WGU C215 OPERATIONS
MANAGEMENT PRACTICE TEST
2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS
Section 1: Quality Management & TQM (Questions 1–12)
1. Which of the following is a core principle of Total Quality Management (TQM)?
A) Quality is solely the responsibility of the quality control department.
B) Continuous improvement should involve all employees.
C) Inspection is the most effective way to ensure quality.
D) Quality increases costs and reduces productivity.
Answer: B
Rationale: TQM emphasizes organization-wide commitment to quality, with continuous
improvement involving every employee, not just quality control. Inspection finds defects but
doesn't prevent them.
2. Dr. W. Edwards Deming is best known for:
A) The concept of "fitness for use."
B) The 14 Points for management.
C) Zero defects.
D) The Pareto principle.
Answer: B
Rationale: Deming developed the 14 Points for management, which stress that management is
responsible for the system and quality improvement. Juran is known for "fitness for use,"
Crosby for "Zero Defects."
3. A company discovers a defect after the product has been shipped to the customer. This
cost is classified as:
A) Prevention cost
,B) Appraisal cost
C) Internal failure cost
D) External failure cost
Answer: D
Rationale: External failure costs occur after the customer receives the defective product (e.g.,
warranties, returns, lawsuits). Internal failure costs are found before shipment.
4. A process has a Cpk of 1.2. This indicates:
A) The process is not capable.
B) The process is marginally capable.
C) The process is capable.
D) The process mean is exactly centered.
Answer: C
Rationale: A Cpk ≥ 1.33 is generally considered very capable; 1.2 is still acceptable and indicates
the process is capable (meets specifications). Below 1.0 indicates not capable.
5. Which tool is used to identify the most frequent cause of a problem by displaying
categories in descending order?
A) Histogram
B) Pareto chart
C) Scatter diagram
D) Control chart
Answer: B
Rationale: The Pareto chart is based on the 80/20 rule and displays bars in descending order to
highlight the most frequent issues. Histograms show distribution shape.
6. The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle is used for:
A) Financial auditing
B) Continuous improvement
C) Employee hiring
D) Supply chain logistics
Answer: B
Rationale: PDCA (Deming Cycle) is a systematic method for continuous process improvement:
Plan the change, Do it, Check results, Act on what was learned.
, 7. Six Sigma quality level corresponds to how many defects per million opportunities
(DPMO)?
A) 3.4
B) 233
C) 6210
D) 66800
Answer: A
Rationale: Six Sigma means 3.4 defects per million opportunities, accounting for a 1.5-sigma
shift in the mean over time.
8. Which of the following is an example of a prevention cost?
A) Warranty repairs
B) Product testing
C) Employee quality training
D) Rework
Answer: C
Rationale: Prevention costs are incurred to prevent defects from occurring (e.g., training,
process design). Testing is appraisal; rework and warranty are failure costs.
9. A control chart shows a point outside the upper control limit. This indicates:
A) Common cause variation only
B) Special cause variation likely present
C) The process is perfectly capable
D) No action is needed
Answer: B
Rationale: Points outside control limits suggest special cause variation (assignable cause) that
should be investigated. Common cause variation stays within limits.
10. Which quality guru introduced the concept of "Zero Defects"?
A) Joseph Juran
B) Philip Crosby
C) Kaoru Ishikawa
D) Walter Shewhart
Answer: B
Rationale: Philip Crosby advocated "Zero Defects" and the phrase "Quality is Free," arguing that
doing it right the first time saves money.
MANAGEMENT PRACTICE TEST
2026 QUESTIONS WITH
ANSWERS
Section 1: Quality Management & TQM (Questions 1–12)
1. Which of the following is a core principle of Total Quality Management (TQM)?
A) Quality is solely the responsibility of the quality control department.
B) Continuous improvement should involve all employees.
C) Inspection is the most effective way to ensure quality.
D) Quality increases costs and reduces productivity.
Answer: B
Rationale: TQM emphasizes organization-wide commitment to quality, with continuous
improvement involving every employee, not just quality control. Inspection finds defects but
doesn't prevent them.
2. Dr. W. Edwards Deming is best known for:
A) The concept of "fitness for use."
B) The 14 Points for management.
C) Zero defects.
D) The Pareto principle.
Answer: B
Rationale: Deming developed the 14 Points for management, which stress that management is
responsible for the system and quality improvement. Juran is known for "fitness for use,"
Crosby for "Zero Defects."
3. A company discovers a defect after the product has been shipped to the customer. This
cost is classified as:
A) Prevention cost
,B) Appraisal cost
C) Internal failure cost
D) External failure cost
Answer: D
Rationale: External failure costs occur after the customer receives the defective product (e.g.,
warranties, returns, lawsuits). Internal failure costs are found before shipment.
4. A process has a Cpk of 1.2. This indicates:
A) The process is not capable.
B) The process is marginally capable.
C) The process is capable.
D) The process mean is exactly centered.
Answer: C
Rationale: A Cpk ≥ 1.33 is generally considered very capable; 1.2 is still acceptable and indicates
the process is capable (meets specifications). Below 1.0 indicates not capable.
5. Which tool is used to identify the most frequent cause of a problem by displaying
categories in descending order?
A) Histogram
B) Pareto chart
C) Scatter diagram
D) Control chart
Answer: B
Rationale: The Pareto chart is based on the 80/20 rule and displays bars in descending order to
highlight the most frequent issues. Histograms show distribution shape.
6. The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle is used for:
A) Financial auditing
B) Continuous improvement
C) Employee hiring
D) Supply chain logistics
Answer: B
Rationale: PDCA (Deming Cycle) is a systematic method for continuous process improvement:
Plan the change, Do it, Check results, Act on what was learned.
, 7. Six Sigma quality level corresponds to how many defects per million opportunities
(DPMO)?
A) 3.4
B) 233
C) 6210
D) 66800
Answer: A
Rationale: Six Sigma means 3.4 defects per million opportunities, accounting for a 1.5-sigma
shift in the mean over time.
8. Which of the following is an example of a prevention cost?
A) Warranty repairs
B) Product testing
C) Employee quality training
D) Rework
Answer: C
Rationale: Prevention costs are incurred to prevent defects from occurring (e.g., training,
process design). Testing is appraisal; rework and warranty are failure costs.
9. A control chart shows a point outside the upper control limit. This indicates:
A) Common cause variation only
B) Special cause variation likely present
C) The process is perfectly capable
D) No action is needed
Answer: B
Rationale: Points outside control limits suggest special cause variation (assignable cause) that
should be investigated. Common cause variation stays within limits.
10. Which quality guru introduced the concept of "Zero Defects"?
A) Joseph Juran
B) Philip Crosby
C) Kaoru Ishikawa
D) Walter Shewhart
Answer: B
Rationale: Philip Crosby advocated "Zero Defects" and the phrase "Quality is Free," arguing that
doing it right the first time saves money.
