5 whys problem solving model

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Root Cause Analysis with 5 Whys Technique (With Examples)

By Sebastian Traeger

Updated: April 23, 2024

Reading Time: 7 minutes

What Is the 5 Whys Technique?

Example of the 5 whys technique, how to conduct a 5 whys analysis in 5 steps, when to use a 5 whys analysis, using 5 whys template, tips for mastering the 5 whys technique, frequently asked questions about 5 whys.

With over two decades in business – spanning strategy consulting, tech startups and executive leadership – I am committed to helping your organization thrive.

At Reliability, we’re on a mission to help enhance strategic decision-making and operational excellence through the power of Root Cause Analysis, and I hope this article will be helpful!

Our goal is to help you better understand 5 whys techniques by offering insights and practical tips based on years of experience. Whether you’re new to doing RCAs or a seasoned pro, we trust this will be useful in your journey towards working hard and working smart.

The 5 Whys Technique is like peeling an onion – it helps you uncover the underlying reasons behind a problem, layer by layer. By repeatedly asking “why” at least five times, this method digs deep to reveal the root cause of an issue. It’s a simple yet powerful problem-solving approach that aims to get to the heart of the matter rather than just addressing surface-level symptoms.

5 Whys Technique: A method that involves iteratively asking “why” five times to unveil the fundamental cause of a problem.

In essence, the 5 Whys Technique is not just about fixing what’s broken on the surface; it’s about understanding and addressing the deeper issues that lead to problems in the first place.

The 5 Whys Technique is like a detective, uncovering the truth behind recurring problems. Let’s take a look at how this method works in two different scenarios.

Case Study: Manufacturing Defects

Imagine a company that keeps encountering the same manufacturing defects despite various attempts to fix them. By using the 5 Whys Technique, they discovered that the defects were not caused by faulty machinery, as previously assumed, but rather by human error due to unclear operating instructions. This realization led to improved training procedures and clear work guidelines, ultimately eliminating the defects.

Application in Service Industry

Now, consider a service industry struggling with frequent customer complaints and service failures. Through the 5 Whys Technique, it was revealed that these issues stemmed from inadequate staffing levels during peak hours. By addressing this root cause, such as hiring additional staff or adjusting schedules, the service quality can significantly improve, leading to higher customer satisfaction.

These examples illustrate how the 5 Whys Technique can be applied across different sectors to identify and address underlying issues effectively.

Step 1: Identify the Problem

Before diving into a 5 Whys analysis, it’s crucial to clearly identify the problem or issue at hand . This step sets the stage for the entire process and ensures that the focus remains on addressing the right concern. Take the time to gather relevant data, observe patterns, and consult with team members or stakeholders to gain a comprehensive understanding of the problem.

Step 2: Ask ‘Why’ Five Times

Once the problem is clearly defined, it’s time to start peeling back the layers. The process involves asking “why” five times, not necessarily limited to five questions but enough to delve deeper into the underlying causes of the problem . Each “why” serves as a gateway to uncovering additional factors contributing to the issue. This iterative approach helps in identifying not just one cause, but multiple interconnected elements that may be at play.

By consistently probing deeper with each “why,” you can reveal hidden complexities and nuances that may have been overlooked initially. This method allows for a more thorough understanding of the situation, paving the way for effective solutions that address root causes rather than surface-level symptoms.

This structured approach encourages critical thinking and enables teams to move beyond quick fixes towards sustainable improvements.

The 5 Whys Technique is a versatile problem-solving approach that can be applied in various scenarios to uncover root causes and drive continuous improvement. Here are two key situations where the 5 Whys Analysis can be particularly beneficial:

Recurring Issues

The 5 Whys Technique is especially useful when dealing with recurring issues. Whether it’s a manufacturing defect that keeps resurfacing or a persistent customer complaint in the service industry, this method helps identify the underlying reasons behind these repetitive problems. By repeatedly asking “why,” it becomes possible to trace the issue back to its root cause, allowing for targeted solutions that prevent reoccurrence.

Process Improvement

Organizations constantly strive to enhance their processes and workflows for increased efficiency and quality. When seeking to improve existing procedures, the 5 Whys Technique serves as a valuable tool. By systematically analyzing the factors contributing to inefficiencies or bottlenecks, teams can gain insights into how processes can be optimized at their core. This method enables organizations to make informed decisions about process improvements based on a deep understanding of the underlying issues.

In both cases, the 5 Whys Analysis offers a structured yet flexible approach to delve into complex problems, making it an indispensable tool for driving meaningful change and progress within organizations.

When it comes to conducting a 5 Whys analysis, utilizing a structured template can greatly facilitate the process and ensure a comprehensive investigation into the root cause identification. Using RCA software such as EasyRCA can benefit the team by streamlining your 5-why process. Here’s how organizations can benefit from using a template:

Screenshot of 5 Why Root Cause Analysis Software - EasyRCA 5 Why Template

Benefits of Using a Template

Streamlined Process: A well-designed 5 Whys template provides a clear framework for conducting the analysis, guiding teams through the iterative questioning process. This streamlines the investigation, making it easier to navigate and ensuring that no crucial aspects are overlooked.
Thorough Investigation: By following a predefined template, teams are prompted to explore various facets of the problem systematically. This ensures that all relevant factors are considered, leading to a more thorough and insightful investigation into the underlying causes.
Consistent Approach: Templates offer a standardized approach to conducting 5 Whys analyses within an organization. This consistency promotes uniformity in problem-solving methods across different teams or departments, enhancing overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Customizing the Template

Organizations have the flexibility to customize 5 Whys templates according to their specific needs and industry requirements. This adaptability allows for tailoring the template to address unique challenges and incorporate industry-specific considerations. Customization may include:

Adding Industry-Specific Prompts: Tailoring the template by incorporating prompts or questions relevant to particular industries or types of issues being analyzed.
Incorporating Visual Aids: Enhancing the template with visual aids such as flow charts or diagrams can help teams better understand and communicate complex causal relationships.
Iterative Refinement: Regularly reviewing and refining the template based on feedback and evolving organizational needs ensures that it remains aligned with current processes and challenges.

Customizing the template empowers organizations to harness the full potential of the 5 Whys Technique in addressing diverse problems while aligning with their unique operational contexts.

Encouraging Open Communication

In mastering the 5 Whys Technique as a problem-solving method, creating an environment that fosters open communication is paramount. When team members feel comfortable expressing their perspectives and insights, it leads to a more comprehensive exploration of the underlying causes of a problem. Encouraging open communication allows for diverse viewpoints to be considered, providing a holistic understanding of the issue at hand.

By promoting an atmosphere where individuals are empowered to voice their observations and concerns, the 5 Whys analysis can benefit from a rich tapestry of ideas and experiences. This inclusive approach not only enhances the depth of the analysis but also cultivates a sense of ownership and collective responsibility for addressing root causes within the team or organization.

Continuous Improvement Mindset

A key aspect of mastering the 5 Whys Technique is embracing a continuous improvement mindset. Rather than viewing problems as isolated incidents, this approach encourages teams to see them as opportunities for growth and development. By instilling a culture of continuous improvement, organizations can leverage the insights gained from 5 Whys analyzes to drive positive change across various aspects of their operations.

Fostering a mindset focused on continuous improvement entails actively seeking feedback, evaluating processes, and implementing iterative enhancements based on the findings. It involves an ongoing commitment to learning from past experiences and leveraging that knowledge to proactively address potential issues before they escalate. Embracing this mindset ensures that the 5 Whys Technique becomes ingrained in the organizational ethos, leading to sustained progress and resilience in problem-solving efforts.

As we wrap up our exploration of the 5 Whys Technique, let’s address some common questions that may arise regarding this powerful problem-solving method.

What is the primary goal of the 5 Whys Technique?

The primary goal of the 5 Whys Technique is to uncover the root cause of a problem by iteratively asking “why” at least five times. This approach aims to move beyond surface-level symptoms and address the underlying issues that lead to recurring problems.

Is the 5 Whys Technique limited to specific industries or sectors?

No, the 5 Whys Technique is versatile and can be applied across various industries and sectors. Whether it’s manufacturing, healthcare, service, or technology, this method offers a structured yet flexible approach to identifying root causes and driving continuous improvement.

How does the 5 Whys Technique contribute to continuous improvement?

By delving into the fundamental reasons behind problems, the 5 Whys Technique provides organizations with valuable insights for driving continuous improvement. It not only helps in resolving immediate issues but also fosters a culture of ongoing enhancement and development within an organization.

