ASQ CQE STUDY GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+
✔✔How can you use Quality Costs once the quality cost program is implemented? -
✔✔-Establish improvement efforts at high level necessary to reduce COQ
-As progress is achieved, adjust improvement efforts to where total quality costs are at
lowest attainable level (prevents unheeded growth in quality costs & creates improved
quality performance, reputation, & profits)
-Used as a budgeting tool for Quality Cost program
-Quality Costs identify targets for CA
✔✔What are the Quality Cost Lessons? - ✔✔1. Speaking language of money is
essential (leadership by upper management; excessive costs, & loss of sales revenue)
2. Quality Cost measurement & publication do not solve quality problems unless they
are used (projects must be clear, etc.)
3. Scope of traditional Quality Costs should be expanded (there is a need to estimate
the cost of inefficient processes, cost of lost opportunities for sales revenue needs to be
considered)
4. Traditional categories of quality costs have had longevity (prevention, appraisal, &
failure)
✔✔What are the phases of training programs? - ✔✔ADDIE Model:
1. Assess the need for training
2. Design curriculum/training plan
3. Develop lesson plans/training materials
4. Implement the plan
5. Evaluate effectiveness of training
CADDIEM Model:
1. Customer Identification
7. Maintain beneficial outcomes
✔✔Quality Function Deployment tools - ✔✔Matrix Chart- used to organize results of
surveys/focus groups
✔✔What is Role Playing & how is it helpful in training? - ✔✔For developing intellectual
skills like facilitation & conflict resolution (technical competence does not ensure
teaching skill)
-A good way to increase learner's involvement
✔✔What are Knowles conclusions on how adults learn? - ✔✔1. They decide for
themselves what is & what isn't important to learn
2. They buy into training when it is supported on the job by supervisors/management
3. Adults who are happy are more receptive to training & adults who are well trained are
happy employees
,✔✔What are Gryna's reasons why training programs fail? - ✔✔1. Cultural resistance by
line managers
2. Doubt of usefulness of training
3. Lack of participation of line managers
4. Technique rather than problem orientation
5. Inadequacy of leader/instructor
6. Mixing of participant levels
7. Lack of application during the course
8. Overly complex language
9. Lack of participation by training function
10. Operational/Logistical deficiencies
✔✔Informal Evaluation - ✔✔Pre & post test of knowledge (most prevalent & cost
effective)
-Evaluation forms (rate instructor & course) are not recommended due to too much
room for subjectivity (level 1 of chart)
*insert Kirkpatrick's levels of evaluation
*5th level is difficult & expensive
✔✔Kirkpatrick's Evaluation Hierarchy - ✔✔insert table
✔✔Training Program from TN Eastman Company evolved from concern about poor
quality attitudes (some aspects are still applicable today) - ✔✔1. Determine the purpose
2. Developing alternatives that will achieve the purpose
3. Analyzing the alternatives
4. Designing the selected program
5. Implementing the solution
6. Evaluating the Results
✔✔Quality Characteristics - ✔✔Features that describe the fit & function of a
product/process & aid in differentiating between items of a given sample/population
*If it cannot be measured, it is classified as Conforming or Nonconforming
,✔✔What are the two types of data? - ✔✔Variables Data- direct measurement on a
continuous scale (temperature on a thermometer)
Attributes Data- discrete data reported in form of counts (pass/fail, # of defects -uses
Poisson Distribution to model this)
✔✔How can prioritization be classified? - ✔✔-Desirability/Consequence categories to
indicate levels of priority (major, minor, serious, critical)
-Grouping Changes/Suggestions (would have, could have, should have, must have)
-ISO 9000 Forms of Improvement (Can, May, Should, Shall)
✔✔Design - ✔✔Thought processes, procedures, tools, documentation, & specifications
associated with products & processes; developed to document & ensure compliance
with customer expectations as they relate to operational capabilities & characteristics
(strategic planning)
✔✔Phases of Design - ✔✔1. Definition- problem/opportunity is defined
2. Speficiation- Applied to characteristics that affect form, fit, function, reliability
3. Concept- Solutions are explored & identified/dismissed
4. Detailed Design- specifications & concepts used to develop detailed plans
5. Prototype- Working model is fabricated & tested for ability to perform/operate
6. Production- Production units are produced in volume to satisfy customer demand
7. Distribution- Product enters supply chain for sale/distribution
8. Normal Use- Product released to customer for intended use
9. Obsolescence & Disposal- Designer considers how to extend product life or how to
dispose safely/ethically
✔✔Design Inputs - ✔✔Factors that influence design requirements placed on products
