一家投资银行的首席运营官（COO）想削减向新客户发放高额贷款过程中的成本。他想利用精益管理的方法来实现成本削减的目标，现在正征求你的意见。
请指出：

1. 两个原因来说明使用精益原则和工具所带来优势的。
2. 使用精益管理方法來实现這些目标方面存在的两个挑战（以及可能失败的原因）
3. 建议采取的两个初步步骤。

请注意，你提出的初步步骤的结果将被首席运营官用来决定以下两种可能：

A. 利用银行的卓越运营功能部门（你目前代表该部门）来领导和开展所需的成本削减举措计划，还是，
B. 雇用一家外部顾问公司来领导和开展削减成本的行动。

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of an investment bank wants to cut the costs in the process for lending high value amounts to new clients. S/He says s/he wants to use Lean to achieve the cost cutting targets and asks for your advice.
Give:

1) Two reasons why using Lean Principles and Tools could provide an advantage,
2) Two challenges that lie in using Lean to achieve the objective (reasons why the initiative might fail), and
3) Two proposed initial steps to take. The COO will need to approve these initial steps for them to proceed.

Please be aware that the outcome from the initial steps you propose will be used by the COO to decide between:

A. Using the bank’s Operational Excellence function (which you are representing in this discussion) to lead and undertake the desired cost-cutting initiative, or
B. Hiring a firm of external consultants to lead and undertake the cost-cutting initiative.

情景：

一家制药厂希望提高一个主要产品的化学过程的产出率。该产品具有很高的价值，制造商愿意投入大量的时间和资源来实现产出率的提高。

对这一过程的研究确定了12个可以调整的输入因素，这些因素可能会影响产出的产量，而这些因素不是人为因素。

目前唯一存在的数据，是使用已确定的输入因素的当前设置所获得的产量，而这些当前的设置已经被使用了很长的时间。

任务：

说明你将使用哪些实验技术（统计或其他）来确定如何提高产出率。

 

Scenario:

A pharmaceutical manufacturer wishes to increase the yield of the primary product of a complex chemical process. The product is of high value and the manufacturer is willing to invest large amounts of time and resources to achieve an increase in output yield.

A study of the process has identified 12 input factors which can be adjusted and which could impact the output yield. These factors are not human factors.

The only data which currently exists for the process is the yield obtained using the current settings of the input factors identified, which have been used at their present values for a long period of time.

Task:

State which experimental techniques (statistical or otherwise) you would use to identify how to improve the output yield.

 

任务：
说明为什么降低库存水平被认为是一种有效的精益策略，以消除Muda（浪费）、Mura（波动）和 Muri（超负荷）。

评分准则：
● 描述至少3种不同类型的库存。考虑在一个过程中的不同阶段可能存在的库存类型。
● 提供Mura（波动）和Muri（超负荷）这两个词的简明解释。
● 描述为什么一些组织愿意在流程的若干环节或所有环节也执行降低库存水平的策略，以及，在执行这些策略时他们认为哪些短期的代价是可以接受的？

 

Task:

Describe why reducing inventory levels is considered a valid Lean strategy to expose Muda (Lean wastes), Mura and Muri.

 

Marks will be awarded for:

• Describing at least 3 different types of inventory. Consider the inventory that can exist at different stages in a process.

• Providing a succinct translation of the words Mura and Muri (one or two words will suffice for each).

• Describe why some organisations are willing to use the strategy of reducing inventory levels at some or all points in a process, and what they accept as short-term trade-offs (disadvantages) in doing so.

情景:
一家公司需要对一个商业网站的更新进行测试。网站设计者创造了一种方法，通过这种方法，公司网站的新访问者可以以随机的方式重导向到新网站或现有网站。

每个现有的和新的网站的状况，也可以用数字的方式来衡量。

项目的利益相关者希望尽早知道新的网站设计是否运作成功。

你提出了使用假设检验的方法，以确定新的设计是否产生了任何变化。

问题是：”我们能在多大程度上依赖这个所谓的假设检验的结果呢？”

任务：

你需要回答以上一个问题，回答时尽量利用以下的统计术语并加以解释，因为其中一个利益相关者对数据科学有相当多的了解，但同时要考虑其他对数据科学不太了解的利益相关者。

术语包括：第一类错误（Alpha错误），第二类错误（Beta错误），统计检验力，置信度等。

 

评分准则：

解释每个术语的含义，让非数据科学家也可以理解的语言。
让非数据科学家都可以理解的语言解䆁假设检验的结果做出决定所涉及的风险。

 

Scenario:

A change to a commercial website is to be tested. The website designers have created a method by which new visitors to the company website can be redirected in a random manner to the new website or to the existing website.

