CMQ/OE Exam Practice Questions
CMQ/OE Exam Practice Questions
Monika Nikolovska
2021 April
Prepared By: Kliment Grozdanoski [email protected] +389 71 279 954 (WhatsApp)
Prepared By: Monika Nikolovska [email protected] +389 71 336 198 (WhatsApp)
About
Hi there, Quality Student!
I work with Leoron, the leading training institute in the MENA Region in the last 6 years. Throughout
these years we have prepared over 1,000 students to obtain ASQ, IRCA, EFQM or other quality
certifications, or simply to learn more about better application of the quality tools and techniques.
This worksheet is the first part of the series of questions which I collected from all over the internet and
from previous exam takers. The aim of this sheet is to give you a general idea about the difficulty level of
the CMQ/OE exam, and whether you would need extra help to pass the exam or not.
If you do not need extra help, then you might be the next MENA quality person of the year!
If you do need extra help, then please approach me and get a free training advice.
1. Which of the following elements would be expected to be included in a good project plan?
A. I and II only
B. II and III only
C. I, III, and IV only
D. I, II, III, and IV
A. Compare the net value of a new project relative to continuing previously approved
projects
B. Determine the best time to start a new project
C. Assess the feasibility of starting a new project relative to the resources being
allocated to existing projects as well as assessing the strategic fit of the new project
D. Make room for a new project by canceling or postponing an existing project that will
not produce as high an ROI as the new project
4. Given a four-week project involving 22 tasks, a budget of $22,000, and a part-time team
(project manager and two analysts), which project management tool will most likely be
used to display project progress to management?
5. The mission statement for a quality function would best focus on:
A. Reducing defects.
B. Assessing the performance of production workers.
C. Companywide and departmental activities that collectively result in product and/or
service quality.
D. Leading small teams that break down barriers and reach higher organizational goals.
6. Which of the following quality tools is most likely to identify a specific quality system
effectiveness problem to be addressed?
A. Process map
B. Balanced scorecard
C. Quality management system audit
D. Employee performance appraisal
7. The Baldrige Award performance excellence criteria address which types of performance?
I. Procedural compliance -
II. Supplier related -
III. Customer related -
IV. Financial and marketplace -
A. I and IV only
B. III and IV only
C. II, III, and IV only
D. III only
A. I and II only
B. I, II, and IV only
C. III and IV only
D. I, II, III, and IV
10. Which of the following concepts may best exemplify a universal business rationale for
improving quality?
11. All but one of the following statements is true. Which one is not true?
D. Nothing less than 100 percent inspection will suffice to ensure that good quality is
produced.
I. Knowing what the organizational goals are, what the job objective is, and the standard for
performance.
II. Knowing what the actual performance is.
III. Notifying supervision whenever a nonconformance occurs.
IV. Having the means for changing the performance when it does not conform to the goals,
objectives, and standard.
A. III only
B. I, II, and III only
C. I and II only
D. I, II, and IV only
13. A new process improvement team has just flowcharted how a process currently works. The
value to the team is to:
A. Document and retain records demonstrating how work activities were performed at a
specific moment in time.
B. Gain consensus on how information and materials currently flow through the
organization.
C. Validate baseline performance data collected before a change is implemented.
D. Assess the level of compliance against a quality standard.
I. Flowchart -
II. Check sheet and Pareto chart
III. Fishbone chart -
IV. Five whys -
V. Histogram and scatter diagram
VI. Control charts -
VII. DMAIC –
15. A work team has identified three software packages that will help them dramatically
improve a process and needs to decide which to purchase. Each package has some of the
same and some different features and there are many different criteria that need to be
used in making the decision. Which of the following tools is likely to be most valuable for
helping the team decide?
A. Priorities matrix
B. Tree diagram
C. Matrix diagram
D. Activity network diagram
16. You have been meeting every day for four days with the purchasing manager, trying to
decide the relative responsibilities of the quality and purchasing departments for dealing
with supplier problems. Which of the following would likely be least effective at helping
reach agreement?
