Lean IT Foundation EXIN exam 2013 20 q+a

Sample Questions

EXIN Lean IT

Foundation

Edition January 2013

Sample exam EXIN Lean IT Foundation (LEANITF.EN) 2

Copyright © 2013 EXIN and Dansk IT

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Content

Introduction 4

Sample exam 5

Answer Key 13

Evaluation 26


Introduction

This set of sample questions consists of 20 multiple-choice questions.

The real exam consists of 40 multiple choice questions.

Each multiple-choice question has a number of possible answers, of which only one is

the correct answer.

The maximum number of points that can be obtained for this exam is 20. Each correct

answer is worth one point. If you obtain 13 points or more you will pass.

The time allowed for these sample questions is 30 minutes.

No rights may be derived from this information.

Good luck!


Sample exam

1 of 20

Which of the following percentage of time is spent on value adding activities in a typical

process?

A 0,05

B 0,35

C 0,6

D 1

2 of 20

In a software development process, the activity of testing would in most cases be

considered as:

A A value-adding and necessary activity

B A value-adding but unnecessary activity

C A non-value-adding but necessary activity

D A non-value-adding and unnecessary activity


3 of 20

Which of the following types of waste are classified as waste types in the original Lean

terminology? (The IT equivalent of each original waste type is listed in brackets.)

1 Overproduction (exceeding expectations or service levels, over-engineering

software, and over documentation)

2 Waiting time (tickets and/or software awaiting activity i.e. testing, approval,

decisions)

3 Movement (user-interfaces which force the user to enter the same data several

times or perform excessive mouse-clicks)

4 Bad processes (analysis made too late in the process, bottlenecks and

excessive activities in a process)

5 Bad communication from management (unclear signals, decisions or

coordination by management)

6 Stock (hardware and software in stock, requirement specifications and

releases)

7 Transport (moving hardware and physical case files around)

8 Errors and misunderstandings (not fully understanding the actual needs of

customers, bugs in a piece of software or missing information on a ticket)

A 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7

B 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8

C 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8

D 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8

4 of 20

Which technique would NOT be considered a Lean Waste Analysis method?

A Frontloading

B 5 Why’s

C Ohno’s Circle

D Kaizen


5 of 20

Which of the following changes to a support process would generate the LEAST result

in terms of better flow?

A Ensure that several employees are able to perform critical/all tasks (remove

bottlenecks)

B Give more user rights to employees, to allow them to perform the complete

transaction and not have to hand over the ticket (reduce the amount of

activities)

C Remove activities that do not add value (fewer handovers)

D Ensure that every ticket is checked before passing further in the process

(increased control)

6 of 20

Reducing variance in for instance a server configuration process will most likely result

in a better flow in the work because of:

1) Higher predictability

2) Better opportunities for the HR department to create career paths

3) More employees will be able to understand the technical details of the process

4) Better ability to man the different activities to match the actual need

A 1

B 1 and 3

C 1 and 4

D None

7 of 20

Which of the following statements describes frontloading?

1) Better match between the it-systems used in the process, and the competences

needed to use them

2) Fewer errors and misunderstandings, due to more information and knowledge early

in the process

3) Critical issues are moved to the top of the agenda on all status meetings

4) More involvement of customers in the beginning of the process to ensure less waste

A 1 and 3

B 2, 3 and 4

C 2 and 4

D All of them


8 of 20

Takt in a software development project could be:

1 An alignment of meetings at all levels to allow the shortest amount of waiting

time for decisions

2 A fixed agreement on when status meetings are held in the project

3 An agreed process for submitting timesheets and expenses

4 A template for how stakeholder management must be documented

A 1 and 2

B 1 and 3

C 2, 3 and 4

D All of the them

9 of 20

An alternative system for initiating activity in a process is called the pull-system, as

used in Toyota.

Which of the following statements BEST describes the triggering of an activity in

Toyota:

A A Kanban card is sent to a work station upstream to the station needing an

item, thus triggering the production of the needed item in the desired quantity

B An employee walks between the different workstations overseeing the process

and spotting the need for items in the different workstations

C The need for an item is entered into a computer system, which calculates a

production plan and sends out messages to the different stations on what to

produce, and when

D A workstation may trigger a song to play when an item is needed, thus

informing the manager, that he/she needs an item


10 of 20

Pull systems have been implemented in software development processes in several

places.

Which are some of the reasons for implementing a pull system in a software

development process?

