Foundations knowledge check

Learning objectives

• Integrate value, variation, waste, constraint, role, ethics and cost thinking.
• Diagnose weak areas before Define begins.
• Reason from evidence rather than opinion.

Scenario used for this check

A sewing department has late delivery, high WIP, unstable DHU, disputed inspection results and pressure to retrain operators immediately. Work through the questions below before choosing any action.

Assessment focus

• Identify the customer problem before choosing a tool.
• Validate the measurement system before analysing causes.
• Locate the constraint with data, not opinion.
• Distinguish Lean and Six Sigma actions on the same problem.
• Confirm sponsor, process owner and COPQ before Improve.

Garment-factory example

Retraining operators before validating the measurement system usually wastes training time — the disputed inspection may itself be creating the apparent DHU spike.

Method

1. Restate the customer problem in one sentence.
2. List which DMAIC phase each candidate action belongs to.
3. Choose the earliest missing evidence and gather it first.

Common mistakes

• Memorizing definitions without applying them to the scenario.
• Choosing solutions before baseline and root-cause evidence.