17. Managers who take shortcuts, push employees beyond their limits, eliminate training, and
neglect equipment maintenance probably are:
18. A tool used to assess the readiness of the organization to embrace and institutionalize
change is:
A. Management review.
B. Hoshin planning.
C. Nominal group technique.
D. Force-field analysis.
19. Two employees separately submitted the same idea to a companys formal suggestion
system on the same date. Under the rules of the system the employee who submits an idea
is to receive a portion of the financial savings in the first year, which for this idea will be a
very substantial amount. However, each employee claims to have come up with the idea
and insists that the other stole it and submitted it after a conversation theyd had about a
processing problem in their department. Neither wants to share the reward. The company
should:
20. The leader of a team that had formerly worked together exceptionally well has noticed
several disagreements between team members since two new people joined the team two
weeks ago. The leader should:
A. Meet with all team members except the new ones and try to come up with suggestions
for resolving any problems.
B. Have a one-on-one discussion with each of the new members and explain how the team
used to avoid arguments.
C. Ask a facilitator to attend the next few meetings to help reduce conflict.
D. Do nothing.
21. A facilitator notices that the team jumps to conclusions after only one or two members
have stated their opinion. The facilitator should:
A. Tell the team to have a nonbinding vote before beginning a discussion, which will make
each persons view apparent.
B. Ask the team to fill out a questionnaire rating themselves on effective group process.
C. Tell the quiet members they need to speak out.
D. Ask what the impact will be on the team if they don’t adequately discuss issues.
22. A company has been very reactive in dealing with quality since it was started 19 years ago
and management wants to develop a more proactive organization. Which of the following
actions by top management would be most useful at the beginning of the process of
change?
23. A team is frustrated by the difficulty of the project on which they are working and has
asked the sponsor to attend their next meeting. The sponsor should:
24. Which of the following process improvement teams projects is likely to be regarded as most
successful where on-time deliverables are critical?
A. Deliverables were completed on time, but project incurred a one percent cost overrun.
B. Project team worked well together and worked hard but lacked sufficient resources to
complete project on time and within budget.
C. Project required a reduction in scope in order to finish within planned time and cost and
avoid a late penalty.
D. Project completed deliverables a week late and incurred a cost overrun but provided
unplanned added value.
25. As part of the continued evolution of their TQM philosophy, a company recently devised a
sophisticated gain-sharing program that allows all employees to obtain financial rewards
from improved organizational performance. Which of the following is true?
A. The company will see increased enthusiasm for their TQM efforts.
B. Management should ensure that the TQM effort also taps intrinsic motivation.
C. The gain-sharing program probably gives a greater proportion of the rewards to
employees at higher levels of the organization.
D. Quality to the customer may drop as improvement efforts become more focused on
financial results.
27. A small chain of five retail stores has just completed its initial strategic planning and
wishes to determine the effectiveness of its plans for the first year. They should track and
measure:
28. Three hospitals are located within the same metropolitan are a. One hospital determined
that both its cafeteria and its gift shop ranked lower in variety and convenience than the
other two hospitals. Which of the following actions would be most appropriate?
A. Normalize the data based on any significant differences in the customers being served
(for example, economic strata).
B. Subcontract the cafeteria and gift shop to outside sources that can provide greater
attention to these nonmedical aspects of the hospital operations.
C. Colocate the cafeteria and the gift shop in order to share resources, reduce costs, simplify
access, and allow a greater investment in variety.
D. Look at customer purchasing patterns and profit margins to maximize investment
payback.
29. Strategic planning may include all but which of the following?
A. A SWOT analysis
B. Hoshin planning and deployment
C. A seven-step problem-solving technique
D. Scenario planning
30. During the development of company strategy, input should be sought from:
A. Advertising agencies.
B. Competitors.
C. Stakeholders.
D. Public relations advisers.
31. To establish the direction an organizations first strategic planning initiative should take,
the organization should first create:
A. A mission statement.
B. Organizational objectives.
C. A vision statement.
D. Action plans.
A. Priorities matrix
B. Process map
C. Quality function deployment
D. SWOT analysis
33. The role of the quality function in supporting strategic plans could include all but which of
the following?
34. In preparation for strategic planning, organizations should look closely at their industry to
determine:
I. The amount of excess capacity.
II. Which competitors might join forces and become a greater threat.
III. How employees perceive competitor advertisements.
IV. What changes in regulatory requirements are likely to occur.
A. I and II
B. II and III
C. I, II, and IV
D. I, II, III, and IV
37. Which of the following audit strategies is a common technique to assess compliance to a
specific requirement at all locations where that requirement is applicable?