Can the 5 Whys Technique be used for complex problems with multiple contributing factors?

Yes, while initially designed as a simple and straightforward method, the 5 Whys Technique can certainly be applied to complex problems with multiple interconnected factors. By systematically probing deeper into each layer of causality, this technique enables a comprehensive understanding of intricate issues.

I hope you found this guide to 5 whys technique insightful and actionable! Stay tuned for more thought-provoking articles as we continue to share our knowledge. Success is rooted in a thorough understanding and consistent application, and we hope this article was a step in unlocking the full potential of Root Cause Analysis for your organization.

Reliability runs initiatives such as an online learning center focused on the proprietary PROACT® RCA methodology and EasyRCA.com software. For additional resources, visit Reliability Resources .

Root Cause Analysis /

The 5 Whys Process We Use to Understand the Root of Any Problem

Former Director of People @ Buffer

Sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Tools break, wires get crossed, the best-laid plans fall apart.

And on those occasions, it helps to know exactly what happened—so it doesn’t happen again.

Moments like these are when we at Buffer turn to a simple but remarkably effective process: The 5 Whys.

It’s just as it sounds: A discussion of the unexpected event or challenge that follows one train of thought to its logical conclusion by asking “Why?” five times to get to the root of what happened.

But it’s also a lot deeper than that, too. Let’s take a look at the origin and history of this unique process, and I’ll tell you a bit about how it works for us on our remote team at Buffer—and how it could work for you, too.

The origin of the 5 Whys

The 5 Whys technique was developed and fine-tuned within the Toyota Motor Corporation as a critical component of its problem-solving training.

Taiichi Ohno, the architect of the Toyota Production System in the 1950s, describes the method in his book Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production as “the basis of Toyota’s scientific approach . . . by repeating why five times, the nature of the problem as well as its solution becomes clear.”

Ohno encouraged his team to dig into each problem that arose until they found the root cause. “Observe the production floor without preconceptions,” he would advise. “Ask ‘why’ five times about every matter.”

Here’s an example Toyota offers of a potential 5 Whys that might be used at one of their plants.

Today, the method is used far beyond Toyota, and it’s particularly popular in the world of lean development. A lot of what we know at Buffer in implementing the 5 Whys has come from The Lean Startup ‘s Eric Ries, who does an amazing job describing the 5 Why’s in these two posts.

How the 5 Whys process works

At our startup, we perform a “5 Whys” after something unexpected has occurred—and that means we perform them a lot! We keep a “5 Whys” folder in our team’s Dropbox Paper account, and the folder has 20+ notes files and counting (not to mention the 5 Whys docs that might not be categorized into the folder). ‘Fires’ of various sizes are inevitable—and probably the only constant in the life of a startup.

We’ve held these discussions in every facet of Buffer, from engineering to happiness to marketing and more, and the same process holds true no matter whether the problem is technical or more human-based. Here’s how Eric Ries explains:

“Five Whys involves holding meetings immediately following the resolution of problems the company is facing. These problems can be anything: development mistakes, site outages, marketing program failures, or even internal missed schedules. Any time something unexpected happens, we could do some root cause analysis.”

It’s important to note that the purpose of the 5 whys isn’t to place blame , but rather to uncover the root cause of why something unexpected occurred. Additionally, it helps a team create small, incremental steps so that the same issue doesn’t happen again (to anyone).

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At Buffer, the habit of conducting 5 Whys originated from the engineering team. Here’s how our former CTO Sunil Sadasivan describes the changes that have resulted from making these a routine part of how we operate:

“What I really like about this is that it lets us worry about issues when they happen, and it helps us work towards ensuring they won’t happen again. At the same time, it lets us not have to worry about issues that haven’t happened. I now trust if something comes up that we didn’t foresee, we’ll conduct a 5 whys and learn from it. We let the 5 whys dictate what documentation we need in place or adjustments to make in our on-boarding process.”

Want to try it for yourself?

The 5 main steps to the the 5 Whys

Step 1: Invite anyone affected by the issue

As soon as the problem or situation is identified (and all immediate concerns are dealt with), invite anyone at all on the team who was affected or noticed the issue to be involved in a 5 Whys meeting. As a remote team , we hold ours via Zoom.

Step 2: Select a 5 Whys master for the meeting

The 5 Whys master will lead the discussion, ask the 5 whys, and assign responsibility for the solutions the group comes up with. The rest of those involved will answer those questions and discuss.

In our experience, anyone can be a 5 Whys master — there are no special qualifications, and it doesn’t have to be the leader of the project or the originator of the issue. We’ve also found that it’s a good idea for the 5 Whys master to take notes for the meeting, unless he or she would like to assign someone else to this.

Step 3: Ask “why” five times

Dig at least five levels deep into the issue with five levels of “whys.” This seems like the simplest part but can in fact get a bit tricky! Getting the right question to start with, the first why, seems to be the key.

When we conduct our 5 Whys, it can feel natural and almost beneficial to go down all potential paths and be really comprehensive. However, this can widen the scope of how much learning and corrective actions need to occur. This is meant to be a ‘lean’ process in which picking one path allows us to perform just the amount of corrective actions needed to solve a problem.

We often have to tell ourselves we just need to pick one and go with it. If the same problem seems to occur again, then we can do another choosing the other route.

Together, we work through each of those five whys and discover actionable steps that have been or will be taken.

Step 4: Assign responsibility for solutions

At the end of the exercise, we go through each why question-and-answer pairing and come up with five related “corrective actions” that we all agree on. The master assigns responsibility for the solutions to various participants in the discussion.

Step 5: Email the whole team the results

After each 5 Whys process, someone involved in the meeting will write down what was discussed in the clearest, plainest language as possible. Then we add it to a Paper folder and—in one of the most important steps of the whole process—email the whole team with the results.

This makes sense to do, and not just for a company like Buffer that focuses on transparency. It’s super useful for everyone on your team to stay in the loop and understand any steps you’re taking as the result of a 5 Whys.

Eric Ries explains why the email is so important:

The advantage of sharing this information widely is that it gives everyone insight into the kinds of problems the team is facing, but also insight into how those problems are being tackled. And if the analysis is airtight, it makes it pretty easy for everyone to understand why the team is taking some time out to invest in problem prevention instead of new features. If, on the other hand, it ignites a firestorm – that’s good news too. Now you know you have a problem: either the analysis is not airtight, and you need to do it over again, or your company doesn’t understand why what you’re doing is important. Figure out which of these situations you’re in, and fix it.

Put it all together and the process looks like this:

Some real-life 5 Whys examples

To take the 5 Whys from theoretical to actual, here’s a look at a few moments in Buffer’s history that have called for a 5 Whys meeting.

In early 2014, we had a brief systemwide outage. Here’s a look at the 5 Whys the team conducted:

And the corrective actions that resulted:

Here’s an example from the customer happiness world. One of our Happiness Heroes wanted to understand how he might have handled a customer’s problem better, so he performed a modified 5 Whys as a reflection and shared it with the team.

I have learned so much from viewing these examples and being part of 5 Whys processes. It’s been great to develop a habit of reflecting anytime something unexpected happens and taking incremental steps so that we change what happens the next time around.

The 5 Whys in daily life

Although the 5 Whys is most widely used for manufacturing/development use, I’ve found that it is also quite applicable to daily life in any situation where one might seek deeper understanding—of a problem, a challenge or even a motivation behind an action.

This quick graphic from Start of Happiness provides a great example:

Ever since learning about the 5 Whys, I find myself asking “why?” a lot more often.

Over to you

What sort of process do you use to get to the root of unexpected situations or challenges in your work or life? Have you ever tried the 5 Whys?

I’d love to hear your insights in the comments!

P.S. If you liked this post, you might enjoy our Open blog newsletter . Receive each new post delivered right to your inbox! Sign up here .

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Getting to the Root of a Problem Quickly

Have you ever had a problem that refused to go away? No matter what you did, sooner or later it would return, perhaps in another form.

Stubborn or recurrent problems are often symptoms of deeper issues. "Quick fixes" may seem convenient, but they often solve only the surface issues and waste resources that could otherwise be used to tackle the real cause.

In this article and in the video, below, we look at the 5 Whys technique (sometimes known as 5Y). This is a simple but powerful tool for cutting quickly through the outward symptoms of a problem to reveal its underlying causes, so that you can deal with it once and for all.

Click here to view a transcript of this video.

