Free Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification Assessment Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What is the BEST approach to raise an automated assembly machine's operational availability if it is currently insufficient to satisfy a rise in customer demand?

Hard savings
Critical steps
Shift your mean performance within specification limits
Reduce breakdowns and delays (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Reduce breakdowns and delays

Operational availability refers to the percentage of time a machine is ready and able to perform its intended function. Breakdowns and delays directly reduce this availability, as the machine is idle and not producing. Therefore, the most effective way to increase an automated assembly machine's operational availability and meet rising demand is to minimize these interruptions, ensuring it spends more time actively producing.

Question 2: Except for, all of the following are advantages of control programs.

Keep the work area clean and organized
Voice of the employee
Measurements <br> mitigation actions <br> key metrics
Helps to analyze and eliminate potential x's (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Helps to analyze and eliminate potential x's

Control programs in Lean Six Sigma are implemented to sustain improvements and prevent processes from regressing after a project. Their purpose is to monitor key metrics, ensure stability, and define mitigation actions when deviations occur. Analyzing and eliminating potential root causes ('x's) is typically the focus of the Analyze and Improve phases of a DMAIC project, not the ongoing function of a control program.

Question 3: Which type of muda results from working longer hours than necessary, scheduling more work than is required, or spending excessive amounts of resources?

Deming
Operational Staff
Over-Processing (Correct answer)
Hard Savings

Correct answer: Over-Processing

Over-Processing is one of the eight wastes (Muda) in Lean methodology. It refers to performing unnecessary work, adding features, or expending resources beyond what the customer actually requires or values. Working longer hours, scheduling excessive work, or using too many resources all fall under this category, as they consume time and effort without adding proportional value.

Question 4: Fundamentals for Your Lean Journey: Kaizen Express

Way Work is Done
Random
By Toshiko Narusawa and John Shook (Correct answer)
By Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox

Correct answer: By Toshiko Narusawa and John Shook

"Kaizen Express: Fundamentals for Your Lean Journey" is a well-regarded book in the Lean community. It was authored by Toshiko Narusawa and John Shook, both prominent figures associated with the Lean Enterprise Institute. The book serves as a practical guide to understanding and implementing Kaizen principles for continuous improvement.

Question 5: For the Process Owner, a Belt develops a Control Plan when she completes an LSS project. The _______________ section of the Control Plan specifies what should be done when the KPIs show signs of potentially straying outside of acceptable bounds.

Readjustment Plan
Variance Tracking
Visual Factory
Response Plan (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Response Plan

A Control Plan is a critical document in Lean Six Sigma that outlines how to maintain process improvements over time. The 'Response Plan' section specifically details the predefined actions and steps that should be taken by the Process Owner when Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) show signs of deviating or straying outside of acceptable operational limits. This ensures prompt corrective action to maintain process stability.

Question 6: Extra-Processing- Refers to the concept of adding more features or producing a product or service of higher quality than required by the customer. One of the 8 Wastes.

False
True (Correct answer)

Correct answer: True

Extra-processing, also commonly known as Over-processing, is indeed one of the 8 Wastes (Muda) identified in Lean methodology. This waste occurs when more work is done on a product or service than is required by the customer, such as adding unnecessary features or producing a higher quality than needed. It consumes resources without adding value from the customer's perspective.

Question 7: Regular (sometimes daily) meetings with direct reports are called "Leader Huddle Meetings" and are held in front of Process Performance Boards so that participants may see organizational KPIs in a clear, easily understandable manner.

False
True (Correct answer)

Correct answer: True

Leader Huddle Meetings are a core Lean practice for daily management and communication. These regular, brief meetings are typically held in front of visual management tools like Process Performance Boards, allowing participants to quickly review key performance indicators (KPIs), identify issues, and align on immediate actions. This fosters transparency, accountability, and rapid problem-solving within teams.

Question 8: The second phase in the 5S process is Set in Order, also referred to as "Seiton."

False
True (Correct answer)

Correct answer: True

The 5S methodology is a systematic approach to workplace organization and standardization. The five phases are Seiri (Sort), Seiton (Set in Order), Seiso (Shine), Seiketsu (Standardize), and Shitsuke (Sustain). Therefore, Set in Order, or Seiton, is correctly identified as the second phase, focusing on arranging necessary items for efficient access.

Question 9: Defect: A straightforward but efficient approach to problem-solving that involves asking "why" five times, or as many times as necessary, to get through symptoms and find the underlying cause.

