ASQ CQE BOK

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AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR QUALITY
CERTIFIED QUALITY ENGINEER (CQE)
BODY OF KNOWLEDGE
The topics in this Body of Knowledge include additional detail in the form of subtext explanations and the cognitive level at
which the questions will be written. This information will provide useful guidance for both the Exam Development Committee and
the candidate preparing to take the exam. The subtext is not intended to limit the subject matter or be all-inclusive of what might
be covered in an exam. It is meant to clarify the type of content to be included in the exam. The descriptor in parentheses at the end
of each entry refers to the maximum cognitive level at which the topic will be tested. A more complete description of cognitive
levels is provided at the end of this document.
I. Management and Leadership in Quality Engineering (19 Questions)
A. Professional Conduct and ASQ Code of Ethics
Identify appropriate behaviors for situations requiring ethical decisions. (Evaluation)
B. Management Systems for Improving Quality
Define, select and apply elements such as policy deployment, benchmarking, goal setting, planning and
scheduling, project management, quality information systems, etc. (Analysis)
C. Leadership Principles and Techniques
Describe and apply principles and techniques for developing, building, and organizing teams, and leading quality
initiatives. (Application)
D. Facilitation Principles and Techniques
Describe facilitator roles and responsibilities in the team environment. Define and apply brainstorming, nominal
group technique (NGT), conflict resolution, etc. (Application)
E. Training
Identify training needs, describe elements of training programs and material development, and apply methods for
determining effectiveness. (Application)
F. Cost of Quality
Describe and apply cost of quality concepts, including quality cost categories, data collection, reporting, etc.
Evaluate cost of quality and interpret results. (Evaluation)
G. Quality Philosophies and Approaches (e.g., Juran, Deming, Taguchi, Ishikawa)

1. Benefits of quality

Describe the advantages of managing for quality and using quality techniques, both in theory and in practice.
(Comprehension)

1. History of quality

Describe how and why modern quality has evolved, with emphasis on the forces, significant events, and
leading contributors that have shaped quality practices.
NOTE: Specific dates will not be addressed. (Comprehension)

1. Definitions of quality

Differentiate between various definitions of quality such as fitness-for-use, the Taguchi loss function etc.
(Comprehension)
H. Customer Relations, Expectations, Needs, and Satisfaction
Define, apply and analyze the results of customer relation measures such as quality function deployment (QFD),
customer satisfaction surveys, etc. (Analysis)
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I. Supplier Relations and Management Methodologies
Define, select and apply methodologies such as qualification, certification, evaluation, ratings, performance
improvement, etc. (Analysis)
II. Quality Systems Development, Implementation, and Verification (19 Questions)
A. Elements of a Quality System
Identify and integrate the common elements such as design control, process control, quality costs, auditing, test
procedures, etc. (Synthesis)
B. Documentation Systems
Identify, define and apply the elements of a documentation system such as configuration management, document
control, etc. (Application)
C. Domestic and International Standards and Specifications
Identify the content and applicability of ASQ and ISO quality standards. NOTE: Industry-specific standards will
not be included. (Comprehension)
D. Quality Audits

1. Types and purpose of quality audits

Identify and apply the concepts and techniques of various types of quality audits such as product, process,
system, registration, certification, management, compliance, 1st, 2nd, 3rd-party, etc. (Application)

1. Roles and responsibilities of individuals involved in the audit process

Identify and define roles and responsibilities for audit participants such as audit team, client, auditee, etc.
(Comprehension)

1. Quality audit planning, preparation, and execution

Identify, describe and apply the steps of planning, preparation, and execution of a quality audit. (Application)

1. Audit reporting and follow up

Identify, describe and apply the steps of audit reporting and follow-up, including the need for and verification
of audit corrective action, etc. (Application)
III. Planning, Controlling, and Assuring Product and Process Quality
(33 Questions)
A. Processes for Planning Product and Service Development

1. Classification of quality characteristics

Identify, define and classify quality characteristics, including seriousness classification of defects.
(Application)

1. Design inputs and design review

Identify sources of design input such as customer needs, regulatory requirements, etc. Identify and apply
common elements of the design review process, including roles and responsibilities of participants.
(Application)

