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APMG LSS Yellow Belt study materials
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APMG LSS Yellow Belt practice questions

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Question 1Lean principles and waste

In Lean thinking, which statement best defines value?

  1. Any task performed by a trained operator
  2. Any activity the customer is willing to pay for Correct answer.
  3. Any step that changes the physical shape of a product
  4. Any activity that the business measures as productive

Explanation

Value is defined from the customer's perspective: it is what the customer wants, when they want it, at a price they accept. Activities that do not meet this test are waste regardless of how much effort or skill they consume.

Question 2Lean principles and waste

Which of the following is the Lean term for work that creates no value but is unavoidable under current technology or process design?

  1. Continuous improvement
  2. Value-added work
  3. Necessary waste Correct answer.
  4. Standard work

Explanation

Necessary waste is non-value-adding activity that cannot yet be removed given current constraints, such as regulatory inspections or certain setup steps. The aim is to minimise it and eliminate it when technology or design allows.

Question 3Lean principles and waste

A clerk walks to a shared printer three times each hour to collect documents. Which of the eight wastes does this motion most directly represent?

  1. Waiting
  2. Motion Correct answer.
  3. Overproduction
  4. Inventory

Explanation

Motion waste covers unnecessary movement of people within the workplace, such as walking to fetch items that could be located closer. The clerk's movement adds no value to the document being produced.

Question 4Lean principles and waste

Which of the eight wastes is often described as the worst because it tends to hide or create other wastes?

  1. Transport
  2. Motion
  3. Defects
  4. Overproduction Correct answer.

Explanation

Overproduction consumes resources before they are needed and generates excess inventory, extra handling, and hidden defects. Because it masks other problems, it is commonly treated as the most damaging waste.

Question 5Lean principles and waste

Finished goods sitting in a warehouse awaiting customer orders are an example of which waste?

  1. Overprocessing
  2. Inventory Correct answer.
  3. Waiting
  4. Transport

Explanation

Inventory waste is any excess material or product held beyond what is needed for the next step or order. Finished goods stored awaiting demand tie up cash and can become obsolete.

Question 6Lean principles and waste

An inspector re-enters data that was already captured by a sensor because the two systems are not connected. This is best classified as which waste?

  1. Defects
  2. Inventory
  3. Overprocessing Correct answer.
  4. Waiting

Explanation

Overprocessing covers redundant steps, duplicate checks, and extra work the customer would not pay for. Re-keying data that already exists is a classic example of unnecessary processing.

Question 7Lean principles and waste

Which of the following best describes the waste known as 'transport'?

  1. Moving an operator's hands to reach tools
  2. Moving materials between locations without adding value Correct answer.
  3. Producing items before they are ordered
  4. Storing raw material in a stockroom

Explanation

Transport waste is the unnecessary movement of materials or products between places, which adds time and cost but no customer value. It is distinct from motion, which concerns people.

Question 8Lean principles and waste

A team maps a process and finds operators idle while they wait for a batch from an upstream machine. Which waste is present, and what is a likely Lean response?

  1. Motion; relocate the operators' desks
  2. Waiting; reduce batch size to smooth flow Correct answer.
  3. Defects; add an inspection step
  4. Inventory; buy more storage racks

Explanation

Idle operators blocked by an upstream batch are experiencing waiting waste, often caused by large batch sizes and poor flow. Reducing batch size and improving flow shortens the delay and reduces the waiting.

Question 9Lean principles and waste

In the Lean improvement cycle, what does the '5S' practice primarily aim to achieve?

  1. A reduced number of suppliers
  2. A larger production batch
  3. A faster machine cycle time
  4. A clean, ordered, and standardised workplace Correct answer.

Explanation

5S (sort, set in order, shine, standardise, sustain) creates and maintains an organised workplace so that abnormalities are visible. It supports waste reduction in motion, waiting, and defects rather than directly changing cycle time.

Question 10Lean principles and waste

Which sequence correctly orders the first three steps of 5S?

  1. Set in order, sort, standardise
  2. Sustain, shine, sort
  3. Sort, set in order, shine Correct answer.
  4. Shine, sort, sustain

Explanation

The 5S steps run in order: sort (remove what is not needed), set in order (arrange what remains), shine (clean and inspect), then standardise and sustain. The first three are therefore sort, set in order, and shine.

Question 11Lean principles and waste

What is the primary purpose of a value stream map?

  1. To calculate the company's annual profit
  2. To record the personal performance of individual operators
  3. To show material and information flow and expose waste across a process Correct answer.
  4. To list every machine's maintenance schedule

Explanation

A value stream map depicts the sequence of steps, the flow of material and information, and the time consumed at each stage. This makes non-value-adding time and waste visible across the whole stream.