How successful each of the existing and new websites is can be measured in a numerical manner.

The project stakeholders wish to know as early as possible if the new website design is making a difference to how successful the website is.

You propose a statistical hypothesis test to establish whether the new design is making a difference.

The question is then asked “and how much can we rely on the result of this so-called hypothesis test?”

Task:

Using the following terms, seek to answer the question, recognising that one of the stakeholders knows quite a lot about data science whereas the others do not.

Terms to include: Type I Error (Alpha error), Type II Error (Beta error), Power, Confidence Level

 

Marks will be awarded for:

Explaining what each of the terms mean in language that is understandable to the non-Data Scientists yet still correct.

Enabling a well-educated non-statistician to understand the risks involved in making decisions based on the results of a hypothesis test.

 

这个问题由三部分组成。

1. 在5S工具/方法中，第5个 “S”代表什么？

 

2. 说明可用于第5个 “S”的其中三种技术。

 

3. 对于你所提到的三种技术中，简要描述如何在你所熟悉的组织中的某个环境/过程/工作场所中实施。

 

(为了清楚起见，这部分问题要求你提供三种技术的 “描述”）。

 

This question consists of three parts. Answer all three.

1. In the 5S tool / methodology, what word (in English) is represented by the 5th ‘S’?

 

2. Name three techniques that could be used in that 5th step of the 5S tool / methodology.

 

3. For the three techniques you have named, briefly describe how each could be implemented in a setting / process / workplace in an organisation you are familiar with. (For clarity, this part of the question requires you to provide three technique “descriptions”).

请完成本问题的全部3个部分。

TRIZ是一种可以使用於DMAIC运行的项目時的改进阶段，或者也可以在六西格玛设计的项目中使用。

1. 简要描述什么是TRIZ（不需要说明每个字母的含义）。
2. TRIZ通常被简化为SCAMPER的缩写。请说明7个字首中的3个字首的含义。

应用场景：
你所协助的一个部门正在为一些无效果的会议而苦恼，这些会议在很多方面都是无效用的。
3. 参照上述情景，请你提供一个实际应用SCAMPER的例子。用几句话描述一下这3个字首中的每一个，如何可以促使团队提高会议的有效性。

关于问题的解释说明：

这里的目的不是要描述一个提高部门会议效率的改进措施。而是让你说明你对SCAMPER的7个字首中的3个字首的理解，和如何使用这些方法来促使团队针对以上问题能做些什么。

Please complete all 3 parts to this question.

TRIZ is a technique that can be used, for example, in the Improve phase of a project run using DMAIC, or also in a Design For Six Sigma project.

1. Briefly describe what TRIZ is (you do not need to state what each of the letters mean).

2. TRIZ is often simplified to the acronym SCAMPER. State what 3 of the 7 letters mean.

Application scenario:

A department you are assisting is struggling with meetings that are ineffective in a number of ways. (This question will let you decide in which ways).

3. With reference to the above scenario, you are asked to provide an example of the practical application of SCAMPER. Describe in a few words what each of the 3 letters could prompt the team to consider doing to increase the effectiveness of the meetings.

Explanatory note for this question:

The purpose here is not to describe an improvement initiative for increasing the effectiveness of department meetings. It is for you to illustrate your understanding of what 3 of the 7 letters of SCAMPER could prompt the team to consider doing in the above situation.

