{"id":55,"date":"2024-09-10T13:29:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-10T13:29:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/applyingleansixsigmaoe\/?post_type=back-matter&p=55"},"modified":"2025-02-10T22:24:36","modified_gmt":"2025-02-10T22:24:36","slug":"glossary-of-terms","status":"publish","type":"back-matter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/applyingleansixsigmaoe\/back-matter\/glossary-of-terms\/","title":{"rendered":"Glossary of Terms"},"content":{"raw":"","rendered":"
\n
Andon<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A visual management tool that signals problems in a process, allowing for immediate attention.<\/p>\n

Example: Like a student raising their hand in class when they need help, an Andon light tells workers when a machine needs attention.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Benchmark<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A standard or point of reference used to measure performance against. <\/p>\n

Example: If you're running a lemonade stand, comparing your sales to the most successful stand in the neighborhood is benchmarking.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

bottlenecks<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Points in a process that limit the overall flow and speed of operations. <\/p>\n

Example: When only one checkout counter is open at the grocery store, it becomes a bottleneck as everyone must wait in that single line.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

card pull<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A method in pull systems where cards (Kanban) signal the need to produce or move materials. <\/p>\n

Example: Like deli tickets indicating it's your turn, Kanban cards signal when to make or move items.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

churn rate<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Churn Rate: The percentage of customers who stop using a product or service in a given period.<\/p>\n

Example: A software company loses 20 out of 100 subscribers in a month, resulting in a 20% monthly churn rate.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

continuous data<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Measurable values that can take any number within a range.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

control charts<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Statistical tools that track process performance over time to detect unusual variations. <\/p>\n

Example: Like tracking your daily homework time on a graph to see if some days take much longer than usual.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

COPQ<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(Cost of Poor Quality) Total cost is associated with preventing, identifying, and addressing quality issues. <\/p>\n

Example: For a smartphone manufacturer, COPQ includes quality control, warranty repairs, and lost sales due to defects.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

CTQ<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(Critical to Quality) The key features that make customers happy with a product or service. <\/p>\n

Example: For a bicycle, having working brakes is critical to quality - it must be safe to ride.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

cycle time<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Time to complete one unit of work from start to finish. <\/p>\n

Example: In a coffee shop, cycle time is measured from order placement to drink delivery.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Data-driven Approach<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Making decisions based on data analysis and interpretation rather than intuition. <\/p>\n

Example: Like using test scores to decide which subjects to study more for an exam.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

discrete data<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Countable, distinct values with gaps between them.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

DMAIC<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A problem-solving method using Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control steps. <\/p>\n

Example: Like following a recipe - you plan, gather ingredients, figure out what's missing, make it better, and keep it good.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

ergonomics<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Designing workspaces and tasks to fit the person doing them safely and comfortably.<\/p>\n

Example: Adjusting your school desk and chair height so you can write without hurting your back.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

ERP<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(Enterprise Resource Planning) A computer system that helps manage all parts of a business. <\/p>\n

Example: Like having one big digital notebook that keeps track of everything in your lemonade stand.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

external failure<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(a component of COPQ) Problems found after a product reaches customers.<\/p>\n

Example: Finding out your toy breaks right after buying it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Heijunka<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A method of leveling production by distributing work evenly to reduce waste and improve efficiency. <\/p>\n

Example: Like spreading homework assignments evenly throughout the week instead of cramming them all in one day.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

hypothesis testing<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A statistical method used to determine if there is enough evidence to support a specific claim about a data set. <\/p>\n

Example: Like testing if a new study method really improves your grades compared to the old one.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

industrial engineering<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

The branch of engineering focused on optimizing complex processes, systems, or organizations. It also designs, improves, and implements integrated systems of people, materials, and equipment. <\/p>\n

Example: Like organizing a school event by efficiently coordinating volunteers, supplies, and activities.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

internal failure<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(a component of COPQ) Problems caught before products reach customers. <\/p>\n

Example: Finding a broken cookie in the batch and removing it before selling.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

IoT device<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(Internet of Things) A smart device that connects to the internet to share data. <\/p>\n

Example: A thermostat that you can control with your phone.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Jidoka<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Automatically stopping work when problems occur to prevent defects.<\/p>\n

Example: Like a washing machine stopping if the lid opens.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

JIT<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(Just-in-Time) Making or delivering things exactly when needed. <\/p>\n

Example: Making sandwiches only after customers order them.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Kanban<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Visual signal system to control workflow. <\/p>\n

Example: Using sticky notes on a board to show what homework needs doing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Kanban system<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A visual workflow management method that signals when to produce or move items. <\/p>\n

Example: Like using sticky notes on a board to show which homework assignments are done, in progress, or need to be started.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

lead time<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Total time from order to delivery. <\/p>\n

Example: Time between ordering a pizza and it arrives at your house.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

MES<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(Manufacturing Execution System) Computer system tracking production in real time.<\/p>\n

Example: Like a scoreboard showing how many cookies each baker makes.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

modular assembly<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A manufacturing technique where products are built from interchangeable parts or modules. <\/p>\n

Example: Like building a LEGO set where each section can be connected in different ways.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

moving assembly line<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A production process where a product moves along a conveyor belt, and workers add parts at each station. <\/p>\n

Example: Like passing around a craft project in class where each student adds a different decoration.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Muda<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Any activity that consumes resources without creating customer value. <\/p>\n