Origins of the 5 Whys Technique

Sakichi Toyoda, the Japanese industrialist, inventor, and founder of Toyota Industries, developed the 5 Whys technique in the 1930s. It became popular in the 1970s, and Toyota still uses it to solve problems today.

Toyota has a "go and see" philosophy. This means that its decision making is based on an in-depth understanding of what's actually happening on the shop floor , rather than on what someone in a boardroom thinks might be happening.

The 5 Whys technique is true to this tradition, and it is most effective when the answers come from people who have hands-on experience of the process or problem in question.

The method is remarkably simple: when a problem occurs, you drill down to its root cause by asking "Why?" five times. Then, when a counter-measure becomes apparent, you follow it through to prevent the issue from recurring.

The 5 Whys uses "counter-measures," rather than "solutions." A counter-measure is an action or set of actions that seeks to prevent the problem from arising again, while a solution may just seek to deal with the symptom. As such, counter-measures are more robust, and will more likely prevent the problem from recurring.

When to Use a 5 Whys Analysis

You can use 5 Whys for troubleshooting, quality improvement, and problem solving, but it is most effective when used to resolve simple or moderately difficult problems.

It may not be suitable if you need to tackle a complex or critical problem. This is because 5 Whys can lead you to pursue a single track, or a limited number of tracks, of inquiry when, in fact, there could be multiple causes. In cases like these, a wider-ranging method such as Cause and Effect Analysis or Failure Mode and Effects Analysis may be more effective.

This simple technique, however, can often direct you quickly to the root cause of a problem. So, whenever a system or process isn't working properly, give it a try before you embark on a more in-depth approach – and certainly before you attempt to develop a solution.

The tool's simplicity gives it great flexibility, too, and 5 Whys combines well with other methods and techniques, such as Root Cause Analysis . It is often associated with Lean Manufacturing , where it is used to identify and eliminate wasteful practices. It is also used in the analysis phase of the Six Sigma quality improvement methodology.

How to Use the 5 Whys

The model follows a very simple seven-step process:

1. Assemble a Team

Gather together people who are familiar with the specifics of the problem, and with the process that you're trying to fix. Include someone to act as a facilitator , who can keep the team focused on identifying effective counter-measures.

2. Define the Problem

If you can, observe the problem in action. Discuss it with your team and write a brief, clear problem statement that you all agree on. For example, "Team A isn't meeting its response time targets" or "Software release B resulted in too many rollback failures."

Then, write your statement on a whiteboard or sticky note, leaving enough space around it to add your answers to the repeated question, "Why?"

3. Ask the First "Why?"

Ask your team why the problem is occurring. (For example, "Why isn't Team A meeting its response time targets?")

Asking "Why?" sounds simple, but answering it requires serious thought. Search for answers that are grounded in fact: they must be accounts of things that have actually happened, not guesses at what might have happened.

This prevents 5 Whys from becoming just a process of deductive reasoning, which can generate a large number of possible causes and, sometimes, create more confusion as you chase down hypothetical problems.

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Your team members may come up with one obvious reason why, or several plausible ones. Record their answers as succinct phrases, rather than as single words or lengthy statements, and write them below (or beside) your problem statement. For example, saying "volume of calls is too high" is better than a vague "overloaded."

4. Ask "Why?" Four More Times

For each of the answers that you generated in Step 3, ask four further "whys" in succession. Each time, frame the question in response to the answer you've just recorded.

Try to move quickly from one question to the next, so that you have the full picture before you jump to any conclusions.

The diagram, below, shows an example of 5 Whys in action, following a single lane of inquiry.

Figure 1: 5 Whys Example (Single Lane)

The 5 Whys method also allows you to follow multiple lanes of inquiry. An example of this is shown in Figure 2, below.

In our example, asking "Why was the delivery late?" produces a second answer (Reason 2). Asking "Why?" for that answer reveals a single reason (Reason 1), which you can address with a counter-measure.

Similarly, asking "Why did the job take longer than expected?" has a second answer (Reason 2), and asking "Why?" at this point reveals a single reason (Reason 1). Another "Why?" here identifies two possibilities (Reasons 1 and 2) before a possible counter-measure becomes evident.

There is also a second reason for "Why we ran out of printer ink" (Reason 2), and a single answer for the next "Why?" (Reason 1), which can then be addressed with a counter-measure.

Figure 2: 5 Whys Example (Multiple Lanes)

Step 5. Know When to Stop

You'll know that you've revealed the root cause of the problem when asking "why" produces no more useful responses, and you can go no further. An appropriate counter-measure or process change should then become evident. (As we said earlier, if you're not sure that you've uncovered the real root cause, consider using a more in-depth problem-solving technique like Cause and Effect Analysis , Root Cause Analysis , or FMEA .)

If you identified more than one reason in Step 3, repeat this process for each of the different branches of your analysis until you reach a root cause for each one.

The "5" in 5 Whys is really just a " rule of thumb ." In some cases, you may need to ask "Why?" a few more times before you get to the root of the problem.

In other cases, you may reach this point before you ask your fifth "Why?" If you do, make sure that you haven't stopped too soon, and that you're not simply accepting "knee-jerk" responses.

The important point is to stop asking "Why?" when you stop producing useful responses.

As you work through your chain of questions, you may find that someone has failed to take a necessary action. The great thing about 5 Whys is that it prompts you to go further than just assigning blame , and to ask why that happened. This often points to organizational issues or areas where processes need to be improved.

6. Address the Root Cause(s)

Now that you've identified at least one root cause, you need to discuss and agree on the counter-measures that will prevent the problem from recurring.

7. Monitor Your Measures

Keep a close watch on how effectively your counter-measures eliminate or minimize the initial problem. You may need to amend them, or replace them entirely. If this happens, it's a good idea to repeat the 5 Whys process to ensure that you've identified the correct root cause.

Appreciation

A similar question-based approach known as "appreciation" can help you to uncover factors in a situation that you might otherwise miss.

It was originally developed by the military to assist commanders in gaining a comprehensive understanding of any fact, problem or situation. But you can also apply it in the workplace.

Starting with a fact, you first ask the question, "So what?" – in other words, what are the implications of that fact? Why is this fact important?

You then continue asking that question until you've drawn all possible conclusions from it.

The major difference between this and the 5 Whys technique is that appreciation is often used to get the most information out of a simple fact or statement, while 5 Whys is designed to drill down to the root of a problem.

Bear in mind that appreciation can restrict you to one line of thinking. For instance, once you've answered your first "So what?" question, you might follow a single line of inquiry to its conclusion. To avoid this, repeat the appreciation process several times over to make sure that you've covered all bases.

The 5 Whys strategy is a simple, effective tool for uncovering the root of a problem. You can use it in troubleshooting, problem-solving, and quality-improvement initiatives.

Start with a problem and ask why it is occurring. Make sure that your answer is grounded in fact, and then ask the question again. Continue the process until you reach the root cause of the problem, and you can identify a counter-measure that will prevent it from recurring.

Bear in mind that this questioning process is best suited to simple or moderately difficult problems. Complex problems may benefit from a more detailed approach, although using 5 Whys will still give you useful insights.

Infographic

You can see our infographic on the 5 Whys method here:

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Comments (77)

Over a month ago BillT wrote Hi hunyakvera, Thanks for your observant feedback. Sakichi Toyoda died in October of 1930, and is the creator of the 5 Whys. Also, he is stated as the founder of Toyota as he challenged his son to start a business that applied the principles of Lean and the 5 Whys. His son Kiichiro first continued with the loom company, and then decided he could do the same for any company, primarily a car company that he called Toyota. BillT Mind Tools Team
Over a month ago hunyakvera wrote Hi! Great article. However Sakichi Toyoda died in the year 1930, so i don't see how he could have developed this technique in the 1930s. Either 1930 in his last year of life, or the date is wrong. Also, he wasn't the founder of Toyota. His son was. However, he was the founder of Toyoda companies, but not Toyota
Over a month ago Midgie wrote Hi MGlasscock, Welcome to the Club! Indeed this 5 Whys approach is a great technique to get to the bottom of things! It would be great to meet you so come on over to the Forums and introduce yourself. Also if you have any questions, just let us know and we will be happy to help. Midgie Mind Tools Team

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Root Cause Analysis – The 5 Whys Technique

This elementary and often effective approach to problem-solving promotes deep thinking through questioning, and can be adapted quickly and applied to most problems. For example, asking “Why?” may be a favorite technique of your three-year-old child in driving you crazy, but it could teach you a valuable problem-solving technique.