Question 12Lean principles and waste

A value stream map shows a total lead time of 12 days and value-added processing time of 40 minutes. What does this most strongly indicate?

  1. The process is already highly efficient and needs no change
  2. Most of the lead time is non-value-adding and is a prime target for improvement Correct answer.
  3. The value-added time is too high and should be reduced
  4. The map has been drawn incorrectly

Explanation

Comparing lead time with value-added time reveals how much time is spent waiting, moving, or queuing. A large gap signals substantial non-value-adding time and points to where flow improvements will pay off.

Question 13Lean principles and waste

In Lean, what is 'takt time'?

  1. The rate at which a product must be completed to meet customer demand Correct answer.
  2. The time allowed for a morning team meeting
  3. The total time a product spends in the factory
  4. The time a machine takes to complete one cycle

Explanation

Takt time is available production time divided by customer demand, setting the pace the process must meet. It aligns production rate with the rate of customer sales.

Question 14Lean principles and waste

A plant operates 480 minutes per shift and customer demand is 240 units per shift. What is the takt time?

  1. 0.5 minutes per unit
  2. 480 minutes per unit
  3. 240 minutes per unit
  4. 2 minutes per unit Correct answer.

Explanation

Takt time equals available time divided by demand: 480 minutes / 240 units = 2 minutes per unit. This is the pace at which one unit must be completed to satisfy demand.

Question 15Lean principles and waste

Which concept describes producing one item at a time so that work moves smoothly between steps with minimal buffers?

  1. Push scheduling
  2. Batch production
  3. Buffer stocking
  4. Continuous flow Correct answer.

Explanation

Continuous flow means items move through the process one at a time with minimal waiting between steps. It shortens lead time and makes problems visible quickly.

Question 16Lean principles and waste

What is the main purpose of a kanban in a pull system?

  1. To record the number of defects found at final inspection
  2. To authorise a permanent increase in inventory levels
  3. To signal that upstream work should replenish what downstream has consumed Correct answer.
  4. To schedule overtime for the production team

Explanation

A kanban is a signal that authorises replenishment only when downstream consumption occurs. This implements pull, keeping inventory close to what is actually needed.

Question 17Lean principles and waste

A pull system differs from a push system mainly because it:

  1. Relies on larger batches to reduce changeovers
  2. Requires fewer operators to run the line
  3. Eliminates the need for any inventory
  4. Releases work based on downstream consumption rather than a forecast Correct answer.

Explanation

In a pull system, downstream demand triggers upstream production, so work is released only when it is needed. Push systems release work according to a schedule or forecast regardless of actual consumption.

Question 18Lean principles and waste

What does 'kaizen' mean in Lean practice?

  1. A method of inspecting finished goods
  2. A one-off large capital investment
  3. Continuous improvement through small, incremental changes Correct answer.
  4. A type of automated machine

Explanation

Kaizen is continuous improvement, typically achieved through many small changes involving the people who do the work. It contrasts with occasional large, top-down projects.

Question 19Lean principles and waste

Which activity best exemplifies a kaizen event?

  1. A daily machine lubrication routine
  2. A focused team redesigning a work cell over one week to remove waste Correct answer.
  3. A quarterly financial audit
  4. A multi-year programme to build a new factory

Explanation

A kaizen event is a short, focused improvement workshop where a team analyses and changes a process quickly. Long capital projects and routine maintenance fall outside this definition.

Question 20Lean principles and waste

Which of the following is a core principle of the Lean philosophy?

  1. Inspect quality in at the end of the line
  2. Maximise utilisation of every machine at all times
  3. Identify value and let the customer pull it through a smooth flow Correct answer.
  4. Hold large safety stocks to protect against variability

Explanation

Lean specifies value from the customer's view, maps the value stream, creates flow, lets the customer pull, and pursues perfection. High utilisation and large buffers conflict with this approach.

Question 21Lean principles and waste

Which of the following best describes 'jidoka'?

  1. Giving machines and operators the ability to stop when an abnormality occurs Correct answer.
  2. Scheduling production in large batches
  3. Reducing the number of quality checks to zero
  4. Running equipment at its maximum rated speed

Explanation

Jidoka, or autonomation, means equipping the process to detect abnormalities and stop so defects are not passed on. It builds quality into the process rather than relying on later inspection.

Question 22Lean principles and waste

A team reduces changeover time so that small batches become economical. Which waste are they most directly addressing?