Example: Walking back and forth to get supplies because they're stored far away.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Mura<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Unevenness in workload. <\/p>\n

Example: A restaurant overcrowded during mealtimes, but empty at other times.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Net Promoter Score<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A metric that measures customer loyalty by asking how likely they are to recommend a product or service.<\/p>\n

Example: Rating how likely you are to tell your friends about your favorite restaurant.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

non-value-added activities<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Activities that don't contribute to what customers want. <\/p>\n

Example: Moving supplies back and forth between storage rooms.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Pareto Chart<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A Pareto chart is a bar graph combined with a cumulative line graph that helps identify the most significant factors contributing to a problem. It is based on the Pareto Principle (80\/20 rule), which states that roughly 80% of problems stem from 20% of causes. The objective is to separate the vital few from the trivial many.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Pareto Principle<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

The idea that 80% of results come from 20% of efforts. <\/p>\n

Example: Realizing that most of your study success comes from focusing on a few key subjects.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

PDCA<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(Plan-Do-Check-Act) Method for continuous improvement. <\/p>\n

Example: Planning your basketball shot, taking it, seeing if it worked, then adjusting.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

piece-rate pay<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Payment based on units produced rather than time worked. <\/p>\n

Example: Getting paid $1 for each car you wash instead of hourly.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

piece-rate pay system<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A payment method where workers are paid based on the number of items they produce. <\/p>\n

Example: Getting paid $1 for each bracelet you make instead of an hourly wage.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Poka-yoke<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Error-proofing systems to prevent mistakes. <\/p>\n

Example: USB ports that only fit one way.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

process mapping<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Drawing out steps in a process to understand it better. <\/p>\n

Example: Drawing the path you take to get ready for school.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

QIP<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(Quality Improvement Process) Structured way to make things better. <\/p>\n

Example: Finding better ways to clean your room faster.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Quality Circles<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Groups meeting to solve work problems. <\/p>\n

Example: Class council meeting to improve recess activities.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

raw stocks<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Basic materials used in manufacturing before any processing. <\/p>\n

Example: Like the flour and sugar you need before baking cookies.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

root cause analysis<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Finding the real reason problems happen. <\/p>\n

Example: Discovering your plant died because the watering schedule was forgotten.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

SMED<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

System for rapidly reducing equipment changeover time. <\/p>\n

Example: Reducing mold change time in plastic injection molding from hours to minutes\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

SOP<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(Standard Operating Procedure) Written steps for doing tasks. <\/p>\n

Example: Recipe for making your favorite sandwich.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

spaghetti diagram<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Map showing how people or things move. <\/p>\n

Example: Drawing lines on a school map showing your path between classes.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

standard deviation<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A measure of how spread out numbers are in a data set. <\/p>\n

Example: Like seeing how much your test scores vary from your average score.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

standardization<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Making tasks consistent.<\/p>\n

Example: Everyone in class follows the same steps to line up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

supermarket<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Organized storage area for quick part pickup. <\/p>\n

Example: School supply cabinet where everything has its place.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Takt Time<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Production pace needed to meet customer demand. <\/p>\n

Example: If a factory operates 8 hours and customers demand 480 units daily, takt time is 1 minute per unit.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

The Deming Prize<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

An award recognizing companies for excellence in quality management practices. <\/p>\n

Example: Like winning a school award for having the best science project based on thorough research and accuracy.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

the Progressive Era<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

A period of social and political reform in the United States from the 1890s to the 1920s aimed at addressing issues caused by industrialization.<\/p>\n

Example: Like a time when your school makes big changes to improve fairness and student well-being, such as healthier lunches and better classroom rules.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

therblig<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Basic motion in a task. <\/p>\n

Example: Reaching for your pencil is one basic motion.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

throughput<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Amount produced in given time. <\/p>\n

Example: Number of homework problems completed per hour.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

time-to-market<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Time to develop and launch new product.<\/p>\n

Example: Time from idea to selling your first batch of homemade bracelets.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

TPS<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(Toyota Production System) Toyota's way of making cars efficiently. <\/p>\n

Example: Like having perfect system for cleaning your room quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

VOC<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(Voice of Customer) What customers want and need. <\/p>\n

Example: Listening to what toppings friends want on pizza.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

Zero Defects<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

Goal of making everything perfect first time. <\/p>\n

Example: Getting all spelling words right on first try.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

ZQC<\/dfn><\/dt>\n
\n

(Zero Quality Control) A method focusing on error-proofing and process improvements to eliminate the need for inspections. <\/p>\n

Example: Using spell-check while typing to prevent errors instead of correcting them later.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"back-matter-type":[37],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-55","back-matter","type-back-matter","status-publish","hentry","back-matter-type-glossary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/applyingleansixsigmaoe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/back-matter\/55","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/applyingleansixsigmaoe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/back-matter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/applyingleansixsigmaoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/back-matter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/applyingleansixsigmaoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/applyingleansixsigmaoe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/back-matter\/55\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":640,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/applyingleansixsigmaoe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/back-matter\/55\/revisions\/640"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/applyingleansixsigmaoe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/back-matter\/55\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/applyingleansixsigmaoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"back-matter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/applyingleansixsigmaoe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/back-matter-type?post=55"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/applyingleansixsigmaoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=55"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ulib.csuohio.edu\/applyingleansixsigmaoe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=55"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}