请阅读以下情景。这是一份DMAIC项目报告的摘录。

背景部分和随后的问题陈述是由一位精益六西格玛绿带水平的受训者所撰写的。

本组织活动的背景

随着时间的推移，该组织的训练辅助工具已经变得越来越过时。设备是来自10年前的飞机，不适合用于教学，因为它与现代飞机没有太大关系或相似之处。

没有人负责处理这些设备，而是由培训学校负责，包括：通过检查维护设备、保管设备、整理设备和在需要时转移设备等。

项目性质的背景

该项目将安排以安全和环保的方式处理这些设备，确保已经联系了适当级别的管理者，并授权该任务。

随着设备的拆除，这将节省检查、物流和库存空间的工时，以便引进新设备。

问题陈述

拆除和处理训练学校内过时的飞机设备，以便使用新的和更相关的训练辅助工具，提高效率，减少工时浪费，并提供一个看起来更现代化的训练环境。

(情景描述结束)。

你的任务

你的任务是协助绿带受训者重新塑造问题陈述，使其遵循精益六西格玛的原则和实践，并可被视为以现有流程的 “持续改进 “为目标。

做到这一点，你要向绿带受训者提供3条书面建议，协助他们改进问题陈述。

 

Please read the following scenario. It is an excerpt from a DMAIC project report.

The background sections and the subsequent problem statement have been written by a trainee candidate for Green Belt level in Lean Six Sigma.

Background to activities of organisation:

The organisation has over time become more outdated with its training aids. The Equipment is from aircraft from 10 years ago. It is not fit for purpose to teach with as none of it has relevance to modern aircraft.

No one has taken responsibility for disposal of the equipment and it is left to the training school to: Maintain the equipment through inspections, hold onto the equipment, organise the equipment and move it when a need arises.

Background to the nature of the project:

The project would be to arrange for the disposal of the equipment in a safe and environmentally friendly manner, ensuring the right level of management has been contacted, and authorise the task.

With the equipment removed, this would save man hours on inspections, logistics, physical floor space and inventory space to bring in new equipment.

Problem Statement:

Removal and disposal of outdated aircraft equipment within the training school to allow for new and more relevant training aids, increasing efficiency, reduce man hour waste and providing a more modern looking training environment.

(End of scenario briefing).

Your task:

Your task is to assist the trainee in re-shaping the problem statement into one which follows the principles and practices of Lean Six Sigma, and can be considered as targeting the “continuous improvement” of an existing process.

Do this by providing 3 pieces of written advice to the trainee to assist them in improving the problem statement.

 

说明在DMAIC的哪一个阶段上，商业风险的考虑最有可能变得重要？

请提供你的理由。

 

State at which point in the DMAIC cycle is Business Risk most likely to become significant?

Provide a rationale for your response.

一笔交易需要120分钟的”工作量”来完成，其中包括一些单独的活动。目前，教懂每个部门的成员如何执行每一项活动来完成这些交易是不可行的。然而，建立一些交叉技能是可能的。

该部门每天需要处理16笔交易以满足客户的平均需求。办公时间是每天7.5小时（减去休息时间后）。

你被要求设计一系列的精益工作单元（Lean Work Cell），以让流程更加高效。

(请完成本问题的所有部分）。

1. 计算出最小工作单元数量（必要的）是多少？
2. 在每个工作单元的所有交易的”工作量”内，应该包含了大约多少分钟的活动？
3. 如果一个工作单元包含30分钟的活动，这是否会引起关注？如果是这样，为什么？
4. 理论上，使用精益工作单元设置来运行这个流程需要多少名全职员工？(请指出你认为需要的最少全职员工的人数)。
5. 在现实中，你建议需要多少个全职雇员来运行这个过程？说明你的建议。你可以假设工作可以在各工作单元之间平均分配。
6. 你会用哪种类型的图表来帮助你直观地了解”工作量”在工作单元中的分布情况？指出图表的名称。

 

A transaction takes 120 minutes of “work effort” to complete, consisting of a number of individual activities. It is not currently viable to teach every department member how to perform each and every activity to complete the transaction. However, some cross-skilling is possible.

The department needs to process 16 transactions per day to meet average customer demand. The office hours are a 7.5 hour work day (after subtracting breaks).
You have been asked to design a series of Lean Work Cells to make the process more efficient.

(Please complete all parts of this question).

1. What is the minimum number of Work Cells you calculate as necessary?

 

2. Approximately how many minutes of activity of the total transaction “work effort to complete” should each Work Cell contain?

 

3. If one work cell contains 30 minutes of activity, would this be of concern? And if so, why?

 

4. How many full-time equivalent staff (FTE’s) would theoretically be required to run this process using the Lean Work Cell setup? (Indicate the minimum FTE’s you consider as required).