“If you don’t ask the right questions, you don’t get the right answers. A question asked in the right way often points to its answer. Asking questions is the ABC of diagnosis. Only the inquiring mind solves problems.” – Edward Hodnett

The “5 Whys” is a simple problem-solving technique that helps you to get to the root of a problem quickly, which was originally developed by Sakichi Toyota. It was used within the Toyota Motor Corporation during the evolution of its manufacturing methodologies. It is a critical component of problem-solving training, delivered as part of the induction into the Toyota Production System.

How to Conduct 5 Whys Analysis?

When you’re looking to solve a problem, start at the result and work backward (toward the root cause), continually asking: “Why?” You’ll need to repeat this over and over until the root cause of the problem becomes apparent.

The 5 Whys strategy involves looking at any problem and asking: “Why?” and “What caused this problem?” Very often, the answer to the first “why” will prompt another “why” and the answer to the second “why” will prompt another and so on; hence the name the 5 Whys strategy.

The 5 Whys exercise is vastly improved when applied by a team and there are five basic steps to conducting it:

Write down the specific problem. Writing the issue helps you formalize the problem and describe it completely. It also helps a team focus on the same problem.
Ask “Why” the problem happens and write the answer down below the problem.
If the answer you just provided doesn’t identify the root cause of the problem that you wrote down in Step 1, ask “Why” again and write that answer down.
Loopback to step 3 until the team is in agreement that the problem’s root cause is identified. Again, this may take fewer or more times than five Whys.
After settling on the most probable root cause of the problem and obtaining confirmation of the logic behind the analysis, develop appropriate corrective actions to remove the root cause from the system.

Edit this Diagram

5 Whys Example

The vehicle will not start. (The problem)

Why? – The battery is dead. (First why)
Why? – The alternator is not functioning. (Second why)
Why? – The alternator belt has broken. (Third why)
Why? – The alternator belt was well beyond its useful service life and not replaced. (Fourth why)
Why? – The vehicle was not maintained according to the recommended service schedule. (Fifth why, a root cause)

Note: A 5 Whys analysis sometime could be taken further to a sixth, seventh, or higher level, but five iterations of asking why are generally sufficient to get to a root cause.

5-Whys Criticisms

Here are each of the criticisms as listed on the Wikipedia:

Stopping at symptoms, not the root cause
Limited by the investigator’s knowledge.
Not asking the right Why questions.
Not repeatable – Different people build different 5 Whys.
The tendency to isolate a single root cause

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5 Whys: Examples, explanations, and how to find the causes of problems

At some point, we’ve all experienced a problem with a process or strategy at work. But figuring out why the problem exists can be a daunting task. When you sit your teammates down for a discussion, emotions run high and miscommunication is common.

The 5 Whys is a powerful, easy-to-use technique for getting at the root of a problem. It empowers you and your team to understand why a problem persists and to decide on a path forward.

What is the 5 Whys framework?

The 5 Whys is a popular problem-solving method that individuals and teams use to understand the potential causes of a specific issue. Years ago, Toyota developed the approach to help them get at the heart of complex mechanical issues, so you know it’s legitimate! The technique is easy to use: you ask why a problem happened, and then you ask four more times. By asking “why” on a step-by-step basis, you can get to the root cause of a defect, failure, challenge, or malfunction.

When and Why the 5 Whys Analysis is Used

The 5 Whys framework is useful in a variety of situations. People love it because it helps you have a focused discussion and avoid getting distracted by other topics. You just start with a problem statement, ask why the problem exists, and keep moving through the exercise until you’ve uncovered the problem.

Here are some scenarios where you might find the 5 Whys approach to be useful.

Working on complex products

Remember, the 5 Whys technique was originally developed by Toyota. The car manufacturer needed a clear-cut way of dealing with a product that has thousands of parts. But that doesn’t mean the technique only works for large physical goods. Many organizations use the 5 Whys approach when software malfunctions, when a key deliverable with many moving parts doesn’t work properly, or when a multi-step process breaks down.

Solving complex problems

When a problem is so complex that engineers, designers, or decision-makers are scratching their heads, the 5 Whys approach may serve you well. Maybe your complicated marketing strategy didn’t hit your targets, or an important API isn’t working. Instead of getting overwhelmed, the 5 Whys framework helps you wrap your head around the problem.

Dealing with consistent problems

Maybe the problem doesn’t seem complex, but it keeps coming up. Or maybe you’ve tried multiple solutions and none seem to work. Rather than burning precious time and money on yet another risky bandaid, try the 5 Whys to finally discover what’s going on.

How to conduct a 5 Whys analysis in 6 steps

One of the great things about the 5 Whys framework is that it’s easy to understand. Unlike many other problem-solving techniques, which can be difficult to grasp, you can explain the 5 Whys to your team in minutes. Follow these guidelines any time you need to use the approach.

Step 1 – Form your problem statement.

Start by asking your team what problem you’re about to analyze. Everyone should get a chance to articulate the problem so you’re all on the same page. Sometimes, you might find yourself using the 5 Whys approach to uncover the root of a difficult or charged obstacle. If that’s the case, give your team the time and space to be honest with each other and to have difficult conversations. Write down the problem statement for everyone to reference.

Step 2 – Ask “why has this happened?” 5 times.

Don’t be too literal with it. Feel free to amend the “why” statement to something like “Why does this keep happening?” or “Why are we having this problem?” Keep going until you’ve asked “why” five or more times. It might feel unnatural, but eventually, you’ll push through any awkwardness to uncover the root of the problem.

Step 3 – Jot down logical causes.

Okay, now you have a pretty good handle on your problem. Write down any logical causes that have followed from your 5 Whys analysis. Regardless of whether those causes came from your first “why” or your fifth, make a detailed note of them. Discuss the causes with your team and make sure you’re all agreed.

Step 4 – Hypothesize an answer.

Now that you have your logical cause, it’s time to come up with some potential solutions. At this stage, you’re just having a conversation. You don’t need to come up with the perfect solution in this meeting. Have everyone go around the room and say (or write down) a possible solution. Ask everyone to vote on the most actionable one.

Step 5 – Test your hypothesis.

Put your solution to the test with some experiments. If you’ve decided that a marketing campaign failed because you didn’t choose the correct target audience, then maybe you can come up with some A/B tests to vet possible solutions. Aim for low-stakes tests that you can use to draw meaningful conclusions.

Step 6 – Repeat until solved.

Iterate until you’ve solved the problem! Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t happen right away. Sometimes, it might take multiple rounds of “whys” followed by many rounds of testing to uncover a solution. Keep an open line of communication among your teammates and don’t give up.

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A simple 5 Whys example

The 5 Whys is an adaptable, easy-to-use framework for uncovering the root of a problem. Organizations and teams of all sizes use the framework to overcome complex, high-stakes challenges. Here’s a quick example to help you bring this method of analysis to your own team.

Let’s say your team has been working on an app for many months. You rolled out a beta version late last quarter. You were supposed to ship the app to the rest of your users at the beginning of this quarter, but a problem arose: a bunch of your early users complained of a fatal error that caused the app to crash. As a result, you couldn’t ship it, and your customers were disappointed.

Step 1 — Write down your problem statement.

As we mentioned above, the first step in following the 5 Whys framework is to clearly and succinctly define what problem you’re trying to solve. The entire group should be clear about this issue. In this case, the problem statement is: your app wasn’t ready to ship to your customers.

Step 2 — Start with the broadest possible question.

Start with the broadest possible question. Then aim to answer it. Why wasn’t the app ready for your customers? It wasn’t ready because there was a bug in the code that caused it to crash.

Drill down into that question. Why was there a bug in the code that caused it to crash? There was a bug in the code because the engineers didn’t get user feedback in time to fix it.

Keep drilling down. Why didn’t the engineers get that user feedback? They didn’t get the feedback because the development team didn’t provide an easy way for users to submit their feedback.

Continue drilling down, asking more and more precise questions as you get closer to the answer. Why didn’t the development team provide an easy way for users to leave feedback? They didn’t provide an easy way for users to leave feedback because they weren’t clear on deadlines for the project.

Ask “why” at least one more time. Why wasn’t the development team clear on deadlines for the project? They weren’t clear on deadlines because they weren’t meeting with stakeholders often enough to know when the timeline changed.

Step 3 – Write down logical issues.