A. Discovery method
B. Element method
C. Department method
D. Process method
38. When is it acceptable to grant an extension of the time frame for a corrective action?
39. The fraction of nonconforming products is plotted on which of the following types of
control charts?
A. p chart
B. u chart
C. np chart
D. c chart
40. A facilitator notices that the team jumps to conclusions after only one or two members
have stated their opinion. The facilitator should:
A. Tell the team to have a nonbinding vote before beginning a discussion, which will make
each person's view apparent.
B. Ask the team to fill out a questionnaire rating themselves on effective group process.
C. Tell the quiet members they need to speak out.
D. Ask what the impact will be on the team if they don't adequately discuss issues.
41. A company has been very reactive in dealing with quality since it was started 19 years ago
and management wants to develop a more proactive organization. Which of the following
actions by top management would be most useful at the beginning of the process of
change?
42. A team is frustrated by the difficulty of the project on which they're working and has asked
the sponsor to attend their next meeting. The sponsor should:
43. Which of the following process improvement teams' projects is likely to be regarded as
most successful where on-time deliverables are critical.
A. Deliverables were completed on time, but project incurred a one percent cost overrun.
B. Project team worked well together and worked hard but lacked sufficient resources to
complete project on time and within budget.
C. Project required a reduction in scope in order to finish within planned time and cost and
avoid a late penalty.
D. Project completed deliverables a week late and incurred a cost overrun but provided
unplanned added value.
44. As part of the continued evolution of their TQM philosophy, a company recently devised a
sophisticated gain-sharing program that allows all employees to obtain financial rewards
A. The company will see increased enthusiasm for their TQM efforts.
B. Management should ensure that the TQM effort also taps intrinsic motivation.
C. The gain-sharing program probably gives a greater proportion of the rewards to
employees at higher levels of the organization.
D. Quality to the customer may drop as improvement efforts become more focused on
financial results
46. A small chain of five retail stores has just completed its initial strategic planning and
wishes to determine the effectiveness of its plans for the first year. They should track and
measure:
47. Strategic planning may include all but which of the following?
A. A SWOT analysis
B. Hoshin planning and deployment
C. A seven-step problem-solving technique
D. Scenario planning
48. Three hospitals are located within the same metropolitan are a. One hospital determined
that both its cafeteria and its gift shop ranked lower in variety and convenience than the
other two hospitals. Which of the following actions would be most appropriate?
A. Normalize the data based on any significant differences in the customers being served
(for example, economic strata).
B. Subcontract the cafeteria and gift shop to outside sources that can provide greater
attention to these nonmedical aspects of the hospital operations.
C. Colocate the cafeteria and the gift shop in order to share resources, reduce costs,
simplify access, and allow a greater investment in variety.
D. Look at customer purchasing patterns and profit margins to maximize investment
payback
49. Strategic planning may include all but which of the following?
A. A SWOT analysis
B. Hoshin planning and deployment
C. A seven-step problem-solving technique
D. Scenario planning
50. During the development of company strategy, input should be sought from:
A. Advertising agencies.
B. Competitors.
C. Stakeholders.
D. Public relations advisers.
51. To establish the direction an organization's first strategic planning initiative should take,
the organization should first create:
A. A mission statement.
B. Organizational objectives.
C. A vision statement.
D. Action plans.
52. The role of the quality function in supporting strategic plans could include all but which of
the following?
54. The preferred technique/tool used to determine the strategies of organizations serving the
same market as your own organization is:
A. Competitive analysis.
B. Benchmarking.
C. Industry trade association data research.
D. Survey of competitor 's customers.
56. The most critical consideration in the deployment of strategic plans is:
57. Knowledge and application of which of the following management theories and styles
would be most useful to a manager dealing with an employee who is performing poorly?
58. Typical tools used as aids in selecting members for a process improvement team are:
59. Organizational components that not only support other internal functions but also support
external stakeholders are:
60. Two human resource functions that typically are shared with other organizational
components are:
61. Reasons for building an economic case for quality may include:
A. III only
B. I, II, IV, and V
C. IV and V only
D. I and II only
64. All but one of the following represents good communicating skill. Which one does not?
65. As part of your preparation for a business trip to another country it would be wise to do all
but one of the following. Which one would that be?