1) To have better visibility with what is pulled into any given release

2) To be better able to control the amount of code under development (work-in

progress). Thus controlling the cost and complexity in the process

3) To ensure visibility for everybody on what is being developed, in what quantities and

for which customer

4) To ensure that nothing is developed, without there being an actual demand for it

A 3 and 4

B 2 and 4

C 1 and 2

D All of them

11 of 20

In Lean software development, the pull-system can be implemented in the form of a

Kanban-system.

When implementing such a Kanban system, which are the key focus areas?

1) Measure and improve the cycle time (or lead time)

2) Set goals for quality and improve it

3) Limit work-in-progress

4) Ensuring that most of the employees are trained in the strategy of the department

A 1, 2 and 3

B 1, 2 and 4

C 2, 3 and 4

D All of them


12 of 20

Which of the following descriptions BEST match the reason for using control charts in

an organization?

A With control charts management is better able to monitor and control

employees

B Control charts are created and maintained for each asset in the company to

keep track of master data, maintenance information etc

C Control charts are used in departments to keep track of who brings cake to the

department meeting

D A control chart is used to view on a graph the level of a particular indicator over

time, to be able to identify statistical outliers, trends and deciding factors

13 of 20

Many companies that have implemented Kaizen, have implemented it using Kaizen

boards and Kaizen meetings.

How often are these regular Kaizen meetings usually held to focus efforts on small

improvements?

A Every hour

B Every week

C Every 6 months

D Every year

14 of 20

The Kaizen board meeting manager has responsibilities towards conducting the

meetings in the best way possible.

Which of the following statements is NOT part of that responsibility?

A Ensure that all participants at the meeting are heard

B Take primary responsibility for the implementation of most of the ideas

C Encourage more ideas for the board

D Keep track of the time


15 of 20

When progressing from a Lean project to a Lean organization, there are several pitfalls

to be avoided, in order to have a better chance of success in the long term.

Which of the following are important factors to succeeding in the long term with Lean?

1) Making Lean part of the culture in the company

2) That benefits are actually achieved

3) Focus on continuous improvements

4) Management understanding and support

A 2 and 3

B 1, 2 and 3

C 3 and 4

D All of them

16 of 20

Which of the following situations would be considered waste in an operations process?

1) Pcs in the stock

2) Preventive maintenance on a server

3) The technician enquiring for address information from the customer

4) Completing and storing backups

A None

B 1, 2 and 3

C 1 and 3

D All of them

17 of 20

Which of the following is NOT among the five Lean principles?

A Pull

B Perfection

C Optimization

D Flow

18 of 20

Which of the following is the CORRECT definition of a Value Stream?

A A sum-up of the entire value stock of any company

B All the activities required to bring a specific product through the critical

management tasks of any business

C The process by which a service adds value to its target customers

D A standard flow of products in a company covering both initial manufacturing

and final shipment to the customer


19 of 20

What would be the next step in the standardized work process?

1st Establish

2nd Communicate

3th Follow

4th ?

A Strengthen

B Inform

C Act

D Improve

20 of 20

Which of the following plays an important part in making value flow?

A Muri

B Poka-yoke

C Kanban

D Jidoka


Answer Key

1 of 20

Which of the following percentage of time is spent on value adding activities in a typical

process?

A 0,05

B 0,35

C 0,6

D 1

A. Correct. The typical value adding time in production processes is 5% as described

in the book “Lean Six Sigma for service” by Michael L. George.

B. Incorrect.

C. Incorrect.

D. Incorrect.

2 of 20

In a software development process, the activity of testing would in most cases be

considered as:

A A value-adding and necessary activity

B A value-adding but unnecessary activity

C A non-value-adding but necessary activity

D A non-value-adding and unnecessary activity

A. Incorrect.

B Incorrect.

C. Correct. Testing could – strictly speaking – be defined as non-value adding and not

necessary. However, in reality most people (including customers) would attribute

testing some value, wherefore it would be defined as non-value adding (if we make no

errors, we wouldn’t need testing) and necessary (most would be more secure if testing

has been performed).

D. Incorrect.


3 of 20

Which of the following types of waste are classified as waste types in the original Lean

terminology? (The IT equivalent of each original waste type is listed in brackets.)