  1. Motion of the sales team
  2. Inventory caused by large-batch production Correct answer.
  3. Transport between buildings
  4. Defects found by the customer

Explanation

Long changeovers encourage large batches, which create inventory and waiting. Cutting changeover time allows smaller batches and less inventory, directly attacking that waste.

Question 23Lean principles and waste

Which of the following is an example of the waste of 'defects' in an office process?

  1. A clerk walking to a filing cabinet
  2. A report printed before it is needed
  3. A manager waiting for approval
  4. An invoice returned for correction because the purchase order number was wrong Correct answer.

Explanation

Defects are errors that require correction or rework. An invoice returned for correction is rework caused by a mistake, which is defect waste.

Question 24Lean principles and waste

Why does Lean emphasise making problems visible rather than hiding them with inventory buffers?

  1. Hidden problems cannot be solved, so improvement stalls Correct answer.
  2. Inventory is always cheaper than problem solving
  3. Visible problems make operators feel blamed
  4. Buffers guarantee higher quality

Explanation

Inventory can mask issues such as machine breakdowns or quality problems, so they go unnoticed. Lowering buffers exposes those issues and forces the team to solve them permanently.

Question 25Lean principles and waste

A process step is required by a regulator but adds no value for the customer. How should Lean thinking classify it?

  1. Overproduction to be batched
  2. Pure waste to be removed immediately
  3. Necessary non-value-adding activity to be minimised Correct answer.
  4. Value-added activity to be protected

Explanation

Mandatory steps that add no customer value are necessary non-value-adding activity. Lean seeks to minimise their cost and effort while recognising they cannot simply be removed.

Question 26Lean principles and waste

In Lean terminology, which of the following activities is classified as a value-added activity?

  1. A part waiting in a rack for the next operation
  2. An operator re-checking a batch for a defect that was already inspected
  3. A finished product being moved between two warehouses
  4. A component being machined to the specification the customer requires Correct answer.

Explanation

Value-added work is work that transforms the product or information in a way the customer is willing to pay for, and it is done right the first time. Only the machining step changes the item toward what the customer wants.

Question 27Lean principles and waste

A clerk must walk to a shared printer in another department every time a document is printed. Which of the seven wastes does this most directly represent?

  1. Defects
  2. Inventory
  3. Overproduction
  4. Motion Correct answer.

Explanation

Motion refers to unnecessary movement of people within their work area, such as walking to a distant printer. Overproduction, inventory and defects concern quantities or quality of output, not the movement of the person.

Question 28Lean principles and waste

Which of the following is the best example of the waste of overprocessing?

  1. Storing three weeks of finished goods in a warehouse
  2. Waiting for approval before starting a task
  3. Sending a purchase order to the wrong supplier
  4. Producing a report with gold-plated formatting that no reader uses Correct answer.

Explanation

Overprocessing is doing more work on a product or document than the customer needs or is willing to pay for. Adding formatting nobody uses is extra effort beyond the requirement.

Question 29Lean principles and waste

In the seven wastes, what does 'overproduction' specifically mean?

  1. Making items with a higher defect rate than the target allows
  2. Making more items, or earlier, than the downstream customer needs Correct answer.
  3. Making items using more labour than the standard permits
  4. Making items with more features than the specification requires

Explanation

Overproduction is producing output in excess of, or ahead of, what the next process or customer requires. It is often called the worst waste because it tends to create or hide the others.

Question 30Lean principles and waste

Which of the following best describes the waste of 'inventory'?

  1. Any delay before an operator begins a task
  2. Any error that reaches the customer
  3. Any material, work in progress or information held beyond what is needed for the next step Correct answer.
  4. Any movement of material between two workstations

Explanation

Inventory is excess stock of material, work in progress or information sitting between process steps. It ties up capital and can conceal other problems in the process.

Question 31Lean principles and waste

Which of the following is the waste of 'waiting'?

  1. A product being stored in a finished-goods area
  2. A product being inspected twice for the same fault
  3. A machine operator standing idle because the previous machine has not finished its batch Correct answer.
  4. A worker walking across the shop floor to collect a tool

Explanation

Waiting is idle time in a process, whether for people, equipment or material, caused by unbalanced or unsynchronised steps. An operator idle because upstream work is not ready is the textbook case.

Question 32Lean principles and waste

Which of the following best describes 'muda' in Lean thinking?

  1. Any activity that consumes resources without adding value for the customer Correct answer.
  2. Any activity that changes the product toward the customer's requirement
  3. Any variation in the quality of incoming raw material
  4. Any planned maintenance activity on production equipment

Explanation

Muda is the Japanese term for waste, meaning activity that uses resources without creating value. Lean improvement focuses on identifying and eliminating it.