A. Arrange for an interpreter to be available when you meet with your business contact, unless
you are fluent in the language and knowledgeable of the culture and business customs of
the country.
B. Plan an elaborate visual presentation that you will make shortly after arrival, and follow that
by quickly striving to reach an agreement or make the sale.
C. Resolve to keep your political views and personal beliefs to yourself even though you have
strong feelings about the political climate and beliefs prevalent in the country you will visit.
D. Obtain and study information about the country before leaving for your trip.
66. To gain a competitive edge, a commercial flower grower seeks a technology solution that
will improve productivity, quality, customer satisfaction, and profits. Which of the following
actions would provide the best results within one year?
C. Implement a GIS mapping system to more effectively allocate growing space based on
growth requirements of the flowers, soil conditions, sunlight, and irrigation channels.
D. Provide field workers with portable devices for recording flower growth, quality factors, and
yield –for downloading nightly to a program to compute productivity, quality status, and
potential yield by type of crop and when it will be available for shipment.
67. An external risk factor that might need to be considered when conducting project planning
is:
A. Lack of resources.
B. Regulatory requirements.
C. Organizational rules.
D. Technological capabilities.
69. Which of the following elements would be expected to be included in a good project plan?
I. Costbenefit analysis
II. Timetable for completion
III. Description of required resources
IV. Statement of project deliverables
A. I and II only
B. II and III only
C. I, III, and IV only
D. I, II, III, and IV
71. The most critical use for project portfolio analysis is to:
A. Compare the net value of a new project relative to continuing previously approved projects
B. Determine the best time to start a new project
C. Assess the feasibility of starting a new project relative to the resources being allocated to
existing projects as well as assessing the strategic fit of the new project
D. Make room for a new project by canceling or postponing an existing project that will not
produce as high an ROI as the new project
72. Given a four-week project involving 22 tasks, a budget of $22,000, and a part-time team
(project manager and two analysts), which project management tool will most likely be
used to display project progress to management?
73. The mission statement for a quality function would best focus on:
A. Reducing defects.
B. Assessing the performance of production workers.
C. Company-wide and departmental activities that collectively result in product and/or service
quality.
D. Leading small teams that break down barriers and reach higher organizational goals.
74. Which of the following quality tools is most likely to identify a specific quality system
effectiveness problem to be addressed?
A. Process map
B. Balanced scorecard
C. Quality management system audit
D. Employee performance appraisal
75. The Baldrige Award performance excellence criteria address which types of performance?
I. Procedural compliance
II. Supplier related
III. Customer related
IV. Financial and marketplace
A. I and IV only
B. III and IV only
C. II, III, and IV only
D. III only
A. I and II only
B. I, II, and IV only
C. III and IV only
D. I, II, III, and IV
78. Which of the following concepts may best exemplify a universal business rationale for
improving quality?
I. Knowing what the organizational goals are, what the job objective is, and the standard for
performance.
II. Knowing what the actual performance is.
III. Notifying supervision whenever a nonconformance occurs.
IV. Having the means for changing the performance when it does not conform to the goals,
objectives, and standard.
A. III only
B. I, II, and III only
C. I and II only
D. I, II, and IV only
80. A new process improvement team has just flowcharted how a process currently works. The
value to the team is to:
A. Document and retain records demonstrating how work activities were performed at a
specific moment in time.
B. Gain consensus on how information and materials currently flow through the organization.
C. Validate baseline performance data collected before a change is implemented.
D. Assess the level of compliance against a quality standard.
I. Flowchart
II. Check sheet and Pareto chart
III. Fishbone chart
IV. Five whys
V. Histogram and scatter diagram
VI. Control charts
VII. DMAIC
82. A work team has identified three software packages that will help them dramatically
improve a process and needs to decide which to purchase. Each package has some of the
same and some different features and there are many different criteria that need to be
used in making the decision. Which of the following tools is likely to be most valuable for
helping the team decide?
A. Priorities matrix
B. Tree diagram
C. Matrix diagram
D. Activity network diagram
84. The best tool for analyzing the relationship, over time, between quantitative data from two
variables suspected to influence one another, is a:
A. Pareto chart
B. Scatter diagram
C. Interrelationship digraph
D. Affinity diagram
86. In an insurance claims processing unit, which quality tool would be most useful to analyze
the amount of variation in the process used to code claims for computer entry and in
determining whether the process is stable prior to embarking on an improvement effort?