Now you have enough information to write down logical causes. It seems that this problem stemmed from a lack of communication between stakeholders. That caused the development team and engineering team to become misaligned.

Step 4 – Once you’re ready, you can come up with a possible solution to this problem.

Once you’re ready, you can come up with a possible solution to this problem. In the future, internal stakeholders will hold weekly check-ins to make sure they’re aligned on where the project is headed.

Step 5 – Put that hypothesis into action.

Here’s where you get to test out your hypothesis and see what effects it has. Moving forward, start holding weekly check-ins and see what happens. If miscommunication and confusion goes down, you’ll know you’re on the right track.Step 6 – Adjust your strategy, if needed

Resist the urge to consider a problem “solved” and move on immediately. It’s important to revisit how the solution is functioning in the weeks ahead, continually checking in with everyone on the team to see how they’re feeling about it. You may need to tweak your strategy over time.

How 5 Whys helped solve the problem

This example clearly showcases the power of the 5 Whys. What looked like a problem with code turned out to be a symptom of miscommunication.

Although this is just a hypothetical, we all know stuff like this happens every day. But it’s often difficult to uncover the root causes of a problem without months and months of exploration. With the 5 Whys, you can overcome costly challenges in a much shorter amount of time.

Try the 5 Whys template for free

Clearly, asking “why?” isn’t just a technique used by persistent 4-year-olds – it’s actually a quick and easy way to identify a root cause. Countless teams across different industries have had great results using this framework. Save time, collaborate with your team, and solve hard problems with Miro’s free 5 Whys template .

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5 Whys: How to Uncover Root Causes [Examples]

By Status.net Editorial Team on May 18, 2023 — 12 minutes to read

The Five Whys technique is a simple and effective tool for identifying the root cause of an issue. It involves asking “why” repeatedly (up to five times) to dig deeper into the underlying causes of a problem and to uncover the chain of events leading up to it. Developed by Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Industries, this approach has become an essential part of problem-solving and continuous improvement in various industries.

By asking “why” multiple times, the Five Whys method helps us avoid settling for surface-level explanations, which can often hide the true causes of a problem. This technique promotes a culture of curiosity and encourages teams to collaboratively explore all possible answers until the core issue becomes evident. In turn, this allows for the development of effective and targeted solutions, resulting in long-lasting improvements rather than temporary fixes.

For example, consider a scenario where the production line in a factory has slowed down significantly. By employing the Five Whys technique, the team might discover that faulty machinery is the immediate issue (first “why”). Further investigation might reveal a lack of maintenance as the cause (second “why”). After a few more iterations, the team might uncover a gap in training for maintenance workers (fifth “why”) as the root cause, which can then be addressed by implementing a comprehensive training program.

Related: Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Methods for Effective Problem Solving 3 Root Cause Analysis Templates (and Examples) Fishbone Diagram (Components, Factors, Examples)

History of Five Whys

The Five Whys technique has its roots in the Toyota Production System, developed by Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Motor Corporation. Sakichi believed that by asking “Why?” repeatedly, one could identify the core of any problem and develop effective solutions. This approach was later refined and promoted by Taiichi Ohno, known as the father of the Toyota Production System.

In its early days, the Five Whys method was adopted by Toyota to improve its manufacturing processes and eliminate waste, contributing significantly to the company’s global success. By implementing this simple yet powerful approach, Toyota was able to identify root causes of recurring issues and develop long-term, sustainable solutions.

Over time, the Five Whys technique has gained popularity beyond its use within the automotive industry. Today, it is employed in various fields and organizations as a valuable problem-solving tool. Its effectiveness stems from its simplicity, allowing individuals and teams to quickly identify, understand, and address the underlying causes of an issue, rather than merely treating the symptoms.

Here are some examples of the Five Whys in action:

Example: A production line stops unexpectedly.
Why did the line stop? The machine overheated.
Why did the machine overheat? The coolant pump failed.
Why did the coolant pump fail? It was not maintained properly.
Why was it not maintained properly? There was no scheduled maintenance plan.
Why was there no maintenance plan? The necessity of regular maintenance was not recognized.
Example: A digital marketing campaign fails to generate leads.
Why didn’t the campaign generate leads? The target audience didn’t engage with the ads.
Why didn’t the target audience engage with the ads? The ad creative was not compelling.
Why wasn’t the ad creative compelling? It didn’t resonate with the audience’s interests.
Why didn’t it resonate with the audience’s interests? Market research was not conducted.
Why wasn’t market research conducted? The project timeline was too tight.
Example: A software application experiences frequent crashes.
Why does the application crash? There are several bugs in the code.
Why are there bugs in the code? The testing process was inadequate.
Why was the testing process inadequate? The test cases were not comprehensive.
Why were the test cases not comprehensive? The testing team was understaffed.
Why was the testing team understaffed? The importance of thorough testing was not prioritized.

Understanding the Five Whys Process

Root cause analysis.

The Five Whys process is a practical approach to root cause analysis. Its primary goal is to identify the underlying cause of a problem, rather than fixing it temporarily. By asking “why” repeatedly, a team can delve deeper into the issue and assess the contributing factors. This scientific approach to problem-solving enables a team to address the root cause and prevent the problem from recurring.

The process begins by stating the problem, followed by asking “why” the problem exists. Each successive answer becomes the subject of the next “why” question until the root cause is identified. Typically, five questions are sufficient, although more or fewer may be necessary depending on the situation. The Five Whys process encourages open communication and collaboration among team members in order to effectively solve problems.

Iterative Interrogative Technique

The iterative interrogative technique in the Five Whys process promotes continuous improvement by emphasizing critical thinking. It helps team members to approach problem-solving with a clear mindset, focusing on the reasons for the problem instead of quick fixes. Continuous improvement is vital for maintaining a high level of performance in any organization.

Throughout the process, team members should be encouraged to ask questions and contribute their perspectives. This dialogue fosters a culture of learning and improvement where everyone’s input is valued. Note that it is essential to keep an open mind and focus on facts rather than assumptions when seeking the root cause of a problem.

Root cause: The organization needs to find ways to increase revenue to hire more staff and reduce wait times for customers.
Root cause: Implement a clear maintenance schedule and provide additional support for the maintenance team to prevent machine breakdowns.
Root cause: Improve project management and communication to ensure that deadlines are met.

Five Whys in Decision-Making

The Five Whys technique is a simple and effective tool in decision-making, helping identify the root causes of problems to reach a more informed decision. By asking “Why?” five times, it leads to deeper levels of understanding. This approach can enhance decision-making processes by promoting a systematic method to explore underlying issues.

Using the Five Whys technique in decision-making enables a more comprehensive analysis by encouraging reflection on multiple facets of an issue. It highlights the value of understanding the root causes before finalizing decisions, which can result in more informed and deliberate choices.

The benefits of using the Five Whys in decision-making include better allocation of resources, enhanced problem-solving skills, and more sustainable solutions to challenges. Through this method, decision-makers can effectively address recurring problems, reducing the likelihood of similar issues in the future.

Example 1: A project is continually behind schedule, which impacts profitability.

Why is the project behind schedule? The team is constantly missing deadlines.
Why is the team missing deadlines? They are struggling with workload prioritization.
Why are they struggling with workload prioritization? There is a lack of clear project milestones.
Why are there no clear project milestones? The project manager lacks experience in defining them.
Why does the project manager lack experience? They were promoted without proper training. Decision: Implement project management training for the project manager and establish clear milestones for the team to follow.

Example 2: Customer complaints have increased in recent months, affecting brand reputation.

Why have customer complaints increased? Wait times for service have increased.
Why have wait times increased? There is a shortage of staff during peak hours.
Why is there a staff shortage during peak hours? Current scheduling does not account for demand fluctuations.
Why doesn’t scheduling account for demand fluctuations? The scheduling system is outdated and inefficient.
Why is the scheduling system outdated and inefficient? There has been a lack of investment in technology. Decision: Invest in a new scheduling system to improve staff allocation during peak hours, reducing wait times and enhancing customer satisfaction.

Example 3: Product defects have led to a decline in sales and an increase in returns.

Why are there product defects? Quality control measures are insufficient.
Why are quality control measures insufficient? The current procedures are not comprehensive enough.
Why aren’t the procedures comprehensive enough? There’s no dedicated quality control team.
Why is there no dedicated quality control team? The company hasn’t prioritized quality management.
Why hasn’t the company prioritized quality management? The focus has been on cost reduction instead. Decision: Allocate resources to establish a dedicated quality control team and implement more robust procedures to address product defects and ensure customer satisfaction.