False (Correct answer)
True

Correct answer: False

The definition provided describes the '5 Whys' technique, a problem-solving method used to uncover the root cause of an issue by repeatedly asking 'why.' A 'Defect' in Lean Six Sigma, however, is defined as any non-conformance to customer requirements or specifications. Thus, the statement incorrectly defines a defect, making it false.

Question 10: Lead Time: The amount of time a unit or service spends standing around throughout a process.

False (Correct answer)
True

Correct answer: False

The definition provided describes 'Waiting,' which is one of the 8 Wastes in Lean, referring to the time a unit or service spends idle within a process. 'Lead Time,' conversely, is the total time elapsed from the initiation of a process (e.g., customer order) to its completion (e.g., product delivery), encompassing all activities, both value-added and non-value-added. Therefore, the statement is false.

Question 11: The most frequent causes of excessive cycle time in a process include Standard Work - Defects, Overproduction, Waiting, Unutilized Talent, Transportation, Inventory, Motion, and Extra-Processing.

False (Correct answer)
True

Correct answer: False

The list provided correctly identifies the '8 Wastes' (Muda) in Lean, which are common causes of excessive cycle time. However, 'Standard Work' is a Lean tool and principle for establishing consistent, efficient, and repeatable processes, not a cause of excessive cycle time itself. Its inclusion makes the statement false, as it's a solution rather than a problem.

Question 12: Employees utilize the Red Tag, a tagging tool, to identify what is necessary in a certain workspace during the Sort Phase of a 5S. They put suspect objects in a holding room and label each one with this gadget. The aim is to ascertain whether anyone believes the item is necessary and, if so, in what quantity. The information on this can vary. A less congested and better organized work place is the outcome of items being "tagged with this tool" for a limited amount of time before being thrown away, sold, or recycled.

False
True (Correct answer)

Correct answer: True

The description accurately defines the purpose and process of using a Red Tag during the Sort phase of 5S. Red tagging is a crucial tool for identifying items that are potentially unnecessary in a workspace, moving them to a holding area for evaluation, and ultimately deciding whether to discard, sell, or recycle them. This process helps to declutter and organize the work environment.

Question 13: Any activity carried out to balance off or counteract another action. This kind of action varies from solutions in that it advocates precise, tactical continuing trial and error rather than a single, long-lasting remedy. If it turns out that this is ineffectual, a different one can be created and tested. These are created following the confirmation of the root cause.

Lean Culture
Countermeasure (Correct answer)
Perfection
Threat

Correct answer: Countermeasure

A countermeasure in Lean Six Sigma is a specific, often tactical action taken to address a confirmed root cause and prevent a problem from recurring. Unlike a single, permanent solution, countermeasures are frequently experimental and iterative, allowing for continuous testing and adjustment based on their effectiveness. This aligns perfectly with the description of an action that involves trial and error and can be refined if ineffectual.

Question 14: The third phase in the 5S process is also referred to as "Seiso."

Shine (aka Seiso) (Correct answer)
Just-in-time (aka Jit)
Seiri (aka Sort)
Standardize (aka Seiketsu)

Correct answer: Shine (aka Seiso)

The 5S methodology is a systematic approach to workplace organization and standardization. The five phases are Seiri (Sort), Seiton (Set in Order), Seiso (Shine), Seiketsu (Standardize), and Shitsuke (Sustain). Therefore, 'Shine,' or Seiso, is correctly identified as the third phase, focusing on cleaning and inspecting the workplace to maintain cleanliness and identify issues.

Question 15: Involves removing variation utilizing external procedures when there are significant fluctuations in the volume of consumer demand.

Cross Training
Demand Leveling (Correct answer)
Workload Balancing
Parallel Processing

Correct answer: Demand Leveling

Demand leveling, also known as Heijunka, is a Lean principle designed to smooth out production schedules by averaging the volume and mix of products over a period. This technique is crucial when customer demand fluctuates significantly, as it helps to reduce variation in the production process, making it more stable, predictable, and efficient rather than reacting to every peak and trough.

Question 16: The process of drastically cutting or eliminating the transition period between one unit or procedure and another.

Cycle Time
Process Time
Waste Elimination
Setup Reduction (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Setup Reduction

Setup reduction, often associated with the SMED (Single-Minute Exchange of Die) methodology, is a Lean technique focused on drastically minimizing the time required to change over a process or machine from producing one item to another. By reducing this transition period, it enables smaller batch sizes, increases flexibility, and improves overall process efficiency.

Free Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification Assessment Questions and Answers

What is the BEST approach to raise an automated assembly machine's operational availability if it is currently insufficient to satisfy a rise in customer demand?