1 Overproduction (exceeding expectations or service levels, over-engineering

software, and over documentation)

2 Waiting time (tickets and/or software awaiting activity i.e. testing, approval,

decisions)

3 Movement (user-interfaces which force the user to enter the same data several

times or perform excessive mouse-clicks)

4 Bad processes (analysis made too late in the process, bottlenecks and

excessive activities in a process)

5 Bad communication from management (unclear signals, decisions or

coordination by management)

6 Stock (hardware and software in stock, requirement specifications and

releases)

7 Transport (moving hardware and physical case files around)

8 Errors and misunderstandings (not fully understanding the actual needs of

customers, bugs in a piece of software or missing information on a ticket)

A 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7

B 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8

C 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8

D 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8

A. Incorrect.

B. Correct. Based on the definition of the seven types of waste defined by Womack

and Jones in the book Lean Thinking, waste type 5 is then not part of the original 7

types of waste.

C. Incorrect.

D. Incorrect.


4 of 20

Which technique would NOT be considered a Lean Waste Analysis method?

A Frontloading

B 5 Why’s

C Ohno’s Circle

D Kaizen

A. Correct. Frontloading is the principle of adding value to the earlier steps in a

process by inducing more knowledge (and potentially also effort). Therefore

frontloading is not a technique to analyse waste.

B. Incorrect. 5 times why is a fundamental part of Lean Problemsolving and as such a

way of analysing for waste.

C. Incorrect. Ohnos circle is a method developed by Ohno, where a circle with a radius

of 1 meter is drawn around a person. The person is then “invisible” to the room, and

may not overstep the circle, but only observe the room and note down observed

potential waste.

D. Incorrect. Kaizen is the fifth principle of Lean, and focuses on striving for perfection

through continuous improvement, and as such also analysing waste.

5 of 20

Which of the following changes to a support process would generate the LEAST result

in terms of better flow?

A Ensure that several employees are able to perform critical/all tasks (remove

bottlenecks)

B Give more user rights to employees, to allow them to perform the complete

transaction and not have to hand over the ticket (reduce the amount of

activities)

C Remove activities that do not add value (fewer handovers)

D Ensure that every ticket is checked before passing further in the process

(increased control)

A. Incorrect.

B. Incorrect.

C. Incorrect.

D. Correct. Option D is the only option, which actually adds activities to the process.

The activity added is a control, which generally is considered non-value adding and

would generally hinder the flow by entering a requirement that all tickets must go

though this control to move on in the process.


6 of 20

Reducing variance in for instance a server configuration process will most likely result

in a better flow in the work because of:

1) Higher predictability

2) Better opportunities for the HR department to create career paths

3) More employees will be able to understand the technical details of the process

4) Better ability to man the different activities to match the actual need

A 1

B 1 and 3

C 1 and 4

D None

A. Incorrect.

B. Incorrect.

C. Correct. Reducing variance in any process would generally result in higher

predictability and thus also increase the ability to match the demand for resources with

the amount of resources available. However, the ability of the HR department to create

career paths is not affected by the variance of a process, since this is not affected by

the variability of a process. Furthermore, the amount of variance should not affect the

complexity of the process per se, and thus should also not affect the employees’ ability

to understand a process.

D. Incorrect.


7 of 20

Which of the following statements describes frontloading?

1) Better match between the it-systems used in the process, and the competences

needed to use them

2) Fewer errors and misunderstandings, due to more information and knowledge early

in the process

3) Critical issues are moved to the top of the agenda on all status meetings

4) More involvement of customers in the beginning of the process to ensure less waste

A 1 and 3

B 2, 3 and 4

C 2 and 4

D All of them

A. Incorrect.

B. Incorrect.

C. Correct. Frontloading is defined by adding more knowledge earlier in a process,

perhaps by involving customers more heavily. Thus options 2 and 4 are correct.

Frontloading is not related to or dependent on an it-system as such, and would also

not affect the priority of issues on the agenda in a department meeting.

D. Incorrect.

8 of 20

Takt in a software development project could be:

1 An alignment of meetings at all levels to allow the shortest amount of waiting

time for decisions

2 A fixed agreement on when status meetings are held in the project

3 An agreed process for submitting timesheets and expenses

4 A template for how stakeholder management must be documented

A 1 and 2

B 1 and 3

C 2, 3 and 4

D All of the them

A. Correct. Takt in any process relates to the frequency and regularity in which the

activities in the process are carried out. In a software development process, tact could

be defined by the definition of releases, meeting schedules etc., which means that

options 1 and 2 would be correct. 1 in particular since in involves alignment of several

activities to a certain tact.