The Role of Five Whys in Process Improvement

The Five Whys technique is an essential tool for effective process improvement in various industries. Primarily used in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Kaizen methodologies, it helps to identify root causes of problems and fosters continuous and quality improvement. The purpose of Five Whys is to prevent issues from recurring and make informed decisions for sustainable enhancements in performance.

When implementing continuous improvement practices, it is crucial to understand that issues often have deeper underlying causes than what appears on the surface. The Five Whys method encourages identifying these causes through an iterative, question-based process to reveal the true origin of the problem.

A common application of Five Whys is in quality improvement initiatives, where the technique ensures that improvements focus on addressing the root cause of a defect rather than just the symptoms. This fundamental approach helps organizations eliminate waste and inefficiencies in their processes and systems.

In conclusion, here are a few examples of how the Five Whys technique can empower various process improvement methodologies:

Troubleshooting machinery issues in a manufacturing facility allows for targeting maintenance protocols, reducing downtime.
In a Six Sigma setting, applying the Five Whys method on a defective product leads to identifying actionable steps in eliminating the source of defects.
The Kaizen philosophy emphasizes identifying inefficiencies in a process. The Five Whys helps teams uncover these inefficiencies and prioritize improvements accordingly.

Criticisms and Limitations of the Five Whys

Human factor.

The Five Whys technique relies heavily on people’s ability to accurately identify root causes, which can be influenced by personal bias or lack of expertise. This may lead to incorrect conclusions and can potentially hinder problem-solving efforts. Moreover, the technique does not account for complex issues with multiple root causes or unknown factors, which may require a more comprehensive approach.

For example, in a manufacturing setting, the reason for a machine malfunction might not be immediately apparent. A human operator might mistakenly attribute the issue to a single cause, such as inadequate maintenance, while ignoring other factors, such as equipment age or external influences like temperature fluctuations.

Overemphasis on Blame

The Five Whys approach can unintentionally create a focus on blaming individuals, teams, or departments for identified issues instead of fostering a culture of continuous improvement and shared responsibility. By repeatedly asking why, team members might feel that they are being interrogated and may become defensive, affecting morale and trust .

Ishikawa Diagram

An Ishikawa Diagram is essentially another name for a Fishbone Diagram. It is so called because it was developed by Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa, who pioneered quality management processes in the Kawasaki shipyards. Just like the Fishbone Diagram, it serves as a visual representation of possible causes of a problem and categorizes them into various aspects, making it easier for the team to identify and address the root cause.

Compared to the Five Whys technique, the Ishikawa Diagram focuses on visually organizing causes, which can be particularly useful for complex problems with multiple factors. The Five Whys, while more straightforward, encourages a deeper understanding of the problem through a series of questions to uncover the root cause.

Example 1: A car manufacturing company faces frequent equipment breakdowns. An Ishikawa Diagram can categorize this issue under several factors like machinery, workforce, and maintenance, while the Five Whys could reveal that the company is not conducting regular inspections.
Example 2: A software company experiences a high rate of bugs in their projects. The Ishikawa Diagram might highlight issues related to design, coding, and testing, whereas the Five Whys can identify that the team is not using a proper defect tracking system.

Learn more: Ishikawa Diagram: Examples and Applications

Poka-Yoke is a Japanese term that translates to “mistake-proofing” or “error-proofing.” It’s a concept that focuses on preventing errors by designing processes and systems to eliminate human error or reduce its impact. Unlike the Five Whys technique, which aims to identify the root cause of a problem after it has happened, Poka-Yoke is a proactive approach to ensure that defects do not occur in the first place.

The Five Whys technique can complement Poka-Yoke by helping organizations understand how their processes have failed and subsequently implementing error-proofing measures based on the identified root causes.

Example 1: A packaging company has inconsistent sealing quality on their products. The Five Whys might reveal that the cause is the sealing machine’s varying temperatures, leading to the implementation of Poka-Yoke by installing an automatic temperature control system.
Example 2: A hospital faces cases of wrong medication being given to patients. Using the Five Whys may uncover that the issue is due to human error, leading to a Poka-Yoke solution, such as implementing barcode scanning to verify medication assignments.

Learn more: What is Poka-Yoke? (Examples, Principles, Methods)

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Guide: 5 Whys

Author: Daniel Croft

Daniel Croft is an experienced continuous improvement manager with a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a Bachelor's degree in Business Management. With more than ten years of experience applying his skills across various industries, Daniel specializes in optimizing processes and improving efficiency. His approach combines practical experience with a deep understanding of business fundamentals to drive meaningful change.

5 Whys is a problem-solving technique used to get to the root cause of problems by asking the question of Why multiple times, but often 5 times giving it the name “5 Whys”. This allows people to address the root cause of issues instead of the symptoms of the root causes which is often what is seen as the problem.

Like a doctor diagnosing an issue such as neck pain, a painkiller will only address the symptoms of the neck pain and not the root cause of the pain. By getting to the root cause you can ensure a long-term fix to the root cause of the neck pain which could be caused by seating positions and not taking painkillers which is a short-term fix.

What is the 5 Whys?

The 5 Whys is a root cause analysis problem-solving technique that aims to identify the root cause of a problem by repeatedly asking the question “Why?” five times or until the core issue is unveiled. Developed within the Toyota Production System , it’s one of fundamental tools in the Lean Six Sigma methodology.

Here’s how it works:

Begin with a clear and concise problem statement.
Ask “Why?” the problem occurred. Document the answer.
If this answer doesn’t identify the root cause, ask “Why?” again and document the subsequent answer.
Continue this process until you’ve either asked “Why?” five times or the root cause has been identified.

Lets go through an example, let’s say a machine stopped working:

Why? – The machine’s fuse blew.
Why? – The machine was overloaded.
Why? – There wasn’t adequate training on machine capacity.
Why? – Training materials were outdated.
Why? – There’s no review process for updating training materials.

In this case, the root cause is the lack of a review process for training materials, and addressing this will prevent similar issues in the future. Only treating the symptom in this situation would have been to change the fuse, for it then to regularly blow and cause additional downtime.

This is a good example where a machine stopping working’s root cause is cause by an issue what would not be obvious is first glace at the symptom of the problem and provides a clear example that root cause analysis is important to ensure that solutions are not jumped to before a through root cause analysis is conducted.

Why is the 5 Whys Important?

Understanding the 5 Whys is important because identifying symptoms of a problem is not the same as uncovering its root cause. If you only address symptoms this provides only temporary solution to the problem. However, understanding and resolving the root cause can prevent the issue from reoccurring.

The 5 Whys Problem-Solving technique is also useful for:

Problem Prevention: By identifying the root cause of the problem, businesses can implement long-term solutions, leading to more robust systems and processes and prevent the problem reoccurring.
Cost-Efficiency: Addressing root causes is often more cost-effective in the long run as it prevents recurrence and the associated costs of repeated problem-solving which usually involves the same people constantly firefighting the same issues such as repeated machine breakdowns.
Improved Processes: Regular use of the 5 Whys to identify the root causes of problems can highlight weaknesses in processes, leading to continuous improvement and optimization processes.
Empowerment: The use of 5 Whys by individuals a positive culture that promotes a deeper understanding of systems and processes, empowering teams to take ownership and responsibility in addressing issues.

How to Conduct a 5 Whys Root Cause Analysis?

Step 1: define the problem.

This is an important step as if the problem is not defined effectively it could result in focusing in the wrong problem. A good method for this could be to use the 5W1H Is/Is Not Problem solving technique to gain a common understanding of that the problem is.

When stating the problem you are going to conduct a 5 Whys on it is important to be specific about the issue and avoid ambiguous descriptions. Additionally, where data and information is available this should be collected and used as evidence that points to the actual problem rather than opinions of the problem.

Step 2: Ask the First “Why?”

Now you have a clear problem definition you should ask the question “Why did that happen?” This should be done to understand the problem without making assumptions and should be done with supporting facts and data that backs up the initial answer to the question.

Step 3: Continue to Ask Why?

Now you should have an answer to the first why. This should form the next step and ask why did that happen. This ensures you dont settle for the inisital surface-level answer or symptoms of the real problem and pushes you to understand the underlying issues.

When you continue to ask why you should:

Continuously question the previous answer
Challenge answer that seem like assumptions and lack evidence to support them to avoid going down the wrong route.

