Certified Six Sigma Yellow Belt (CSSYB)

The Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification is aimed at those new to the world of Six Sigma who have a small role, interest, or need to develop foundational knowledge. Yellow belts can be entry level employees who seek to improve their world or executive champions who require an overview of Six Sigma and define, measure, analyze, improve and control model (DMAIC).

Certified Six Sigma Yellow Belt (CSSYB)

ASQ CSSYB Exam Summary:

Exam Name	ASQ Certified Six Sigma Yellow Belt
Exam Code	CSSYB
Exam Fee	USD ASQ MEMBERS - $322 NON-MEMBERS - $422 RETAKES - $222
Exam Duration	138 Minutes
Number of Questions	90
Passing Score	550/750
Format	Multiple Choice
Books	Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification Preparation The ASQ Certified Six Sigma Yellow Belt Handbook, this study guide - Second Edition
Sample Questions	ASQ Six Sigma Yellow Belt Exam Sample Questions and Answers
Practice Exam	ASQ Certified Six Sigma Yellow Belt (CSSYB) Practice Test

ASQ Six Sigma Yellow Belt Syllabus Topics:

I. Six Sigma Fundamentals (20 Questions)
A. Six Sigma Foundations and Principles	- Describe the purpose of Six Sigma (reducing variation), its methodology (DMAIC), and its evolution from quality. Describe the value of Six Sigma to the organization as a whole. (Understand)
B. Lean Foundations and Principles	- Describe the purpose of lean (waste elimination) and its methodologies (just-in-time, poka-yoke, kanban, value stream mapping). Describe the value of lean to the organization as a whole. (Understand)
C. Six Sigma Roles and Responsibilities	- Define and describe the roles and responsibilities of Six Sigma team members (i.e., individual team members, Yellow Belt, Green Belt, Black Belt, Master Black Belt, process owner, champion, sponsor). (Understand)
D. Team Basics	1. Types of teams - Identify the various types of teams that operate within an organization (i.e., continuous improvement, self-managed, and cross-functional) and their value. (Understand) 2. Stages of development - Describe the various stages of team evolution: forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning. (Understand) 3. Decision-making tools - Define and apply decision making tools such as brainstorming, multivoting, and nominal group technique (NGT). (Apply) 4. Communication methods - Explain how teams use agendas, meeting minutes, and project status reports, and how they support project success. (Apply)
E. Quality Tools and Six Sigma Metrics	1. Quality tools - Select and use these tools throughout the DMAIC process: Pareto charts, cause and effect diagrams, flowcharts, run charts, check sheets, scatter diagrams, and histograms. (Apply) 2. Six Sigma metrics - Select and use these metrics throughout the DMAIC process: defects per unit (DPU), defects per million opportunities (DPMO), rolled throughput yield (RTY), cycle time, and cost of poor quality (COPQ). (Apply)
II. Define Phase (14 Questions)
A. Project Identification	1. Voice of the customer - Define the voice of the customer and describe how customer needs are translated into quantifiable, critical-to-quality (CTQ) characteristics. (Understand) 2. Project selection - Describe how projects are identified and selected as suitable for a Six Sigma project using the DMAIC methodology. (Understand) 3. Stakeholder analysis - Identify end users, subject matter experts, process owners, and other people or factors that will be affected by a project, and describe how each of them can influence the project. (Understand) 4. Process inputs and outputs - Use SIPOC (suppliers, inputs, process, outputs, customers) to identify and define important elements of a process. (Apply) 5. Supply chain management - Understand supply chain management and how it relates to project management. (Apply)
B. Project Management (PM) Basics	1. Project charter - Describe the purpose of a charter and its components: problem statement, project scope, baseline data, and project goal. (Understand) 2. Communication plan - Explain the purpose and benefits of a communication plan and how it can impact the success of the project. (Understand) 3. Project planning - Define work breakdown structure (WBS) and Gantt charts, and describe how they are used to plan and monitor projects. (Understand) 4. Project management tools - Select and use various PM tools: activity network diagrams, affinity diagrams, matrix charts, relations charts, and tree diagrams. (Understand) 5. Phase reviews - Explain how tollgate or phase reviews are used throughout the DMAIC lifecycle. (Understand)
III. Measure Phase (15 Questions)
A. Basic Statistics	- Define, calculate, and interpret measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode) and understand measures of dispersion (standard deviation, range, variance). (Apply)
B. Data Collection	1. Data collection plans - Describe the critical elements of a data collection plan, including an operational definition, data sources, the method to be used for gathering data, and how frequently it will be gathered. Describe why data collection plans are important. (Understand) 2. Qualitative and quantitative data - Define and distinguish between these types of data. (Understand) 3. Data collection techniques - Use various data collection techniques, including surveys, interviews, check sheets, and checklists to gather data that contributes to the process being improved. (Apply)
C. Measurement System Analysis (MSA)	1. MSA terms - Define precision, accuracy, bias, linearity, and stability, and describe how these terms are applied in the measurement phase. (Understand) 2. Gauge repeatability and reproducibility (GR&R) - Describe and distinguish between repeatability and reproducibility and describe how and why GR&R is used in the measurement phase. (Understand)
IV. Analyze Phase (17 Questions)
A. Process analysis tools	1. Lean tools - Define how 5S and value analysis can be used to identify and eliminate waste. (Understand) 2. Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) - Relate the elements of severity, occurrence, and detection, and determine how they are used to calculate the risk priority number. Demonstrate how FMEA can be used to identify potential failures in a process. (Apply)
B. Root cause analysis	- Describe how the 5 Whys, process mapping, 8D, force-field analysis, and matrix charts can be used to identify the root causes of a problem. (Understand)
C. Corrective action	- Explain and apply elements of the corrective action process: identify the problem, contain the problem (interim action), determine the causes of the problem and propose solutions to eliminate it or prevent its recurrence (permanent action), verify that the solutions are implemented, and confirm their effectiveness (validation). (Apply)
D. Preventive action	- Explain and apply elements of a preventive action process: understand various process analysis techniques to identify potential failures, defects, or process deficiencies; improve the process (e.g., understand error- or mistake-proofing devices or methods, initiate procedural changes), and verify the effectiveness of the preventive action. (Apply)
E. Data analysis	1. Basic distribution types - Define and distinguish between normal and binomial distributions and describe how their shapes (skewed and bimodal) can affect data interpretation. (Understand) 2. Common and special cause variation - Describe and distinguish between these types of variation. (Understand)
F. Correlation and regression	1. Correlation - Describe how correlation is used to identify relationships between variables. (Understand) 2. Regression - Describe how regression analysis is used to predict outcomes. (Understand)
G. Hypothesis testing	- Define and distinguish between hypothesis terms (i.e., null and alternative, type I and type II error, p-value and power). (Understand)
V. Improve and Control Phases (14 Questions)
A. Improvement techniques	1. Kaizen and kaizen blitz - Define and distinguish between these two methods and describe how they can be used to make improvements to any process in an organization. (Understand) 2. Plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle - Define and distinguish between the steps in this process improvement tool. (Understand) 3. Cost-benefit analysis - Explain the importance of this analysis and how it is used in the improve phase. (Understand)
B. Control Tools and Documentation	1. Control plan - Describe the importance of a control plan for maintaining improvements. (Understand) 2. Control charts - Describe how X-R charts are used for monitoring and sustaining improved processes. (Understand) 3. Document control - Describe the importance of documenting changes to a process and communicating those changes to stakeholders. (Understand) 4. Work instructions and standard operating procedures (SOPs) - Understand the purpose and use of work instructions and SOPs. (Understand)