Six Sigma Green Belt Certification Practice Exam

Which tool is specifically used to identify, estimate, prioritize, and reduce the risk of failure in CTQs?

1. Process Flow Diagram

2. Affinity Diagram

3. Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

4. Histogram

The correct answer is: Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

The selected tool, Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), is crucial in identifying potential failure modes in processes and products, assessing their impact, and prioritizing risks based on their severity, occurrence, and detectability. This systematic approach not only helps in outlining the risks associated with Critical to Quality (CTQ) characteristics but also allows teams to develop strategies for mitigating those risks effectively. In the context of managing quality and ensuring that processes meet customer requirements, FMEA plays a vital role. It helps organizations forecast possible failures before they occur, enhancing decision-making by focusing on the areas of greatest concern. Thus, using FMEA aligns perfectly with the objective of reducing risks associated with CTQs. The other tools mentioned serve different purposes. A Process Flow Diagram provides a visual representation of the steps in a process but does not specifically analyze risks. An Affinity Diagram is useful for organizing ideas and finding relationships between concepts, which is a different function compared to risk assessment. A Histogram is a graphical representation of data distributions but does not address the identification or prioritization of failure modes. Therefore, FMEA is uniquely suited for the task of risk reduction related to CTQs.