MGSC 485 Midterm Exam Questions with Correct Answers Latest Update 2025/2026
This phase deals with project scoping and evaluating project score - Answers Define
This phase assesses requirements for the six-sigma project - Answers Define
This phase develops the complete project plan - Answers Define
This phase creates the value stream map of the current process to be improved - Answers
Measure
This phase identifies tools for collecting and analyzing process performance information -
Answers Analyze
This phase validates the benefits (operational and financial) of the six-sigma project - Answers
Control
What are the key outcomes of the analyze phase? (5) - Answers 1. why problems occur
2. where opportunities exist
3. Potential causes
4. Data charts
5. V.A. vs N.V.A.
What are some key process performance metrics that are improved by a typical six-sigma
project? (8) - Answers 1. Flow time,
2. cp, cpk,
3. six-sigma level
4. variation reduction
5. waste elimination
6. process optimization
7. work standardization
8. constraint removal
How does littles law help in computing the process flow (cycle) time? - Answers Number of
things in process devided by average completion rate. This shows how lead time is related to
number of things in process (WIP) and completion rate of process.
Which approach compresses DMAIC approach into a short, focused business process
, improvement event? - Answers Kaizen event
What are the 5 steps of creating Affinity Diagrams? - Answers 1. Gather and write out ideas,
2. post notes randomly,
3. allow silence for grouping,
4. create headers for each group,
5. complete diagram and discuss results aka decide a theme.
How do Affinity Diagrams help in organizing ideas? (5) - Answers 1. Helps organize ideas
2. organize central themes when one is not easily recognized
3. can use in any phase of DMAIC
4. Helps to breakthrough beyond traditional thinking
5. When confronted with many ideas, when issues are too large and complex to grasp, and
when group consensus is necessary
Which process maps are most useful for transactional processes? - Answers Swimlane or
functional deployment
Which process maps are most useful for the workplace improvement? - Answers Workflow
diagrams to get a visual of the whole workplace (spaghetti diagrams)
What are the limitations of the SIPOC chart? (4) - Answers 1. Provides broad overview of the key
components of a process
2. very simplistic and general
3. different outputs may have different customers
4. different inputs may have different suppliers
What is a SIPOC Chart? - Answers A block diagram or flowchart derived from suppliers, inputs,
process, outputs, and customers. To provide a broad overview of the key elements in the
process.
What is the other name for workflow diagrams? - Answers Spaghetti diagram. Used to depict
the flow of information material, or people.
What are the differences between a process chart and a spaghetti diagram? - Answers 1.
Process chart shows the faces of the production with symbols (activity to activity) and
spaghetti shows physical flow f work or material
This phase deals with project scoping and evaluating project score - Answers Define
This phase assesses requirements for the six-sigma project - Answers Define
This phase develops the complete project plan - Answers Define
This phase creates the value stream map of the current process to be improved - Answers
Measure
This phase identifies tools for collecting and analyzing process performance information -
Answers Analyze
This phase validates the benefits (operational and financial) of the six-sigma project - Answers
Control
What are the key outcomes of the analyze phase? (5) - Answers 1. why problems occur
2. where opportunities exist
3. Potential causes
4. Data charts
5. V.A. vs N.V.A.
What are some key process performance metrics that are improved by a typical six-sigma
project? (8) - Answers 1. Flow time,
2. cp, cpk,
3. six-sigma level
4. variation reduction
5. waste elimination
6. process optimization
7. work standardization
8. constraint removal
How does littles law help in computing the process flow (cycle) time? - Answers Number of
things in process devided by average completion rate. This shows how lead time is related to
number of things in process (WIP) and completion rate of process.
Which approach compresses DMAIC approach into a short, focused business process
, improvement event? - Answers Kaizen event
What are the 5 steps of creating Affinity Diagrams? - Answers 1. Gather and write out ideas,
2. post notes randomly,
3. allow silence for grouping,
4. create headers for each group,
5. complete diagram and discuss results aka decide a theme.
How do Affinity Diagrams help in organizing ideas? (5) - Answers 1. Helps organize ideas
2. organize central themes when one is not easily recognized
3. can use in any phase of DMAIC
4. Helps to breakthrough beyond traditional thinking
5. When confronted with many ideas, when issues are too large and complex to grasp, and
when group consensus is necessary
Which process maps are most useful for transactional processes? - Answers Swimlane or
functional deployment
Which process maps are most useful for the workplace improvement? - Answers Workflow
diagrams to get a visual of the whole workplace (spaghetti diagrams)
What are the limitations of the SIPOC chart? (4) - Answers 1. Provides broad overview of the key
components of a process
2. very simplistic and general
3. different outputs may have different customers
4. different inputs may have different suppliers
What is a SIPOC Chart? - Answers A block diagram or flowchart derived from suppliers, inputs,
process, outputs, and customers. To provide a broad overview of the key elements in the
process.
What is the other name for workflow diagrams? - Answers Spaghetti diagram. Used to depict
the flow of information material, or people.
What are the differences between a process chart and a spaghetti diagram? - Answers 1.
Process chart shows the faces of the production with symbols (activity to activity) and
spaghetti shows physical flow f work or material
