Six Sigma WGU D469 questions and answers 2026-2027

Appraisal costs

Costs of measuring, testing, and analyzing materials, parts, products, and the productive process to make sure they conform to design specifications.

Benchmark

A level of quality achievement established by one company that other companies seek to achieve (i.e., a goal).

Black Belt

A trained Six Sigma professional who leads improvement projects (often full-time depending on organization

DMAIC

In Six Sigma, a five-step process for improvement projects: define, measure, analyze, improve, and control.

cause-and-effect diagram or fishbone diagram

A graphical description of the elements of a specific quality problem.

cause-and-effect matrix

A grid used to prioritize causes of quality problems.

champion

A member of top management who is responsible for project success in a Six Sigma program.

Cost Index

The ratio of quality cost to manufacturing cost.

design for Six Sigma (DFSS)

A systematic methodology to design products and processes that meet customer expectations and can be produced at Six Sigma quality levels.

DMADV

Define, measure, analyze, design, and verify.

external failure costs

Costs of poor quality incurred after the product gets to the customer; that is, customer service, lost sales, and so on.

fitness for use

A measure of how well a product or service does what the consumer thinks it is supposed to do and wants it to do.

Green Belt

In a Six Sigma program, a project team member, a part-time position.

index numbers

Ratios that measure quality costs relative to some base accounting values such as sales or product units.

internal failure costs

Costs of poor-quality products discovered during the production process—that is, scrap, rework, and the like.

Kaizen

Involving everyone in the workplace in a process of gradual, organized, and continuous improvement.

labor index

The ratio of quality cost to direct labor hours.

Lean Six Sigma

Integrating Six Sigma and lean systems.

Master Black Belt

In a Six Sigma program, a teacher and mentor for Black Belts; a full-time position.

Pareto analysis

A method for identifying the causes of poor quality, which usually shows that most quality problems result from only a few causes.

participative problem solving

Involving employees directly in the quality-management process to identify and solve problems.

Partnering

A relationship between a company and its supplier based on mutual quality standards.

prevention costs

Costs incurred during product design and manufacturing that prevent nonconformance to specifications.

process flowchart

A diagram of the steps in a job, operation, or process.

production index

a relative measure of production output compared to a base period (base = 100)

Productivity

A measure of effectiveness in converting resources into products, generally computed as output divided by input.

quality circles

A small, voluntary group (team) of workers and supervisors formed to address quality problems in their area.

quality management system (QMS)

A system to achieve customer satisfaction that complements other company systems.

quality of conformance

The degree to which the product or service meets the specifications required by design during the production process.

quality of design

The degree to which quality characteristics are designed into a product or service.

quality-productivity ratio (QPR)

A productivity index that includes productivity and quality costs.

sales index

The ratio of quality cost to sales.

Six Sigma

A measure of how much a given product or process deviates from perfection, or zero defects; the basis of a quality-improvement program.

total quality management (TQM)

The management of quality throughout the organization at all management levels and across all areas.

yield

Ratio of good-quality output to total units produced

Statistical process control (SPC)

Involves monitoring the production process to detect and prevent poor quality.

Attribute

A product characteristic that can be evaluated with a discrete response (good/bad, yes/no).

Variable measure

A product characteristic that is continuous and can be measured (weight, length).

Control chart

A chart used in statistical process control to monitor process variation over time and detect out-of-control conditions using control limits.

Control Limits

The upper and lower bands of a control chart.

Performance specifications

Outline expectations and requirements.

Design specifications

Describe the service in enough detail to be replicated.

Delivery specifications

Specify schedules, deliverables, location.

Service blueprinting

A specialized flow chart used for service processes.

Servicescapes

The design of the physical environment (including signs, symbols, and artifacts) in which a service takes place.

Fishbone diagram

What is another name for the cause-and-effect tool that identifies how to prevent an organization's quality problems?

Fitness for use

Which term defines quality as a measure of how well a product or service meets a customer's or user's needs and expectations?

Process flowchart

Which tool helps management identify issues within an organization's manufacturing routine?

Kaizen

What can an organization apply to make holistic improvements when development in a single area is not the main objective?

What does International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification imply about a manufacturing organization?

That it meets internationally accepted requirements for quality management

Pareto analysis

Which diagram counts the percentage of defects to identify major quality problems?

Partnering

What can an organization do to improve quality control with its primary supplier?

Fitness for use

Which standard represents the customer's view on the final determination of product quality?

