Statistical Process Control free essay sample

Run Improve your chances of passing an ASQ certification exam †¢ Passingacertification examisn’tagiven, andthechallengeisn’t alwaysinthetestitself. †¢ Thedifferencebetween passingandfailingoften occursbeforetheexam, soit’simportantto knowthepitfallsbefore gettingstarted. †¢ Avoidthesedanger zonestohelpensurea successfuloutcome. In 50 Words Or Less by Govind Ramu Careers In 2008, 14,906 people took ASQ certification exams. Whether by careful preparation, exceptional test-taking skills, a bit of luck or some combination, 9,394 of these people—or 63%—passed. The year before, the percentage was similar: Of 14,422 people who took certification exams, 9,431 passed (65%). The 2009 success rate as of October was also in that neighborhood, with 6,570 passing out of 9,928 test-takers, or 66%. For a little more perspective, Figure 1 offers a look at the pass rates for ASQ’s 14 certifications. To ensure certifications remain relevant and up to date, ASQ revises each body of knowledge (BoK) every five years. Not understanding the cognitive level for each BoK section: Exam takers often ignore the cognitive level specified for each section of the BoK. Paying close attention to the cognitive levels will help you determine the extent of your planning and preparation. We will write a custom essay sample on Statistical Process Control or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Sections that require higher cognitive levels will require more in-depth preparation. For instance, when you see â€Å"apply,† you can expect questions that contain specific examples. You should be prepared to demonstrate an understanding of when and how you would use ideas, procedures, methods, formulas, concepts and tools in the context of those examples. Similarly, when you see â€Å"analyze,† expect questions that will require you to break down information into constituent parts, identify relationships and patterns of organization, and derive the most significant and useful information from a given situation or set of data. Being unaware of appropriate reference materials: The thing that appears most frequently on the ASQ certification discussion board is a request for help in selecting and evaluating reference materials. There are many materials in the market that cover each BoK, including a long list of references specified by ASQ on its certification pages. But it is not practical (nor easy on the wallet) to purchase so many books. ASQ’s certification handbooks are the best places to start. If you need additional assistance, exam-specific primers and CDs are also available from other reputable service providers. But I caution against considering the handbooks or primers as your only certification references. They will not cover every aspect of the BoK in the depth that is required. As an examinee, you need to take responsibility for determining which references you need to complement your knowledge and experience. Being unaware of exam practice aids: Exam preparation materials, such as primers and simulated exams, can help you master the art of test taking. Even for exam candidates with a vast knowledge of the subject matter Planning and preparation Being overconfident: Working in the quality profession for a long period of time can lead some professionals to assume their practical experience automatically gives them the knowledge they need to ace a certification exam. This overconfidence contributed to the high failure rates for ASQ certification exams. The BoKs are very broad for many certifications because they are based on an extensive analysis of a wide sample of representative jobs. The chances are slim that the regular duties of any single job cover the entire BoK. Besides, many of us have not taken an exam since picking up our diplomas. Trying to answer the exam questions based on experience alone and within the time limit is a big challenge. Do not underestimate the amount of planning and preparation required to pass the exam, no matter how much work experience you have. In many situations, it will not be possible to walk into the exam location and familiarize yourself with the room prior to exam day. Some exams are given in conference rooms and training rooms of organizations that require security access. Some exam rooms are located deep inside a labyrinthine campus building that should have its own map and directions. At the very least, you should arrive at the exam location well ahead of your scheduled start time and locate the room assigned for taking the exam. Talk to the section exam proctor prior to  the exam to learn exactly where the room is located on the campus. Exam taking Lacking confidence: The day of the exam is when you should have all the confidence you possibly can. Lack of confidence can result in second-guessing during the exam. Knowing you have completed many simulated exams, as mentioned earlier, can improve your confidence when you finally sit down to take the exam. Being distracted during the exam: I have faced exam situatio ns in which building renovations were happening just outside the room, causing lots of noise and other distractions. Some exam rooms are closer to a highway or expressway than you might be accustomed. Hearing the hum of traffic and horns honking could interrupt your focus on the exam. These are rare situations, but you don’t want noise from streets and building renovations to be the reason you didn’t pass an exam. I recommend bringing earplugs as a contingency. Forgetting crucial items: After carefully preparing your open-book materials and planning for contingencies, you do not want to be on the way to the exam only to realize half of the items you planned to bring are still sitting on your kitchen table. Create a checklist of items to take with you on the day of the exam, including reference books, statistical tables, a calculator and blank paper for working out your answers. Figure 2 is a good starting point when constructing your checklist, but you should take a moment to customize it to meet any other needs you might have during the exam. A dictionary may be useful for those whose first language is not English. The CMQ/OE exam, for example, has constructive response questions, while the certified quality auditor exam involves case studies with some challenging vocabulary. Statistical Process Control free essay sample One method of quality control can be pursued through process control procedures like statistical process control or SPC. SPC â€Å"involves testing a random sample of output from a process to determine whether the process is producing items within a preselected range†. (Chase, Jacobs amp; Aquilano, 354) SPC is a method that can be applied to a process in order to monitor or control that process. In week one, I described a personal process of waking up in the morning through to going to work. Now, it is important to look to the future trends in order to predict seasonal factors. â€Å"A seasonal factor is the amount of correction needed in a time series to adjust for the season of the year. † (Chase, Jacobs amp; Anquilano, 533) Seasonal factors may affect the samples by taking into consideration factor based on seasons or time periods. The alarm clock that is used to wake me up in the morning is not dependent on any factors of time or season. We will write a custom essay sample on Statistical Process Control or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Statistical process control is one way to control quality and make sure goals are attained. Statistical methods show that the samples taken can create visual representations that conclude my alarm clock is an effective method to starting my morning process. This ensures that it is operating at its fullest potential.