A. Control chart
B. Histogram
C. Process map
D. PDPC
87. All but one of the following tool sets could be used to help an educational institution
identify the cause of excessive student tardiness. Which one could not?
88. Which of the following would be the best tool to use to understand the process linkage
from supplier to customer:
A. PDSA
B. DMAIC
C. FMEA
D. SIPOC
89. One of the best tools for assessing the impacts of identified risks in the design of a
hydroelectric dam and power station is:
90. A more accurate accounting of the costs to produce a product can be achieved with:
91. Data that is derived from counting is derived from measuring is data.
A. Attribute, variable
B. Numeric, verbal
C. Variable, attribute
D. Quantitative, qualitative
A. Checklist
B. Scatter diagram
C. Mind map
D. Pareto Chart
93. Categorizing the cost of quality into failure costs, appraisal costs, and prevention costs is
essential to be able to:
94. All except one of the following could be a process goal for a for-profit service organization.
Which one?
A. Ensure that the design of a service to customers follows industry safety standards.
B. Ensure that the service delivered produces a profit.
C. Dedication to continual process improvement.
D. Discipline any employee who fails to meet the service standards of the organization.
A. Eliminating waste.
B. Better workplace management.
C. Increasing customer value.
D. Reducing resources.
99. Which of the following statements are essential to understanding the theory of constraints?
100. Looking at the following data: 40, 20, 10, 20, 50, 90, 80, 30, 20, 40 the mean is , the
median is:
A. 40, 35, 20
B. 40, 20, 40
C. 20, 40, 40
D. 45, 70, 20
101. Disposition of a product using go/no-go data is based on what type of sampling
plan?
A. Variable
B. Attribute
C. Reduced
D. Tightened
A. Designate meaningful categories and assign each response to a category, then sum the
number of responses in each category as the indication of the category's importance to the
population responding.
B. Assign a value rating to each response, then sum the ratings for all responses, and use the
mean as representative of the responses of the total population.
C. Score each response according to personality type.
D. Search for keywords, significant to the research being done, in each response. Count the
number of each keyword used and take the keyword usage totals as representative of the
population studied.
103. A way to ensure a near 100 percent response rate for a survey is to conduct the
survey with the group targeted for study at a time and place when everyone in the group is
present and everyone is required to complete the survey. There may still be problems
possible with this approach that could cause poor decisions to be made from false data,
such as:
I. Some persons may refuse to take the survey or they may intentionally corrupt their
answers if they resent the method used.
II. Some persons may find that the pressure of having to complete the survey without lagging
behind most of the group may distort or inhibit clear thinking, and prevent a well-thought-
through response.
III. In their haste to get it over with, some respondents, without thought, may just randomly
answer the questions.
IV. Even though response documents may not show respondent identification, some
respondents may feel they have to furnish the answers they think management wants to
see.
A. IV only
B. II and III only
C. I only
D. I, II, III, and IV
104. Long-range trend analysis is typically used in performing which of the following
activities?
A. Control charting
B. Management review
C. Internal auditing
D. Design review
105. Which of the following correctly describes the sequence of events, from beginning
to end, for reducing special causes of variation?
A. I, III, IV, II
B. IV, III, II, I
C. II, I, III, IV
D. III, IV, I, II
106. Which of the following is true about the relationship between Cp and Cpk?
A. I only
B. IV only
C. I and II only
D. III and IV only
107. Which of the following techniques is most useful for measuring the test retest
reliability of a survey?
A. Provide for positive reinforcement to employees who are trying to satisfy customers.
B. Encourage and support cooperation and conformance to quality standards amongst internal
customers.
C. Establish an employee suggestion box system.
D. Ensure that employees have the training, information, and physical things they need to do
their jobs well.
109. At a distributor of plumbing supplies, which one of the following actions will have
the most positive influence on employees to improve products, processes, and services?
110. Which of the following lists is most representative of "external customers" of the
town's public high school?