1. Validation and qualification methods

Identify and describe how validation and qualification methods are used for process, product, and service
designs. (Application)
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1. Interpretation of technical drawings and specifications

Interpret basic technical drawings including characteristics such as views, title blocks, dimensioning,
tolerancing, GD&T symbols, etc. Interpret specification requirements in relation to product and process
characteristics. (Application)

1. Determining product and process control methods

Identify and apply methods such as job instructions, process control points, etc. (Application)
B. Material Control

1. Material identification, status, and traceability

Describe and apply these methods. NOTE: Product recall procedures will not be included. (Application)

1. Sample integrity

Describe the importance of establishing and maintaining sample integrity and select the appropriate
techniques for avoiding contamination, misidentification, etc. (Application)

1. Material segregation

Describe the importance of and apply methods for material segregation. (Application)

1. Material Review Board (MRB)

Describe the purpose and function of an MRB, including appropriate disposition decisions. (Analysis)
C. Acceptance Sampling

1. General concepts

Use, interpret and apply lot-by-lot protection, average quality protection, producer’s and consumer’s risk,
operating characteristic (OC) curves, attributes and variables sampling plans, etc. (Application)

1. Definitions of AQL, LTPD, AOQ, AOQL

Interpret and describe these terms. (Comprehension)

1. ANSI/ASQC Z1.4, ANSI/ASQC Z1.9 Standards

Use, interpret and apply these standards. (Analysis)

1. Acceptance sampling plans

Use, interpret and apply single, double, multiple, sequential, and continuous sampling, including Dodge-
Romig. (Analysis)
D. Measurement Systems

1. Terms and definitions

Interpret and describe precision, accuracy, metrology, etc. (Comprehension)

1. Destructive and non-destructive measurement and test methods

Distinguish between these methods and apply them appropriately. (Analysis)

1. Selection of measurement tools, gages, and instruments

Select and describe appropriate uses of inspection tools such as gage blocks, calipers, micrometers, optical
comparators, etc. (Application)

1. Measurement system analysis

Calculate, analyze, and interpret repeatability and reproducibility, measurement correlation, capability, bias,
linearity, etc., including both conventional and control chart methods. (Analysis)
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1. Metrology

Interpret, describe and evaluate traceability to calibration standards, measurement error, calibration systems,
control and integrity of standards and measurement devices. (Evaluation)
IV. Reliability and Risk Management (11 Questions)
A. Terms and Definitions
Identify and define basic reliability measures and terms such as MTTF, MTBF, MTTR, availability, failure rate,
etc. (Comprehension)
B. Reliability Life Characteristic Concepts
Identify and interpret elements of reliability life characteristics of the bathtub curve. (Comprehension)
C. Design of Systems for Reliability
Compute and evaluate reliability for redundant, series, and parallel systems. (Evaluation)
D. Reliability and Maintainability

1. Prediction

Compute, classify and apply reliability and maintainability characteristics
such as, MTTF, MTBF, MTTR, availability, failure rate, etc. (Application)

1. Prevention

Identify and apply methods to maintain and improve process and product reliability. (Application)

1. Maintenance scheduling

Identify, classify and describe methods of predictive and preventive maintenance. (Application)
E. Reliability Failure Analysis and Reporting
Analyze reliability failure information and evaluate possible actions to improve or correct performance.
(Evaluation)
F. Reliability / Safety / Hazard Assessment Tools

1. Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA)

Define, construct and interpret FMEAs. (Application)

1. Failure mode and effects criticality analysis (FMECA)

Define, construct and interpret FMECAs. (Application)

1. Fault-tree analysis (FTA)

Define, construct and interpret FTAs. (Application)
V. Problem Solving and Quality Improvement (25 Questions)
A. Approaches
Describe and classify the implementation steps of quality improvement models such as Kaizen, PDSA, continuous
improvement, etc. (Application)
B. Management and Planning Tools
Select, construct, apply and interpret affinity diagrams, tree diagrams, process decision program charts, matrix
diagrams, interrelationship digraphs, prioritization matrices, and activity network diagrams. (Analysis)