What is Variation? - Answers Variation refers to the fluctuations in the process and results from
the pre-determined standards
What has a corrupting effect on the reliable workflow of production operations? - Answers
Variation
What is another name for External Sources of Variation? - Answers Special Cause Variation
What are some types of External Source or Special Cause Variations? - Answers Environmental
Conditions, Equipment Breakdown, Material Delivery Interruptions, Delays in Submittals, Design
Errors
What is another name for Internal Sources of Variation? - Answers Common Cause Variation
What are some types of Internal Source or Common Cause Variations? - Answers Individual
Crew's Performance, Motivation Levels, Safe Work Practices, Experience Level, Following
Inconsistent processes
What must we do with variation in order to have consistent workflow on the job? - Answers We
must identify the sources of variation and take steps to eliminate them
What is one recommended step of eliminating or reducing variation? - Answers Standardization
of Work Processes
Important Concept: What is Work In Progress (WIP)? - Answers The amount of work in the
production process at a given time
Important Concept: What is Throughput? - Answers The amount of finished material/product
coming out of the production process in a given amount of time and is the real measure of
speed in the system
Important Concept: What is Cycle Time? - Answers The time it takes to complete one finished
unit of a process
A random or non-random difference in a production process that we can measure and quantify
is ____________. - Answers Variation
All _______________ _________________ exhibit variation. - Answers Production Processes
_____________ _________ ______________ is an inherently random source of variation that is
property of the process or the procedure. - Answers Common Course Variation
_____________ _________ ______________ is variation caused by factors external to the defined
process. - Answers Special Cause Variation