ASQ CQE Exam Success: Certified Quality Engineer Complete Study and Preparation Tips

Quality planning focuses on identifying and meeting the needs of the customers. It involves defining quality standards and determining how to achieve them to ensure customer satisfaction.

Concurrent engineering is an approach to product development where multiple phases of the design process are carried out simultaneously to reduce time-to-market and improve product quality.

Concurrent engineering is a systematic approach to integrated product development that emphasizes the parallelization of tasks (i.e., performing tasks concurrently), which contrasts with the traditional sequential engineering design method.

To determine which problem area should be targeted for improvement first, we need to consider both the dollar savings and the probability of success. Calculating the expected savings (dollar savings multiplied by the probability of success) for each problem area gives us a clear picture:

A: 100,000 * 0.15 = 15,000

B: 92,000 * 0.30 = 27,600

C: 84,000 * 0.20 = 16,800

D: 72,000 * 0.33 = 23,760

Problem Area B has the highest expected savings (27,600), making it the best target for initial improvement efforts based on the given data. References:

Quality Management for Organizational Excellence by David L. Goetsch and Stanley Davis.

ASQ Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence Handbook.

In value stream analysis, inspection is typically classified as non-value added. This is because inspection does not directly transform the product or add value from the customer's perspective. Instead, it is an activity that checks for defects or issues, which ideally should be prevented by improving the processes.

References:

Rother, M., & Shook, J. (1999). Learning to See: Value Stream Mapping to Add Value and Eliminate MUDA. Lean Enterprise Institute.

Liker, J.K. (2004). The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer. McGraw-Hill.

Instructing that all employees involved in creating those discrepancies be re-trained is considered a risk treatment. This action addresses the root cause of the non-conformities by improving the skills and knowledge of the employees, thereby reducing the likelihood of future occurrences.

Risk management in software quality engineering aims to identify, assess, and mitigate risks that could affect project outcomes. The primary characteristic of effective risk management is that it should be all-inclusive. This means it should encompass all potential risk areas, including technical, project management, resource allocation, and external factors. An all-inclusive approach ensures that no significant risk is overlooked and that comprehensive strategies are in place to manage identified risks effectively.References:

Software Quality Assurance: Principles and Practice by Nina S. Godbole.

ASQ Software Quality Engineer Handbook.

In written communication, using the active voice is most effective because it is clear and direct. Active voice makes it easier for the reader to understand who is doing what, leading to less ambiguity. For example, "The manager approved the request" is clearer than "The request was approved by the manager." Reference: "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White, which advises using active voice for clarity and precision in writing.

If a quality engineer discovers a situation where unlabeled finished product could be shipped to customers, the appropriate preventive action is to form a team to error-proof the process. This involves identifying and eliminating the root causes of the issue to prevent recurrence, ensuring that processes are robust and error-free.