Assessment & Evaluation Methods Flashcards

Which lean assessment approach involves timing multiple cycle observations to establish a reliable baseline?

Answer: Time study with multiple cycles averaged

Averaging multiple timed cycles reduces variability and gives a statistically reliable baseline for process evaluation.

In a lean maturity model, a score of 'Level 2 – Reactive' typically indicates:

Answer: Problems are addressed only after they cause visible disruption

Level 2 organizations use lean tools reactively in response to crises rather than proactively or systematically.

What does a spaghetti diagram evaluate in a lean assessment?

Answer: Physical movement paths of people or materials in a workspace

A spaghetti diagram maps actual movement paths to reveal excessive travel distance and motion waste.

Which of the following is the MOST important input when prioritizing improvement opportunities identified during a lean assessment?

Answer: Impact on customer value versus effort to implement

Lean prioritization should weigh customer value impact against implementation effort to maximize return on improvement energy.

A value stream map shows a large 'push' arrow between two production steps. This symbol indicates:

Answer: Material is pushed without a downstream demand signal

A push arrow in a VSM indicates overproduction waste where upstream output is not triggered by downstream need.

When evaluating changeover time as part of a SMED assessment, internal activities are defined as:

Answer: Tasks that can only be performed when the machine is stopped

Internal activities require the machine to be stopped, making them the primary target for SMED conversion to external tasks.

Which statistical tool is used in lean to determine if the variation in a process output is due to common cause or special cause?

Answer: Control chart (SPC)

Control charts distinguish between natural common-cause variation and assignable special-cause variation using control limits.