B. Incorrect. Option 3 relates to a process being defined and adhered to, which in itself

is not a sign of tact (no frequency is part of option 3).

C. Incorrect. Option 4 relates to a template being documented, which also does not

imply any frequency or regularity in the use of the template.

D. Incorrect.


9 of 20

An alternative system for initiating activity in a process is called the pull-system, as

used in Toyota.

Which of the following statements BEST describes the triggering of an activity in

Toyota:

A A Kanban card is sent to a work station upstream to the station needing an

item, thus triggering the production of the needed item in the desired quantity

B An employee walks between the different workstations overseeing the process

and spotting the need for items in the different workstations

C The need for an item is entered into a computer system, which calculates a

production plan and sends out messages to the different stations on what to

produce, and when

D A workstation may trigger a song to play when an item is needed, thus

informing the manager, that he/she needs an item

A. Correct. The original use of Kanban implies sending a physical token or card

upstage in a process in order to signal a PULL for a certain product or service. The

token or card would most often include information on what quantity is actually needed

and precisely when it is needed. Therefore answer A is correct.

B. Incorrect. A person trying to overview the need for products or services in a process

would not be considered pull as his/her function is not built into the process as an

automatic function.

C. Incorrect. Entering a computer system to a process to introduce pull is not likely to

produce the desired result, as the system will represent a delaying factor and as such

a hindrance for flow in the process.

D. Incorrect. Using a song to indicate a certain situations is something Toyota uses to

signal when a particular part of the line is down, and needs an engineer/manager. As a

pull signal, it would lack the information about quantity and desired time of delivery.


10 of 20

Pull systems have been implemented in software development processes in several

places.

Which are some of the reasons for implementing a pull system in a software

development process?

1) To have better visibility with what is pulled into any given release

2) To be better able to control the amount of code under development (work-in

progress). Thus controlling the cost and complexity in the process

3) To ensure visibility for everybody on what is being developed, in what quantities and

for which customer

4) To ensure that nothing is developed, without there being an actual demand for it

A 3 and 4

B 2 and 4

C 1 and 2

D All of them

A. Incorrect. Option 3 speaks about visibility, which is an important concept in Lean-It.

It is thus not a concept specific to introducing pull-systems as such.

B. Correct. Options 2 and 4 are correct because introducing a pull system (or kanban

system) in a software development process strengthens the control of how new work is

initiated – it limits it in a controlled manner so to speak.

C. Incorrect. Option 1 can be achieved in many ways, and pull systems in themselves

do not have end-product (as a release is in a software development process) planning

and scoping as part of the focus.

D. Incorrect.


11 of 20

In Lean software development, the pull-system can be implemented in the form of a

Kanban-system.

When implementing such a Kanban system, which are the key focus areas?

1) Measure and improve the cycle time (or lead time)

2) Set goals for quality and improve it

3) Limit work-in-progress

4) Ensuring that most of the employees are trained in the strategy of the department

A 1, 2 and 3

B 1, 2 and 4

C 2, 3 and 4

D All of them

A. Correct. According to David Anderson, the main focus areas when implementing

Kanban are:

- cycle time (lead time)

- quality

- limit work-in-progress

B. Incorrect.

C. Incorrect. Option 4, regarding training in the strategy of a department, would thus

not contribute to a successful implementation of Kanban as such.

D. Incorrect.


12 of 20

Which of the following descriptions BEST match the reason for using control charts in

an organization?

A With control charts management is better able to monitor and control

employees

B Control charts are created and maintained for each asset in the company to

keep track of master data, maintenance information etc.

C Control charts are used in departments to keep track of who brings cake to the

department meeting

D A control chart is used to view on a graph the level of a particular indicator over

time, to be able to identify statistical outliers, trends and deciding factors

A. Incorrect. Control charts are not intended to be a tool to monitor the performance of

individual employees as such. Control charts showing occurrences based on the

performance of individual employees may occur though, but only as a means to

identify outliers to be either improved upon or learned from.

B. Incorrect.

C. Incorrect. Control charts is not a means of carrying out asset management, or to

keep track of the cake-list in a department.

D. Correct. Control charts are a way of mapping occurrences within a particular area

on a curve to be able to identify outliers and discover trends via statistical factor

analysis. Thus option D is correct.

13 of 20

Many companies that have implemented Kaizen, have implemented it using Kaizen

boards and Kaizen meetings.

How often are these regular Kaizen meetings usually held to focus efforts on small

improvements?

