Free sample questions

6 questions from this set, shown in full with the correct answer and the reasoning behind it. Read them as a study resource.

1. Q1.A steering committee scores four candidate projects against weighted criteria before the next deployment wave.
   
   $$\begin{array}{l|c|c|c|c} \textbf{Project} & \textbf{Strategic fit (5)} & \textbf{Benefit (4)} & \textbf{Data available (3)} & \textbf{Cause known?} \\ \hline P & 9 & 9 & 1 & \text{No} \\ Q & 9 & 3 & 9 & \text{No} \\ R & 3 & 9 & 9 & \text{No} \\ S & 9 & 9 & 9 & \text{Yes} \end{array}$$
   
   Which project should be launched first as a DMAIC project?

   • A.P, because strategic fit and benefit together carry the most weight
   • B.R, because good data and high benefit make the analysis tractable
   • C.Q, because a strong strategic fit is paired with obtainable data✓ Correct answer
   • D.S, because it scores highest on every one of the three criteria

   Explanation

   S has the best score sheet and a known cause, which disqualifies it: there is nothing to discover, so it should simply be implemented. Among the rest, Q at $45+12+27=84$ beats P at $45+36+3=84$ on tie-break because P cannot be measured, and R has the weakest strategic linkage. The lesson is that the screening question comes before the scoring.

   Reference: CSSBB BoK I

2. Q2.A plant reports its cost of quality before and after a two-year prevention programme.
   
   $$\begin{array}{l|c|c} \textbf{Category} & \textbf{Year 1} & \textbf{Year 3} \\ \hline \text{Prevention} & 30 & 80 \\ \text{Appraisal} & 110 & 90 \\ \text{Internal failure} & 260 & 110 \\ \text{External failure} & 160 & 70 \\ \hline \text{Total} & 560 & 350 \end{array}$$
   
   All figures are in thousands. What does this profile demonstrate?

   • A.The programme failed, since prevention spending rose by 167 percent
   • B.External failure fell fastest, so the gain came from better inspection
   • C.Prevention spending of $\$50$k bought a $\$260$k reduction in failure cost✓ Correct answer
   • D.Total quality cost fell mainly because appraisal spending was cut back

   Explanation

   Failure cost fell from 420 to 180, a reduction of 240, while prevention rose by 50 and appraisal fell by 20:
   
   $$\Delta\text{failure} = -240 \qquad \Delta\text{prevention} = +50 \qquad \text{Net} = -210$$
   
   This is the classic cost of quality argument: money moved upstream returns several times over, and judging prevention by its percentage growth rather than by what it bought is exactly the mistake that keeps quality budgets misallocated.

   Reference: CSSBB BoK II

3. Q3.A team builds a SIPOC for a recruitment process and produces the following.
   
   $$\begin{array}{l|l|l|l|l} \textbf{S} & \textbf{I} & \textbf{P} & \textbf{O} & \textbf{C} \\ \hline \text{Agencies} & \text{CVs} & \text{Screen} & \text{Shortlist} & \text{Hiring mgr} \\ \text{Job boards} & \text{Vacancy brief} & \text{Interview} & \text{Offer} & \text{Candidate} \\ \text{Referrals} & \text{Time to hire} & \text{Offer} & \text{Signed contract} & \text{HR system} \end{array}$$
   
   Which entry is misplaced, and where does it belong?

   • A.Signed contract, which is a customer record rather than an output
   • B.HR system, which is a repository rather than a genuine customer
   • C.Time to hire, which is a process measure rather than an input✓ Correct answer
   • D.Referrals, which is a channel rather than a supplier of anything

   Explanation

   Inputs are the things the process consumes and transforms; time to hire is a metric describing how the process performs and does not belong in any of the five columns. Referrals genuinely supply candidates, the signed contract is a legitimate output, and a downstream system that receives and acts on the output is a reasonable internal customer.

   Reference: CSSBB BoK IV

4. Q4.A project network has the activities below, with durations in days.
   
   $$\begin{array}{c|c|c} \textbf{Activity} & \textbf{Duration} & \textbf{Predecessor} \\ \hline A & 4 & - \\ B & 6 & A \\ C & 9 & A \\ D & 5 & B \\ E & 3 & C \\ F & 4 & D, E \end{array}$$
   
   How much total float does activity B have?

   • A.0 days
   • B.3 days
   • C.5 days
   • D.1 day✓ Correct answer

   Explanation

   Compare the two paths through the network:
   
   $$A\text{-}C\text{-}E\text{-}F = 4+9+3+4 = 20 \qquad A\text{-}B\text{-}D\text{-}F = 4+6+5+4 = 19$$
   
   The critical path runs through C and E at 20 days, so the B and D branch carries one day of float. Adding resources to B would therefore buy nothing until that single day is consumed.

   Reference: CSSBB BoK IV

5. Q5.A gage R and R study on a critical dimension returns the following.
   
   $$\begin{array}{l|c|c} \textbf{Source} & \text{\% Study Var} & \textbf{ndc} \\ \hline \text{Repeatability} & 22.0 & \\ \text{Reproducibility} & 17.3 & \\ \text{Total gage R and R} & 28.0 & 4 \\ \text{Part-to-part} & 96.0 & \end{array}$$
   
   What is the correct disposition of this measurement system?

   • A.Acceptable, since total gage R and R sits below the 30 percent threshold
   • B.Unacceptable, since repeatability alone exceeds the 10 percent threshold
   • C.Acceptable, since part-to-part variation dominates the total at 96 percent
   • D.Marginal, and unfit for judging individual parts until ndc reaches 5✓ Correct answer

   Explanation

   Two criteria must both be satisfied, and they disagree here: 28% study variation falls in the marginal band, while an ndc of 4 sits below the minimum of 5 required to distinguish individual parts reliably. Quoting only the percentage is how a system like this gets signed off, and the ndc is what reveals it cannot resolve the parts it is being used to accept.

   Reference: CSSBB BoK V

6. Q6.A histogram of fill weights is shown against the specification limits.
   
   What does the picture indicate, and what should be done first?

   

   • A.The specification is too tight, so a tolerance review should be requested
   • B.The process is off centre, so adjust the mean before reducing variation✓ Correct answer
   • C.The process spread is too wide, so variation reduction is the first priority
   • D.The process is bimodal, so two streams should be separated and charted apart

   Explanation

   The distribution is comfortably narrower than the tolerance and is simply sitting too high, so every defect is at the upper limit while the lower half of the tolerance is unused. Centring is usually a setting adjustment and is far cheaper than a variation reduction project, which is why reading the picture correctly changes what the team does next.

   Reference: CSSBB BoK V

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