Six Sigma Black Belt Certified Practice Exam

Positional, cyclical, and temporal variations are most commonly analyzed in which chart?

1. SPC charts

2. Multi-vari charts

3. Cause and effect diagrams

4. Run charts

The correct answer is: Multi-vari charts

The analysis of positional, cyclical, and temporal variations is most effectively conducted using multi-vari charts. Multi-vari charts are particularly useful in identifying variations among different factors and how they relate over time. They help in visualizing the relationship between specific variables and the resulting outputs, which can reveal patterns or trends based on the position, cycle, or time. When examining data that varies with respect to time (temporal variations), categories of factors (positional variations), or repetitive cycles (cyclical variations), multi-vari charts allow practitioners to pinpoint the sources of variation more clearly than most other types of charts. This focused capability makes them preferred tools for thorough and insightful analysis in quality management. In contrast, while SPC charts monitor process stability and control over time, they do not specifically target the relationships between multiple factors or variations like multi-vari charts do. Cause and effect diagrams primarily illustrate the relationship between causes and effects but do not allow for the analysis of variation over time in the same nuanced manner. Run charts do depict data trends over time but lack the multi-faceted analysis of positional and cyclical variations distinct to multi-vari charts.