that relate to:
-Customer needs/expectations (time of delivery, cost)
-Regulatory requirements (safety, control of sensitive technology)
-Patents/licensing (protects existing designs owned by competitors)
-Capabilities
-Reliability
✔✔Critical to Quality (CTQ) - ✔✔Measurable requirements used to achieve quality;
identified when developing a new product or when seeking to improve quality of a
current product (identifies critical characteristics that improve quality if they are
improved)
✔✔Voice of Customer (VOC) - ✔✔Describes what the customer wants expressed in
their own terms & is necessary for identification of CTQs (customer surveys, feedback
forms, focus groups)
✔✔CTQ Tree - ✔✔VOC turned into CTQs
, *must have at least one CTQ
✔✔Contrained - ✔✔When a specific characteristic is emphasized, where the design
input must guide design efforts or constrain the product resulting from the design
✔✔Design Techniques - ✔✔Design for Six Sigma- focuses on eliminating problems
before they occur (DMAIC approach to six sigma focuses on solving problems in
existing products/processes)
Design for Reliability- focuses on development of products/processes able to perform
under specified conditions
Concurrent Engineering- practice of the design function and associated activities
Requirements Traceability- QFD captured, then VOC used to guide design efforts to
ensure customer expectations are met
✔✔Quality Function Deployment (QFD) - ✔✔Planning technique that provides a means
for translating customer requirements into the appropriate technical requirements for
each stage of product development & production
1. Voice of customer- customer's requirements in their own terms
2. Counterpart characteristics- technical language that specifies customer required
quality
3. Product Quality Deployment- activities needed to translate voice of the customer into
counterpart characteristics
4. Deployment of Quality Function- activities needed to ensure that customer-required
Quality is achieved, assignment of quality responsibilities to departments
5. Quality tables- series of matrices used to translate the voice of the customer into final
product control characteristics
✔✔House of Quality - ✔✔Diagram to incorporate key relationships
✔✔Common QFD documents? - ✔✔1. Customer Required Planning Matrix
2. Design Matrix
3. Final Product Characteristic Deployment Matrix
4. Manufacturing/Purchasing Matrix
5. Process Plan & QC Charts
6. Operating Instructions
7. Human Factor Studies or Surveys for capturing VOC
GRADED A+
✔✔How can you use Quality Costs once the quality cost program is implemented? -
✔✔-Establish improvement efforts at high level necessary to reduce COQ
-As progress is achieved, adjust improvement efforts to where total quality costs are at
lowest attainable level (prevents unheeded growth in quality costs & creates improved
quality performance, reputation, & profits)
-Used as a budgeting tool for Quality Cost program
-Quality Costs identify targets for CA
✔✔What are the Quality Cost Lessons? - ✔✔1. Speaking language of money is
essential (leadership by upper management; excessive costs, & loss of sales revenue)
2. Quality Cost measurement & publication do not solve quality problems unless they
are used (projects must be clear, etc.)
3. Scope of traditional Quality Costs should be expanded (there is a need to estimate
the cost of inefficient processes, cost of lost opportunities for sales revenue needs to be
considered)
4. Traditional categories of quality costs have had longevity (prevention, appraisal, &
failure)
✔✔What are the phases of training programs? - ✔✔ADDIE Model:
1. Assess the need for training
2. Design curriculum/training plan
3. Develop lesson plans/training materials
4. Implement the plan
5. Evaluate effectiveness of training
CADDIEM Model:
1. Customer Identification
7. Maintain beneficial outcomes
✔✔Quality Function Deployment tools - ✔✔Matrix Chart- used to organize results of
surveys/focus groups
✔✔What is Role Playing & how is it helpful in training? - ✔✔For developing intellectual
skills like facilitation & conflict resolution (technical competence does not ensure
teaching skill)
-A good way to increase learner's involvement
✔✔What are Knowles conclusions on how adults learn? - ✔✔1. They decide for
themselves what is & what isn't important to learn
2. They buy into training when it is supported on the job by supervisors/management
3. Adults who are happy are more receptive to training & adults who are well trained are
happy employees
,✔✔What are Gryna's reasons why training programs fail? - ✔✔1. Cultural resistance by
line managers
2. Doubt of usefulness of training
3. Lack of participation of line managers
4. Technique rather than problem orientation
5. Inadequacy of leader/instructor
6. Mixing of participant levels
7. Lack of application during the course
8. Overly complex language
9. Lack of participation by training function
10. Operational/Logistical deficiencies
