Certified Production & Operations Manager (POM) Practice Exam

A chart showing the number of occurrences by category would be used in:

1. Case-and-effect diagrams

2. Quality function deployment

3. Interviewing

4. Pareto analysis

The correct answer is: Pareto analysis

A chart showing the number of occurrences by category is fundamentally aligned with the principles of Pareto analysis. This analytical tool is based on the Pareto principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, which states that a significant portion of problems often stems from a relatively small number of causes. In Pareto analysis, data is organized into categories to identify which issues are most impactful, allowing managers and decision-makers to focus their efforts on the areas that will yield the greatest results. By visually representing occurrences in a bar chart or similar format, it becomes easier to see which categories contribute the most to a problem or issue, leading to prioritized actions. In contrast to other options, such as case-and-effect diagrams, which illustrate the relationships between causes and effects; quality function deployment, which focuses on translating customer needs into design requirements; and interviewing, which is a qualitative data collection method, these do not primarily rely on categorization for numerical representation of occurrences. Thus, the use of a chart to show occurrences by category is most characteristic of Pareto analysis.