45 Questions About Six Sigma (With Sample Responses)
Six sigma is a set of tools, strategies, and methods that companies can use to improve their processes. If a business wants to use this method effectively, it needs to know how it works. To prepare for a job interview on this topic, it’s important to know some of the most common questions an employer might ask. In this article, we look at a list of 10 six sigma interview questions and sample answers, as well as 35 other questions that you can look over to help you answer with confidence.45 Questions About Six Sigma
Sample answers to questions about six sigma asked at an interview
Here are 10 common questions about six sigma and some sample answers you can use:
1. What is six sigma?
This could be the first question an interviewer asks you because it sets the tone for the rest of the interview. They might expect a strong answer to this simple question, so learn about six sigma and its ideas so you can answer with confidence.
Example: “Six sigma is a set of tools and techniques that help companies make better products. It works by finding the things that cause trouble and getting rid of them. You can use six sigma to solve many problems, like cutting costs, reducing pollution, making more money, and making customers happier.”
2.In the six sigma process, what are the four main ways to make changes?
This is a question an employer might ask to see if you know more about the process than they do. Make sure you remember at least two of the different ways to answer this question to show that you know something about the topic.
Example: “The mean, the median, the range, and the mode are the four most important ones. You use “mean” to find out what an application’s average value is. The median is the number that shows where the middle number is in a group of numbers. The highest and lowest numbers in a set of data are called the range. The mode is the value that comes up most often.”
How is the DMAIC method for six sigma different from the DMADV method?
Without these two ideas, the six sigma process can’t work. Try to learn as much as you can about both methods so that you can give an answer that shows how they are different.
Example: “DMADV stands for define, measure, analyze, design and verify. With the DMADV method, you can make a high-quality product that meets the customer’s needs and wants at every step. On the other hand, DMAIC is an acronym that stands for “define, measure, analyze, improve, and control.” You can use this method to try out new strategies and look at data to see which ones work best early on.”
4. Give an example of a fishbone diagram.
This is a question that a potential employer might ask you because it shows how much you know about the six sigma process. If you understand this idea, you’ll know how to answer this question.
Example: “The fishbone diagram, which is also called the Ishikawa diagram, is a way to show how something works. You use it to find the real cause of a problem by putting possible causes into groups.”
What are the main differences between testing for load and testing for performance?
You can give a more detailed answer to this question to help explain how the two kinds of tests are different. Try to think of the most important difference if you can’t think of all of them.
Example: “Performance testing is a way to check the stability, responsiveness, and sensitivity of a system. Load testing, on the other hand, is the process of testing how well a software system works by making it work under stress.”
What is the top-down method in the six sigma process?
The top-down method is one of the most common ways to do things in the six sigma process. So, an employer might think you know everything there is to know about this subject. You might want to find out more about the idea so that you can answer clearly.
Example: “The top-down method is a way of running a business that focuses a lot on what customers want and how to run a business. Six Sigma needs to be adopted by a high-ranking official, like the CEO, and then approved by another executive.”
7. Describe FMEA.
For this question, you can show that you understand the idea by briefly explaining what the acronym stands for. Then, try to give a short answer that explains what FMEA means in terms of the six sigma process.
Example: “FMEA stands for Failure Modes and Effects Analysis. It is a risk assessment tool that helps businesses figure out how risks can be found, how often they happen, and how bad they are. It’s easier to find and rank the most important risks with this tool.”
8. What is a root cause analysis? What are its three steps?
Six Sigma depends on root cause analysis, so you should learn as much as you can about it. If you can’t remember all three steps, try to explain at least two of them to show how smart you are.
Example: “Root cause analysis is a way for organizations to figure out what is causing a problem and how to fix it. There are three main steps: open step, narrow step, and close step. In the open step, team members talk about what they think could happen. In the narrow step, they give more information about possible causes and results. In the final step, they check to see if the best explanations are correct.”
What is lean six sigma? What tools does it use?
Most interviewers will ask you about Lean, since it is one of the most important parts of the six sigma process. You can think of a lot of different tools, but try to come up with at least three.
Example: “The lean six sigma process depends a lot on teams working together to improve performance, cut down on differences, and get rid of waste. It is a mix of six sigma and the lean enterprise method, and it helps get rid of waste like mistakes and too much production. Some of these tools are kaizen, poka-yoke, and value stream mapping.”
10.In the six sigma process, what is DFSS?
Since DFSS is an acronym, it’s important to first explain what the letters stand for and then explain what the term means. You could talk about the industries that use it, like electronics and finance, to show that you know more.
Example: “DFSS stands for design for six sigma. It is a way to run a business that helps a company make the best products and services it can. It can be used in many fields, such as waste management, finance, engineering, and marketing.”
35 additional six sigma interview questions
Check out this list of 35 more six sigma interview questions to help you prepare for your next one.
- The six sigma process improvement has three main parts.
- What are the three parts of a plan for collecting information?
- What’s the difference between a boxplot and a histogram?
- Describe the steps you need to take to make a SIPOC process map.
- Explain the difference between a measurement system analysis and a value stream map.
- Based on what you know and what you’ve done, explain why you might use six sigma.
- What kinds of projects work best with six sigma?
- How can you tell how hard a project is by looking at it?
- In the six sigma method, how would you describe a problem statement?
- How are an Ishikawa diagram and a Pareto chart different?
- What are the main differences between an alpha risk and a beta risk?
- What’s a diagram of similarities?
- What kinds of control charts are there, and how do they work?
- What is the main difference between control limits and specification limits?
- What does a master black belt do on a team working to implement six sigma?
- What do you think are some of the most important things an organization can get out of the six sigma process?
- What do you think are the most common things about six sigma that people don’t understand?
- How does a business figure out how much it will cost to put six sigma into place?
- What are the parts of a project?
- In six sigma, what are the different kinds of data?
- Why shouldn’t you use six sigma? What are some of the most obvious reasons?
- How much does poor quality cost in the six sigma process?
- Explain some of the tools that can be used in six sigma to keep track of quality.
- How does six sigma use regression, and what is it?
- How does one find the sigma?
- What does it mean to have a 1.5 sigma shift?
- What’s the difference between something being broken and something being a defect in six sigma?
- What’s the main difference between a report on a product and a report on a process?
- What is a session for coming up with ideas? How does a flowchart work?
- Tell me about six sigma’s different levels of quality.
- How does six sigma relate to MAIC?
- What are the most important metrics to think about in a six sigma project?
- Why is the RACI matrix important in a six sigma project?
- How does the method for nominal groups work?
- What is TRIZ? Why should you use it?
