performance gaps?