Step 4: Continue the Process

Keep the questioning focused on the problem
If you feel the questioning is going off track revert back to what the initial problem definition.
Ensure each answer provided logically leads to the next “Why?”
The 5 Whys process then concludes when further questions leads to no further valuable answers are given or the when the root cause of the issues becomes clear.

Step 5 Implement Solutions

Once you have identified the root cause the you need to address it by implementing a solution to prevent the problem reoccuring.

This should be a case of developing an actionable solution that address the root cause of the issue and not preventing the symptoms as addressing the symptom will likely cause the issue to reappear elsewhere.

Make sure you test the solutions to ensure they are effective in addressing the root cause, you should then continue to monitor the process over time to confirm the problem did not reappear in the same place or elsewhere.

If the problem does not re appear congratulations you have solved the problem!

An Example of 5 Whys Analysis

Below is a good example of a 5 Whys analysis done in a situation where there was a production downtime.

5 Whys Corrective and Preventive Actions Lean Six Sigma Tools Example of a 5 whys analysis bening done on production down time

To summarize, the 5 Whys process is an effective problem-solving tool that can assist businesses in identifying the root cause of a problem and developing effective solutions. Teams can delve deep into underlying issues and develop targeted solutions that address the root cause of the problem by asking “why” multiple times.

The five steps of the 5 Whys process – defining the problem, asking “why” once, asking “why” more times, developing a solution, implementing the solution, provide a clear framework for problem-solving and can help ensure that the problem is effectively resolved. The 5 Whys process encourages teams to think critically and systematically, resulting in long-term solutions that are effective, targeted, and sustainable.

Benjamin, S.J., Marathamuthu, M.S. and Murugaiah, U., 2015. The use of 5-WHYs technique to eliminate OEE’s speed loss in a manufacturing firm. Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering , 21 (4), pp.419-435.

A: The 5 Whys technique is a problem-solving method that involves asking “why” multiple times to uncover the root cause of a problem or issue.

A: The 5 Whys technique involves repeatedly asking “why” to identify the underlying cause of a problem. After asking “why” five times or until the root cause is revealed, you can develop effective solutions to address the issue.

A: The primary purpose of the 5 Whys technique is to identify and address the root cause of a problem. It helps organizations and individuals go beyond surface-level symptoms and understand the deeper issues affecting their processes or systems.

A: The 5 Whys technique is best used when you encounter a problem or issue that needs to be resolved. It is particularly useful for complex problems, recurring issues, or situations where multiple factors contribute to the problem.

A: Yes, the 5 Whys technique can be applied to any industry or field. It is commonly used in manufacturing, engineering, healthcare, software development, project management, and various other sectors.

A: While the technique is called the “5 Whys,” the number of “whys” you need to ask may vary. The goal is to keep asking “why” until you reach the root cause of the problem, which may require more or fewer than five iterations.

A: Yes, there are a few limitations to consider when using the 5 Whys technique. It relies on the skill and knowledge of the people involved, and it may oversimplify complex problems. Additionally, it assumes a linear cause-and-effect relationship, which may not always be accurate.

A: Yes, the 5 Whys technique can be used in a group setting. In fact, involving multiple perspectives can enhance the effectiveness of the technique and lead to more comprehensive problem-solving.

Daniel Croft

Hi im Daniel continuous improvement manager with a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma and over 10 years of real-world experience across a range sectors, I have a passion for optimizing processes and creating a culture of efficiency. I wanted to create Learn Lean Siigma to be a platform dedicated to Lean Six Sigma and process improvement insights and provide all the guides, tools, techniques and templates I looked for in one place as someone new to the world of Lean Six Sigma and Continuous improvement.

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The 5 Why Problem-Solving Technique | Root Cause Analysis

7 mins to read
July 13, 2018
By Reagan Pannell

By using the 5-why analysis, you can get to the root cause of a problem, rather than just treating its symptoms.n help.

One of the most famous and straightforward problem-solving methodologies introduced by Toyota has become known as the “Five Why’s”. It’s a tool where you simply keep asking “Why” 5 times to identify the root cause of the problem and potentially a simple solution. It’s at the heart of lean thinking and our Lean training courses .

Did you know that kids ask around 90 questions a day and many of them are just “Why”!

We all naturally ask, “Why” all the time? The last figure I heard is that kids ask around 90 questions a day, and many of them are “Why?” style questions.

And the best way to imagine how the ‘Five Whys’ work is to imagine children asking “why”… again and again. As adults, we ask “Why?” once or maybe twice. If you are at a dinner party, asking your friends “Why?” more than twice, may make us look like petulant children. To ask your boss “Why?” once may not even be possible in case it comes across threatening or disrespectful, or perhaps you will feel that its a sign of your lack of knowledge.

But asking “why” without the threatening and undermining tone is an essential way we all began to learn. Asking “why” almost gets kicked out of us at school and with it the questioning mind that we all need if we want to do something different.

As a parent, I know the feeling in the car when your child in the back seat asks a question. The response I give just does not satisfy their curiosity. They are trying to order a particular bit of information in their brains, and my answer never worked. So they ask “Why?” again.

It does not take long within this cycle of asking “why?” before we all begin to have difficulty to answer. We twist our logic as we try to justify why we said what we said in the first place … “but why?” just keeps on coming and before you know it we end up tongue-tied and just putting our foot down with “STOP! That’s just how it is! Alright”

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It asks us to take an open mind to a problem and to not be afraid to keep asking why five times (plus or minus a couple depending on the situation). And what is the goal? Well, our goal is to keep drilling down until we feel that “A-HA!” moment when things suddenly make more sense, and we have uncovered a root cause.

So let’s bring this to life with a real-life example regarding the Washington Monument.

The Washington Monument and others for that matter were deteriorating quite severely in the early ’90s. The specialists were sure why. However, on the desk of Don Messersmith, an esteemed Entomologist (the scientific study of insects) was what has become one of the most famous examples of the five whys approach to problem-solving .

Just for the curious: Messersmith, Donald H. 1993. Lincoln Memorial Lighting and Midge Study . Unpublished report prepared for the National Park Service. CX-2000-1-0014. N.p

Idea summary: the problem was simple: the washington monument in washington d.c. is deteriorating..

Why #1 – Why is the monument deteriorating? Because harsh chemicals are being frequently used to clean the monument

Why #2 – Why are harsh chemicals needed? To clean off the large number of bird droppings being left on the monument

Why #3 – Why are there a large number of bird droppings on the monument? Because of the large number of spiders and other insects which are a food source of the birds

Why #4 – Why are there large numbers of spiders and other insects around the monument? Because the insects get drawn to the monument at dusk

Why #5 – Why are the insects attracted to the monument at dusk? Because the lighting in the evening attracts the local insects

This classic five why example shows how the goal of the “five why problem-solving” approach is to move past the first level inquiry. It would have been quite easy to change the chemical, which was causing the apparent issue or investigate different cleaning methods which may slow the deterioration but nothing more.

The solution implemented was simply to delay turning on the lights at night. The result was a dramatic 85% reduction in the midges and consequently, a massive drop in bird droppings and the level of cleaning required. The bonus was also a reduction in energy costs.*

Five Why application to Customer / User Experience

The five why problem-solving technique can be used in almost all scenarios where you are trying to resolve an identified problem. So in the example below, let’s look at customer behaviour.

In the book “Hooked (How to Build Habit-Forming Products)”, the author Nir Eyal ( www.nirandfar.com ), uses the five whys approach to dig into users behaviour and tries to identify the underlying root cause of the behaviour. He points out that “one method is to try asking the question “Why?” as many times as it takes to get to anemotion.” The emotion behind the behaviour is often the driving force and the trigger which forms habits.

Idea Summary: Problem: What drives people to use email?

Why #1 – Why would Julie want to use email? So she can send and receive messages.

Why #2 – Why does she want to do that? Because she wants to share and receive information quickly?

Why #3 – Why does she want to do that? To know what’s going on in the lives of her coworkers, friends, and family.

Why #4 – Why does she need to know that? To know if someone needs her.

Why #5 – Why would she care about that? She fears to be out of the loop

While the final “why” appears to point to something very different than the Washington Monument example they both uncover a root cause.

The first example is that the lighting is attracting the midges.

In the second example – its finding the root emotion that drives people to use a particular product and knowing that this emotion can help business connect with their customers at a deeper level to build successful products that a customer wants to engage with.

Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it. Winnie the Pooh Tweet

“5 Why” remains one of the most straightforward tools to remember, and it’s easy to put into practice. However, the simplicity hides a level of complexity.