A Every hour

B Every week

C Every 6 months

D Every year

A. Incorrect.

B. Correct. For those companies who have implemented Kaizen using boards and

regular meetings, it is most common to have the meetings every week. Options A, C,

and D have been defined to be so different from option B, that with all reasonable

argumentation, they cannot be defined as being the frequency most often implemented

compared to option B.

C. Incorrect.

D. Incorrect.


14 of 20

The Kaizen board meeting manager has responsibilities towards conducting the

meetings in the best way possible.

Which of the following statements is NOT part of that responsibility?

A Ensure that all participants at the meeting are heard

B Take primary responsibility for the implementation of most of the ideas

C Encourage more ideas for the board

D Keep track of the time

A. Incorrect.

B. Correct. When acting as a kaizen board manager, it is important to take on the role

as facilitator of the meeting, more than the “catch-all-person” in the group. Thus,

option B is correct, because the meeting manager is not supposed to put

himself/herself forward to take on all tasks.

C. Incorrect.

D. Incorrect.

15 of 20

When progressing from a Lean project to a Lean organization, there are several pitfalls

to be avoided, in order to have a better chance of success in the long term.

Which of the following are important factors to succeeding in the long term with Lean?

1) Making Lean part of the culture in the company

2) That benefits are actually achieved

3) Focus on continuous improvements

4) Management understanding and support

A 2 and 3

B 1, 2 and 3

C 3 and 4

D All of them

A. Incorrect.

B. Incorrect.

C. Incorrect.

D. Correct. - the more ingrained in the culture Lean is, the better success you may

have on the long term (Toyota is a perfect example of this)

- an actual effect being derived would be the basis for survival of any approach, and

thus also Lean

- not stagnating in the move towards becoming better is a critical element in retaining

momentum and gaining maximum benefit of the Lean approach. The world changes,

needs change, and as such, the value of working with Lean will slowly depreciate over

time, if continuous improvement is not part of the culture

- for anything to be a part of the long term success of any company, it is imperative that

management is involved and support the effort.


16 of 20

Which of the following situations would be considered waste in an operations process?

1) Pcs in the stock

2) Preventive maintenance on a server

3) The technician enquiring for address information from the customer

4) Completing and storing backups

A None

B 1, 2 and 3

C 1 and 3

D All of them

A. Incorrect.

B. Incorrect. Option 2 is not considered waste since timely preventive maintenance

lowers the risk of downtime of the server. Downtime of a server would most likely be

quite damaging for the customer, and is to be avoided.

C. Correct. Options 1 and 3 represent waste in an operations process because pcs in

the stock may become faulty, undesired and cost money to keep. The technician not

getting the needed information relating to a particular ticket, represents waste since

obtaining the required information will induce waiting time and potential errors in the

process.

D. Incorrect. Completing and storing backups is not waste since backup is a necessary

process. How the activities are carried out however may be wasteful.

17 of 20

Which of the following is NOT among the five Lean principles?

A Pull

B Perfection

C Optimization

D Flow

A. Incorrect.

B. Incorrect.

C. Correct.

D. Incorrect.


18 of 20

Which of the following is the CORRECT definition of a Value Stream?

A A sum-up of the entire value stock of any company

B All the activities required to bring a specific product through the critical

management tasks of any business

C The process by which a service adds value to its target customers

D A standard flow of products in a company covering both initial manufacturing

and final shipment to the customer

A. Incorrect.

B. Correct.

C. Incorrect.

D. Incorrect.

19 of 20

What would be the next step in the standardized work process?

1st Establish

2nd Communicate

3th Follow

4th ?

A Strengthen

B Inform

C Act

D Improve

A. Incorrect.

B. Incorrect.

C. Incorrect.

D. Correct.


20 of 20

Which of the following plays an important part in making value flow?

A Muri

B Poka-yoke

C Kanban

D Jidoka

A. Correct.

B. Incorrect.

C. Incorrect.

D. Incorrect.


Evaluation

The table below shows the correct answers to the questions in this sample

examination.

number answer points

1 A 1

2 C 1

3 B 1

4 A 1

5 D 1

6 C 1

7 C 1

8 A 1

9 A 1

10 B 1

11 A 1

12 D 1

13 B 1

14 B 1

15 D 1

16 C 1

17 C 1

18 B 1

19 D 1

20 A 1


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Lean IT Foundation EXIN exam 2013 20 q+a