A. Students, parents, colleges, potential employers, town school board, and community
volunteer agencies
B. Students, parents, teachers, potential employers
C. Students, parents, colleges, potential employers
D. Students, parents, town school board
111. Effective actions taken to improve products and service provided by a sports
clothing manufacturer to the distributors of their athletic products could include:
A. B. I and IV only
B. II and III only
C. I, II, III, and IV
D. II, III, and IV only
A. B. IV only
B. I and II only
C. III only
D. I, II, and III only
114. Which of the following should be accomplished first when implementing customer
relationship management initiatives?
I. Claims/refunds
II. Technical services provided as part of the total product package
III. Monitoring of broad market trends
IV. Observing customers using the product or service
A. B. II only
B. IV only
C. I and III only
D. III and IV only
116. Which of the following is the most appropriate sequence of events for administering
a customer satisfaction survey, from beginning to end?
117. Which of the following is the most direct technique for measuring customer
value?
A. Focus groups
B. Market test
C. Trade-off analysis
D. In-person interview
118. Quality function deployment looks at the relationship between all but which of
the following components?
A. Customer wants/needs
B. Company product/process characteristics
C. Competitor product performance
D. Customer service training requirements
A. Hire and train qualified staff and reward them based on performance.
B. Get to know the customers' most pressing needs.
C. Develop a strategic alliance/partnership with key customers.
D. Get management commitment to a focus on customers.
123. In the development of a consumer appliance product survey which of the following
data would likely aid the process?
A. I only
B. I, II, III, and IV
C. I and II only
D. I, II, and IV only
I. A lost-customer analysis
II. Free lessons for customers on how to make wise investments
III. A customer panel to determine acceptability of a free quarterly newsletter highlighting the
lives of long-term investors
IV. Direct computer access to market information and investment analysis data for high-value
customers
125. The best use of the cost of lost banking customers is to:
126. One of the most important customer service principles to apply is:
127. For a bookseller that sells entirely through a Web site, managing the diversity of
customers would entail which of the following?
A. III only
B. II and III only
C. II, III, and IV only
D. I, II, III, and IV
128. Typical factors chosen as criteria for supplier selection would include all but:
129. A condition under which a supplier appearing on the customer 's "OK to buy from"
list would not be issued an order would be:
A. Implement a system that ensures that customers' needs and the supplier 's terms of sale are
mutually understood and agreed to.
B. Emphasize that the purchase order is the legal contract between buyer and seller.
C. Be sure that the customer 's order form meets supplier 's specifications.
D. Automatically reject an order if the customer makes demands the supplier deems
unacceptable.
132. Some of the metrics that could be used to measure performance of a commercial
painting contractor are:
133. Facts pertaining to which of the following would be critical in developing a system
of supplier performance measurement for an aircraft engine manufacturer?
A. II and IV only
B. I, II, III, and IV
C. I and II only
D. I, II, and IV only
134. In planning the strategy for improving supplier performance, which of the following
should be considered?
135. All except one of the following could be a benefit to a supplier in a partnership or
alliance with a customer. Which one?
A. Enabled to plan long-term production volume based on customer 's forecast of demand
B. Eliminate legal risks
C. Win-win relationship
D. Sharing of resources
A. Ensure that the right product/service, in the right quantity, of the right quality, gets to the
right customer at the right time.
B. Control the performance of every organization involved in the supply chain.
C. Be totally responsible for the input from upstream suppliers to ensure that downstream
customers receive outputs that conform to end users requirements.
D. Reduce inventory.
137. Which of the following is not a technique or practice involved in supplier logistics
management?
A. Buffer inventory
B. Kanban
C. Modular assembly
D. Ship-to-stock
139. Which of the following is the least effective technique for developing good
relationships with suppliers?
141. Which of the following is the least desirable goal of the customer supplier
relationship?
144. From the following pairs, select the most critical factors relating to training:
A. Support is derived from the strategic plan and the personal commitment and involvement of
top management.
B. Top management commitment and employee acceptance of the need for training.
C. What training is needed and when.
D. Who will deliver training and to whom.
145. Which of the following statements are true about the differences between training
and education?
146. In time of financial stress, training is often one of the first functions to be
discontinued, because:
A. I and II only
B. I, II, and III only
C. I, II, III, and IV
D. II and IV only
148. Training appears to be needed in all but one of the following situations. Which
one?
150. All except one of the following is a technique used in assessing training needs.
Which one is not?