 

5. How many FTE’s would you realistically propose be required to run the process? Justify your proposal. You may assume that the work can be evenly divided between the work cells.

 

6. What type of chart would you use to assist you in visualising how the work effort is distributed across the work cells? Name the chart.

情景：

你正乘坐宇宙飞船前往火星执行任务。

船员们担心，两个二氧化碳过滤器中的一个不能充分工作。如果将其中一个下线进行维护检修，这将使两名船员在两天内失去其他重要职责，并消耗船上5%的电瓶电量，而这只应在紧急情况下进行。

工程师已经给了你每个过滤器过去两周内每天的二氧化碳吸收量，以公斤为单位。

任务：

你将如何证明是否有必要进行过滤器维护检修？

评分准则：

• 命名你将使用的一个或多个测试或方法
• 说明测试将产生什么输出的结果和数字
• 说明你将如何解释這些输出结果

 

Scenario:

You are travelling on a spaceship on a mission to Mars.

The crew have concerns that one of the two carbon dioxide filters is not working adequately. If one is taken offline for a maintenance overhaul this will take two crew members off other vital duties for two days and consume 5% of the ship’s electrical battery charge, which should only be done in urgent circumstances.

The engineer has given you the daily carbon dioxide absorption figures in Kg for each day in the past two weeks, for each filter.

Task:

How will you demonstrate whether a filter maintenance overhaul is necessary or not?

Marks will be awarded for:

• Naming one or more tests or techniques you will use
• Stating what output number(s) the tests will produce
• Describing how you will interpret the outputs

情景：

你正乘坐宇宙飞船前往火星执行任务。

太阳能电池板有一个有限的工作周期，之后它们需要重新修复。这是由于宇宙射线的影响，以及太阳风在行星际空间产生了更高的磁场。

检测一个单元的太阳能电池板需要翻新的方法是产生的电流量的波动（变化）增加。

任务：

有四个太阳能电池板单元。你收集了两天内每个单元每小时产生的电流的适当数字。你将如何确定一个或多个太阳能电池板单元是否需要重新修复呢？

 

评分准则：

• 命名一个或多个具体的测试或技术来使用。
• 说明测试将产生什么输出数字
• 说明你将如何解释产出

 

Scenario:

You are travelling on a spaceship on a mission to Mars.

The solar panels have a limited duty cycle, after which they need reconditioning. This is owing to the effect of cosmic rays and that the solar wind generates a much higher magnetic field in interplanetary space.

The way of detecting that a unit of solar panels needs reconditioning is increased fluctuation (variation) in the amount of electrical current generated.

Task:

There are four solar panel units. You gather the appropriate figures on current generated each hour by each unit over the course of two days. How will you establish whether one or more of the solar panel units needs reconditioning?

 

Marks will be awarded for:

• Naming one or more specific tests or techniques to use.
• Stating what output number(s) the tests will produce
• Describing how you will interpret the outputs

你正乘坐宇宙飞船前往火星执行任务。

由于一个温室的故障，新鲜的食物变得有限的。

你需要设计一个实验，以确定以下因素的哪种组合让身体达到最佳化的红细胞数量（可被视为一个连续性数据变量）。

需要考虑的因素是：

• 铁片（每天0或1片）。
• 每天在跑步机上锻炼的时间（1或2小时）。
• 戴着氧气罩睡觉（是或不是）。

为了探索所有因素在其两个水平上的所有组合，你需要运行的最小实验数量是多少？

如果你希望有信心地找出哪些因素是在统计意义上具有显著性的，你会就这个实验提出什么建议？

 

You are travelling on a spaceship on a mission to Mars.

Owing to a failure in one of the greenhouses, fresh food is limited.

You need to design an experiment to establish which combination of the following factors will provide the healthiest red blood cell count (which can be treated as a continuous variable).

The factors to consider are:

• Iron tablets (0 or 1 per day);
• Exercise time on the treadmill each day (1 or 2 hours);
• Sleeping with an oxygen mask (yes or no).

What is the minimum number of experiments will you need to run to explore all combinations of all the factors at their two levels?

If you wished to gain confidence about which of the factors are statistically significant, what would you propose regarding this experiment?

