Six Sigma Black Belt Certified Practice Exam

Which quality management tool uses a graphical representation to display the relationships between causes and effects?

1. Fishbone diagram

2. Matrix diagram

3. Histogram

4. Flowchart

The correct answer is: Fishbone diagram

The Fishbone diagram, also known as the Ishikawa or cause-and-effect diagram, is specifically designed to visually depict the potential causes of a particular problem or effect. This tool helps teams identify and categorize various factors that may be contributing to a specific issue. By organizing causes into different categories, such as people, processes, materials, and equipment, it provides a clear and structured way to analyze the relationships between causes and the resulting effect. Graphically, the Fishbone diagram resembles the skeleton of a fish, where the spine represents the main problem (the effect), and the bones represent various categories of causes. This visual arrangement facilitates brainstorming and encourages team collaboration, allowing members to identify root causes more effectively. In contrast, other options involve different functions: the Matrix diagram focuses on relationships between two or more variables, a Histogram is used to display the frequency distribution of data, and a Flowchart helps map out processes or workflows. The key aspect that makes the Fishbone diagram the correct choice is its explicit focus on illustrating the causal relationships that lead to specific effects, making it an essential tool for quality management and problem-solving.