✔✔Informal Evaluation - ✔✔Pre & post test of knowledge (most prevalent & cost
effective)
-Evaluation forms (rate instructor & course) are not recommended due to too much
room for subjectivity (level 1 of chart)
*insert Kirkpatrick's levels of evaluation
*5th level is difficult & expensive
✔✔Kirkpatrick's Evaluation Hierarchy - ✔✔insert table
✔✔Training Program from TN Eastman Company evolved from concern about poor
quality attitudes (some aspects are still applicable today) - ✔✔1. Determine the purpose
2. Developing alternatives that will achieve the purpose
3. Analyzing the alternatives
4. Designing the selected program
5. Implementing the solution
6. Evaluating the Results
✔✔Quality Characteristics - ✔✔Features that describe the fit & function of a
product/process & aid in differentiating between items of a given sample/population
*If it cannot be measured, it is classified as Conforming or Nonconforming
,✔✔What are the two types of data? - ✔✔Variables Data- direct measurement on a
continuous scale (temperature on a thermometer)
Attributes Data- discrete data reported in form of counts (pass/fail, # of defects -uses
Poisson Distribution to model this)
✔✔How can prioritization be classified? - ✔✔-Desirability/Consequence categories to
indicate levels of priority (major, minor, serious, critical)
-Grouping Changes/Suggestions (would have, could have, should have, must have)
-ISO 9000 Forms of Improvement (Can, May, Should, Shall)
✔✔Design - ✔✔Thought processes, procedures, tools, documentation, & specifications
associated with products & processes; developed to document & ensure compliance
with customer expectations as they relate to operational capabilities & characteristics
(strategic planning)
✔✔Phases of Design - ✔✔1. Definition- problem/opportunity is defined
2. Speficiation- Applied to characteristics that affect form, fit, function, reliability
3. Concept- Solutions are explored & identified/dismissed
4. Detailed Design- specifications & concepts used to develop detailed plans
5. Prototype- Working model is fabricated & tested for ability to perform/operate
6. Production- Production units are produced in volume to satisfy customer demand
7. Distribution- Product enters supply chain for sale/distribution
8. Normal Use- Product released to customer for intended use
9. Obsolescence & Disposal- Designer considers how to extend product life or how to
dispose safely/ethically
✔✔Design Inputs - ✔✔Factors that influence design requirements placed on products
that relate to:
-Customer needs/expectations (time of delivery, cost)
-Regulatory requirements (safety, control of sensitive technology)
-Patents/licensing (protects existing designs owned by competitors)
-Capabilities
-Reliability
✔✔Critical to Quality (CTQ) - ✔✔Measurable requirements used to achieve quality;
identified when developing a new product or when seeking to improve quality of a
current product (identifies critical characteristics that improve quality if they are
improved)
✔✔Voice of Customer (VOC) - ✔✔Describes what the customer wants expressed in
their own terms & is necessary for identification of CTQs (customer surveys, feedback
forms, focus groups)
✔✔CTQ Tree - ✔✔VOC turned into CTQs
, *must have at least one CTQ
✔✔Contrained - ✔✔When a specific characteristic is emphasized, where the design
input must guide design efforts or constrain the product resulting from the design
✔✔Design Techniques - ✔✔Design for Six Sigma- focuses on eliminating problems
before they occur (DMAIC approach to six sigma focuses on solving problems in
existing products/processes)
Design for Reliability- focuses on development of products/processes able to perform
under specified conditions
Concurrent Engineering- practice of the design function and associated activities
Requirements Traceability- QFD captured, then VOC used to guide design efforts to
ensure customer expectations are met
✔✔Quality Function Deployment (QFD) - ✔✔Planning technique that provides a means
for translating customer requirements into the appropriate technical requirements for
each stage of product development & production
1. Voice of customer- customer's requirements in their own terms
2. Counterpart characteristics- technical language that specifies customer required
quality
3. Product Quality Deployment- activities needed to translate voice of the customer into
counterpart characteristics
4. Deployment of Quality Function- activities needed to ensure that customer-required
Quality is achieved, assignment of quality responsibilities to departments
5. Quality tables- series of matrices used to translate the voice of the customer into final
product control characteristics
✔✔House of Quality - ✔✔Diagram to incorporate key relationships
✔✔Common QFD documents? - ✔✔1. Customer Required Planning Matrix
2. Design Matrix
3. Final Product Characteristic Deployment Matrix
4. Manufacturing/Purchasing Matrix
5. Process Plan & QC Charts
6. Operating Instructions
7. Human Factor Studies or Surveys for capturing VOC