Durability

Which characteristic is a dimension of quality for a manufactured product?

Reducing variability and meeting specifications

Which two areas in a production process should be subject to continuous improvement when using Deming's approach to quality management?

Scatter diagram

Which quality tool graphically shows if there is a relationship between two variables?

Responsiveness

Which term describes how well a company reacts to unexpected situations in the service industry?

Quality management

Which formalized system documents processes, procedures, and responsibilities for achieving quality objectives?

Total quality management

Organization-wide system focused on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction across all functions

Lean production

System focused on eliminating waste, improving flow, and maximizing customer value

Just-in-time (JIT)

Smoothing the flow of material to arrive just as it is needed.

Takt time

The pace at which production should take place to match customer demand.

Multifunctional workers

Perform more than one job.

General-purpose machines

Perform several basic functions.

Manufacturing cells

Dissimilar machines brought together to manufacture a family of parts.

Push systems

Rely on a predetermined schedule.

Pull systems

Rely on customer requests.

Kanban

A card that corresponds to a standard quantity of production (usually a container size).

Uniform production levels

The result from smoothing production requirements on the final assembly line.

Heijunka

The process of smoothing demand across the planning horizon.

Visual control

Procedures or mechanisms that make problems visible.

Kaizen

A system of continuous improvement; "change for the good of all."

DMAIC

Consists of five phases, namely, Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

undercapacity scheduling

Extra time built into a schedule for planning, problem solving, and maintenance.

Breakdown maintenance

Repairs needed to make a failed machine operational.

Preventive maintenance

A system of periodic inspection and maintenance designed to keep a machine in operation.

Total productive maintenance (TPM)

System that maximizes equipment effectiveness by involving operators + maintenance + preventive maintenance

Lean Six Sigma

A combination of lean's principles for eliminating waste with Six Sigma's reduction of variability.

Poka-yoke

the use of any automatic device or method that either makes it impossible for an error to occur or makes the error immediately obvious once it has occurred.

Master Black Belt

Which Six Sigma certification is responsible for monitoring continuous improvement across all projects within a firm?

Champion

Which Lean Six Sigma certification describes an upper management role responsible for providing resources and overcoming organizational barriers?

Kaizen Blitz

What is a methodology that develops ideas and strategies to address specific problems for immediate improvement?

A dial that shuts off a production machine whenever the instrument needle falls below the desired range

What is an example of a poka-yoke in a production system?

Six Sigma

Which quality method aims to develop perfect products or services with a statistical base goal of 3.4 defects per one million opportunities?

Benchmarking

An industrial engineer reduced employee downtime by thirty percent by focusing on quality attributes of service.

Which methodology did the industrial engineer use?

Six Sigma

The production supervisor reduced product defects by fifty percent by implementing a specific technique in the production process.

Which methodology did the supervisor use?

The four quality cost categories

internal failures, external failures, appraisal, and prevention.

Total quality management

A company employs a continuous improvement model within all stages of production, and all employees commit to manufacturing the best possible products.

What is the applied process?

Fishbone diagram

Which tool should a quality manager use to brainstorm the possible causes of a quality issue?

Lean Six Sigma

Management discovered multiple problems within the production line and then developed processes to eliminate waste and reduce errors.

Which method did the company implement?

Study/Check

A company recognized increased production costs and devised a plan to reduce costs by eliminating waste. The company measured the waste reduction from the previous month and determined it had achieved the goal.

Which stage of the Deming Wheel of continuous quality improvement process did the employees demonstrate when they determined the company had achieved its goal?

Total quality management

Employees across an entire organization are empowered to make comprehensive changes that can minimize errors, thereby improving profits and customer satisfaction.

Which strategy is being used by the organization?

Quality tools

What is a major cornerstone for improving quality to reduce defects?

Through quality of design

How does a firm apply developmental characteristics to a product or service?

Apply quality of conformance

How can a quality design manager ensure product or service meets design specifications?

Process flow chart

Which graphical representation shows how the manufacturing process works?

By tracking consumer wants and purchases

How can an organization discover consumers' purchasing trends to market its products and services effectively?

Design

Which aspect of a product speaks to how well it maintains high-quality standards and excellence?

Color

What is an example of an attribute that can quickly evaluate a product with a discrete response?

Histogram

An industrial engineer determined the daily frequency of defective tools on each shift by analyzing a bar graph.

Which quality tool did the industrial engineer use?