Question 33Lean principles and waste

A Lean team uses a simple diagram of a process to spot steps that add no value and to identify where the biggest delays occur. Which tool are they using?

  1. A value stream map Correct answer.
  2. A control chart
  3. A skills matrix
  4. A Pareto chart of defect types

Explanation

A value stream map shows the flow of material and information and highlights value-added versus non-value-added time and the largest delays. Control charts and Pareto charts analyse data rather than process flow.

Question 34Lean principles and waste

In a value stream map, the ratio of value-added time to total lead time is used to express which measure?

  1. Process cycle efficiency Correct answer.
  2. Rolled throughput yield
  3. Overall equipment effectiveness
  4. Takt time

Explanation

Process cycle efficiency compares value-added time with total lead time, showing how much of the elapsed time actually adds value. Takt time, OEE and rolled throughput yield measure demand pacing, equipment effectiveness and yield respectively.

Question 35Lean principles and waste

A team is preparing a value stream map. Which information is most essential to capture for each process step?

  1. The names of the operators assigned to each shift
  2. Cycle time, changeover time, uptime and inventory between steps Correct answer.
  3. The number of improvement ideas raised last year
  4. The annual budget allocated to each department

Explanation

A value stream map records the timing and flow data needed to see where delay and waste arise, such as cycle time, changeover, uptime and the queues between steps. Staffing names, budgets and idea counts do not describe flow.

Question 36Lean principles and waste

Which of the following best describes the purpose of the '5S' workplace organisation method?

  1. To create and sustain a clean, ordered workplace where abnormalities are easy to see Correct answer.
  2. To calculate the labour content of each product
  3. To standardise the sequence of operations on a machine
  4. To reduce the number of suppliers used by a plant

Explanation

5S is a structured housekeeping approach that makes the workplace orderly so that missing tools, excess material and abnormal conditions stand out. It supports, but is not the same as, standard work or supplier reduction.

Question 37Lean principles and waste

In the 5S method, what does the step 'seiton' (often translated as 'set in order') require?

  1. Cleaning equipment and checking it for abnormal wear
  2. Removing all items that are not needed for current work
  3. Turning the housekeeping routine into a documented habit
  4. Arranging needed items so that they have a defined place and are easy to find and return Correct answer.

Explanation

Set in order means giving every needed item a clearly defined location so it can be found and put back easily. Removing unneeded items is sorting, cleaning is shining and sustaining is the discipline step.

Question 38Lean principles and waste

A department adopts 5S and after several weeks the workplace drifts back to its previous untidy state. Which element of 5S was most likely neglected?

  1. Shine, the cleaning of equipment
  2. Set in order, the labelling of storage locations
  3. Sort, the removal of unneeded items
  4. Sustain, the discipline of maintaining the gains through routine and audits Correct answer.

Explanation

Sustain is the step that keeps the first four S's in place through standards, audits and habit. Drift back to the old state is the classic symptom of weak sustainment.

Question 39Lean principles and waste

Which of the following is the best description of 'heijunka'?

  1. Stopping the line automatically whenever a defect is detected
  2. Producing each product in the largest possible batch to gain economies of scale
  3. Pacing the line to the speed of the fastest operator
  4. Levelling the type and volume of production over time to smooth demand on the process Correct answer.

Explanation

Heijunka is production levelling: mixing product types and spreading volume so that peaks and troughs are reduced. It contrasts with large batch production and is not about defect detection or operator speed.

Question 40Lean principles and waste

A customer requires 300 units per day and the plant runs two shifts totalling 900 minutes of available time. What is the takt time?

  1. 300 minutes per unit
  2. 900 minutes per unit
  3. 0.33 minutes per unit
  4. 3 minutes per unit Correct answer.

Explanation

Takt time is available time divided by customer demand, so 900 minutes divided by 300 units gives 3 minutes per unit. The process must complete one unit every 3 minutes to meet demand.

Question 41Lean principles and waste

What does a process with a cycle time longer than its takt time indicate?

  1. The process has no waiting or inventory between steps
  2. The process cannot keep up with customer demand and needs improvement or added capacity Correct answer.
  3. The process is perfectly balanced to demand
  4. The process is producing more than the customer needs

Explanation

Takt time is the required pace; a cycle time above it means each unit takes longer than the demand rate allows. The gap must be closed through improvement or added capacity.

Question 42Lean principles and waste

Which of the following best describes the Lean concept of 'flow'?