一个六西格玛设计（DFSS）项目可以在以下哪些条件下创建。

A Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) Project can be created under which of the following conditions:

除非我们对整个总体进行测量，否则我们无法完全准确地描述它。然而，许多过程产生的结果都会跟随一个公认的可预测的分布，在这种情况下，数据被称为遵循一个参数分布。正态分布是参数分布的一个例子。

以下哪两个参数会被用来描述一个遵循正态分布的总体？

Unless we measure a whole population, we cannot fully and accurately describe it. However, many processes produce outcomes which closely follow a recognised predictable distribution. In such a case, the data is said to follow a parametric distribution.
The Normal Distribution is an example of a parametric distribution.
What two parameters are used to describe a population which follows the Normal Distribution?

置信区间（CI）的宽度是基于平均数的标准误差，而平均数的标准误差又可以从样本的标准偏差中计算出来。如果平均数的置信区间对我们的目的来说太宽了（例如，识别样本的平均数和目标值之间的差异），我们应该如何减少置信区间的宽度？

(以下只有一种说法适用）。

The width of the Confidence Interval (CI) is based on Standard Error of the Mean which in turn can be calculated from the Standard Deviation of a sample. If the CI for the mean is too wide for our purposes (e.g. to identify a difference between the mean of a sample and a target value) how would we reduce the width of the Confidence Interval?
(Only one statement applies).

在六西格玛中，统计过程控制（SPC）通常被用于:

In Lean Six Sigma, Statistical Process Control (SPC) is commonly used for:

在哪种数据类型的测量时，我们需要读取最小的读数，以便在特定的置信度内确定当前的过程性能？

The measurement of which data type results in the smallest number of readings being required in order to establish a current process performance to within a specified level of confidence?

在DMAIC的哪个阶段，你应该要特别关注有没有”快赢”（Quick Win）的方略存在？

In which phase of DMAIC should you particularly “look out for quick wins”?

你测量了1个月的血压，发现它的数值很高。经过15次测量，平均值为152。你已经写下了所有单独的15个读数。
由于这个很高的平均值，你去看了医生，她给你开了治疗这个问题的药物。在新药的 “适应期 “过后，你决定再测量一个月的血压。你发现再测15次后，平均血压为140。
你将采取什么措施来保证药物对你的血压有明显的影响，而不是可以解释为随机的偶然变化？请指出以下最适用的说法。

（多选题）

You have measured your blood pressure for 1 month and find it has a high value. After 15 measurements, the average of the ‘high number’ is 152. You have written down all of the individual 15 readings.
As a result of this high average, you visited your doctor and she prescribed you medication for this health issue. After a ‘settling in’ period for the new medication, you decide to measure your blood pressure again for a further month. You find that the average is now 140 after a further 15 readings.
What will you do to gain reassurance that the medication has made a significant difference to your blood pressure, rather than it being explainable as random chance variation? Please circle the statements that best apply.

你正乘坐宇宙飞船前往火星执行任务。

你做了一个假设检验，比较温度为摄氏20度和摄氏25度的机载 “温室 “中的植物生长情况。产生的P值是0.10。船员们问你这意味着什么？哪一个答案是最合适的？

You are travelling on a spaceship on a mission to Mars.

You run a hypothesis test comparing plant growth in the on-board “greenhouse” at a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius and at 25 degrees Celsius. The P-value produced is 0.10. The crew ask you what this means. Which of these answers is the most appropriate to give?

 

你正乘坐宇宙飞船前往火星执行任务。

太阳能电池板电池的修复包括在电池板上沉积透明漆的步骤。要求的厚度必须在14至20微米之间，电池才能正常工作。否则，其性能会显著下降。厚度测量仪给出了20个独立电池的漆层厚度结果，一位同事计算出这些结果的平均值为18.5微米。该测量仪已被证明是正常运作的。

指出哪种回答是合适的（只需指出一种回答）。

You are travelling on a spaceship on a mission to Mars.

Reconditioning of the solar panel cells involves a step of deposition of a transparent lacquer onto the panels. The required thickness must be between 14 and 20 microns for a cell to function correctly. Otherwise its performance is significantly degraded. The thickness measurement gauge gives results for the lacquer thickness across 20 individual cells and a colleague calculates the average of these results as 18.5 microns. The gauge has been demonstrated to be functioning properly.

Indicate which response is appropriate (only one response is to be indicated):