  1. Work progresses continuously through steps with minimal waiting, batching or buffers Correct answer.
  2. Work is released to each step in large batches to keep everyone busy
  3. Work is sent to whichever step currently has spare capacity
  4. Work is held in a central queue until a manager authorises release

Explanation

Flow means the product or information moves steadily from step to step without stopping, so delays and buffers are minimised. Large batches, central queues and ad hoc routing all interrupt flow.

Question 43Lean principles and waste

A team reduces the time needed to change over a machine from 90 minutes to 10 minutes. What is the main Lean benefit of this reduction?

  1. The machine can be run faster, so capacity automatically doubles
  2. Quality inspection can be eliminated entirely
  3. Smaller batches become economical, so inventory and lead time can fall Correct answer.
  4. Operators can be reduced because fewer changeovers are needed

Explanation

Shorter changeovers make it practical to produce in smaller batches, which lowers work in progress and shortens lead time. Changeover time is not the same as run speed, headcount or inspection needs.

Question 44Lean principles and waste

In a pull system, what triggers the production or replenishment of an item?

  1. A forecast of demand for the coming month
  2. A signal from the downstream step that it has consumed an item Correct answer.
  3. The availability of spare capacity upstream
  4. A schedule issued at the start of each shift regardless of consumption

Explanation

Pull means downstream consumption authorises upstream replenishment, typically through a kanban signal. Forecasts, fixed schedules and spare capacity are push-style triggers.

Question 45Lean principles and waste

What is the primary function of a kanban card in a pull system?

  1. To authorise replenishment of a specific quantity of a specific item Correct answer.
  2. To record the defect rate of the upstream process
  3. To schedule preventive maintenance on a machine
  4. To document the standard work sequence for an operator

Explanation

A kanban is a signal that authorises the upstream step to produce or deliver a defined quantity of a defined item. It is a replenishment control, not a quality, maintenance or standard work record.

Question 46Lean principles and waste

A manager argues that large buffer stocks are harmless because they keep the line running. How does Lean thinking respond to this view?

  1. Buffers are always the cheapest way to protect output and should be maximised
  2. Buffers improve flow by ensuring every step has work available
  3. Buffers reduce lead time by shortening the queue at each step
  4. Buffers hide underlying problems such as breakdowns and quality issues, so the causes are never fixed Correct answer.

Explanation

Lean treats inventory as a cover that conceals problems in the process, much like water hiding rocks. Reducing buffers deliberately exposes those problems so they can be solved permanently.

Question 47Lean principles and waste

A step in a process is required by a regulator but the customer would not choose to pay for it. How should Lean analysis classify this step?

  1. Non-value-added but necessary, so it should be minimised rather than simply removed Correct answer.
  2. Overproduction, because it produces compliance records
  3. Pure waste, so it should be eliminated immediately
  4. Value-added, because it is required by law

Explanation

Lean distinguishes necessary non-value-added work, such as regulatory compliance, from pure waste. Such steps cannot simply be removed, so the aim is to reduce their time and effort as far as compliance allows.

Question 48Lean principles and waste

A team finds that a process step is performed differently by each of three shifts, causing variable output. Which Lean response addresses the root cause most directly?

  1. Add a buffer stock after the step to absorb the variation
  2. Increase the batch size so differences average out
  3. Add a final inspection to catch the differences
  4. Establish standard work for the step and train all shifts to follow it Correct answer.

Explanation

Variation caused by inconsistent methods is addressed by defining the best known method as standard work and training everyone to it. Buffers, inspection and larger batches only accommodate or mask the variation.

Question 49Lean principles and waste

In Lean terms, what distinguishes 'mura' (unevenness) from 'muda' (waste)?

  1. Mura is variability in workload or output that creates peaks and troughs, while muda is activity that consumes resources without adding value Correct answer.
  2. Mura is overburden on people or equipment, while muda is variation in demand
  3. Mura and muda are interchangeable terms for the same concept
  4. Mura is excess inventory, while muda is excess motion

Explanation

Mura is unevenness, the fluctuation in demand or workload that produces peaks and idle troughs. Muda is waste, the non-value-adding activity itself; levelling workload reduces the muda that unevenness creates.

Question 50Lean principles and waste

A team removes a bottleneck in one department but overall lead time does not improve. Which explanation is most consistent with Lean systems thinking?

  1. Removing waste anywhere always reduces lead time immediately
  2. The constraint has moved to another step, so the system is now limited elsewhere Correct answer.
  3. Lead time is fixed by customer demand and cannot be changed
  4. The department's improvement was offset by reduced inspection

Explanation

A value stream performs only as fast as its slowest step, so relieving one constraint often shifts the limit downstream. Improvement must be aimed at the current system constraint to affect overall lead time.