Like many of the best and simple tools, they need to be tested and practised to get the best from them.

How to do a 5 Why exercise as a team

One of the key disadvantages of the tool is that teams only follow one avenue of investigation rather than focusing on all the potential causes to identify the real root cause. This is not really an issue with the tool, but the way people implement the tool and rush through things.

Another potential disadvantage is that all too often the teams never get anywhere near 5 Why’s. Once again, an issue with the implementation rather than the tool. Teams quickly get overexcited and stop at 2 or 3 Whys as they have jumped to a solution that looks great.

So always try to get to 5 and be brave and follow every avenue of investigation. And remember, this is processed focused, so try to avoid the trap of seeing people’s capability and training as the single root cause. If you end up with lots of “more training is required” as a solution, then go back up and try again and see if anything has been missed from a process point of view. Why is the process so hard to follow?

In our experience, any issue or problem can be quickly improved by asking why within a small group. It has helped teams better understand their customers’ needs, and it has helped organizations save thousands of dollars on fixing the wrong thing.

This is a team exercise and asking the why needs to be explorative and not in any form understood as a criticism. So keep the ideas and conversation open with strong ground rules and group facilitation.

For each Why there may be multiple reasons and each of these need to go through a separate set of 5 why discussion.

You will then need to prioritize the potential root causes either through a Pareto or through a simple voting system initially to understand which ones the team believes need to be investigated first.

Keep in mind that we are focused on processes and not always people. Remember the 94/6 rule – that 94% of the issues come from your process and 6% of the issues from the people. So if you end up with more training as the root cause, take it from me, you have missed something major.

When conducting five why’s, they are never quite as neat as the examples above. Each time you ask why there will rarely be only one reason. You are much more likely to end up with 10 to 15 different potential root causes. As a team, you can then work through the possible root causes and with testing, piloting or perhaps through a simple team vote, begin to prioritize solutions.

The below slide from our Lean Six Sigma training deck visually captures how five why’s work in reality.

* A quick footnote on the Washington Monument

Like many real improvement opportunities, the hardest part is change management. And the Washington Monument is not the exception. With the delay in turning on the lights, the side effect was the iconic tourist photographs of the monument at dusk vanished. The complaints started to arrive. Even from the cities inhabitants complaints.

While a solution had was found to stop the use of heavy cleaning chemicals, this monument was a landmark and symbol of the city. And it was not too long before the lights were back on and the government was looking for a new solution.

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In this article:

The 5 Whys is a technique that can help you to find the root cause of a problem.

To prevent these types of problems from reoccurring you usually need more than just a quick fix. The 5 Whys can be a useful tool in helping you to get to the root of what went wrong. By understanding the root cause of the problem, you can solve it in such a way that it doesn’t reoccur.

The technique works by asking why five times to find the root cause of your problem.

The 5 Whys Technique was developed within the Toyota Motor Corporation in the 1930s.

Taiichi Ohno, one of the inventors of the technique, wrote in his book, Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production, that “… by repeating why five times, the nature of the problem, as well as its solution, becomes clear.”

5 Whys Example

Suppose that your company’s website is down. You obviously need to get the site back up and running as a priority. Immediately after the site is back up and running you might then find it useful to use the 5 Whys technique to ensure that all the causes of the problem are addressed so that it doesn’t happen again.

Let’s take a look at what might have caused your website to go down.

Over time as you fix problems in this way, you will build more robust processes and systems, resulting in fewer problems happening in the first place.

One thing to note from the example is that often what at first glance appears to be a technical problem transpires to be a human or process problem at its root.

What About Expensive Fixes?

For example, suppose fixing the root of our problem is going to require migrating the entire system to a new platform, and that this is going to cost $150,000.

Well, if your website is crashing one per week and each time costing you $10,000, then it obviously makes financial sense to invest the money and fix the problem asap.

Rule of Thumb

How to run a 5 whys meeting.

To use the model follow these steps:

Step 1: Organize a 5 Whys Meeting

Step 2: define the problem statement.

At the start of the session, you should define the problem you are trying to solve. Write the problem on a whiteboard if you can.

It’s essential to keep the problem statement focused only on the problem. Do not state any possible reasons for the problem or make any assumptions.

Step 3: Ask the First “Why?”

Try to avoid entertaining answers that are guesses – stick to facts. If there is more than one reason given for the problem, then ask your team to vote on the most likely cause.

Step 4: Ask “Why?” Four More Times

Ask why another four times, each time using the previous answer to base your question on. Once you have done this, you will have five reasons, one for each “why?” question.

As previously mentioned, you may need to ask why more times than five if you haven’t got to the root of the problem.

Step 5: Determine your Countermeasures

Step 6: assign responsibilities.

For each countermeasure, agree who is responsible for it and how they will measure the success of that countermeasure.

Step 7: Monitor Progress

Agree how progress will be monitored. Usually, this will involve a follow-up session in a few hours, days, or weeks.

Step 8: Close the Meeting

Now that you have determined all the causes of your problem including the root cause, determined countermeasures, and how you will monitor progress, its time to bring your meeting to a close.

Advantages and Disadvantages

The advantages of the 5 Whys include that it:

5 Whys Template

If you’d like to use the 5 Whys Technique for yourself and your team you can download our 5 Whys Template as a PDF document here .

The technique works by asking why five times. For each answer you discover, you deploy countermeasures to stop it happening again. Continue asking why until you have uncovered and addressed the root cause of the problem.

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5 Whys Method

What is the Five Whys method?

The “ 5 Whys ” is a Problem-Solving method that identifies Root Causes of Problems by asking five consecutive times:

“Why this happened?”.

It Starts with the most obvious “Symptom” (or Issue) and Forces the analyst to wonder Why it happened .

Once the Analyst has a first Explanation, he/she has to repeat this cycle 4 more times.

5 Whys method Flowchart

Let’s see it with one example:

Five Whys example

Imagine that one day, your front-right tire suddenly bursts .

As we all would do, you call your car assistance company, that comes exactly where you are and replace it with a new tire.

Few weeks later, again, this same tire (the new one) bursts again .

And you start thinking that this is not normal (or shouldn’t be).

Then, you decide to apply the 5 Why methodology :

1. Why this happened?

Why your tire burst in the first place?

You bring your car to the car shop.

There, they tell you that your rims are not aligned and that is causing your tires to burst.

Many people would settle for this explanation but you then, ask yourself again:

2. Why this happened?

Why weren’t they aligned?

Your car is only 2 years old so, it shouldn’t be usual.

Your car assistant tells you this can happen if case you park on irregular terrain frequently .

You do it, but just once a month. It shouldn’t be enough.

3. Why this happens?

Why parking once a month on irregular terrain misalign your wheels?

You decide to investigate about it, and you find out that you have a loose master screw that is causing this problem .

4. But how is this possible?

Why is this screw loose? Is it a car problem?

You ask different same-car owners and you find out that this is only happening to you , so you start to suspect that in your last car revision somebody caused this problem.

You then ask in your car shop about what they did in your last revision and they confirm that they “manipulated” that piece .

5. Then, how is it possible that they forgot a loose screw?

Should you take your car to another shop? Why this happened?

In the workshop, they confess that the last revision of your car, was developed by an external worker since the main mechanic was sick .

They assure you they won’t hire that external worker again since he didn’t know what he was doing.

Moreover, they will give your money back (what you had to pay for your tires and the alignment).

Summarizing:

Imagine now, what would have happened if you had settled for the first explanation they gave you .

You would have stopped parking on uneven terrains, but you would still have the problem.

We are not car-mechanic experts, so forgive us if we said something stupid.

We just wanted you to understand how the “five Whys” tool works.

Why is the 5 Whys method important?

By nature, we all tend to settle for the first explanation we have.

The 5 Whys method pushes you to see beyond and find the “root cause” of your problem.

But, can you always apply this method?

When can be used the 5 Whys method?

Whenever you need to find the root cause of a certain problem .

Which Plugins may cause it and why?
Which employee could do better and why?
You can even use to improve your diet and find out why you are gaining weight!

Although it was originally designed for Industrial quality processes (where it is extremely useful) it can be used in practically all situations .

How should you develop a Five Whys analysis?

According to our experience, the simpler the better .

There are dozens of Flowcharts with crossed explanations, difficult algorithms…

We propose you to use the simplest approach possible.

It is better to use a simple yet useful approach instead of a difficult one that you would only use once.

What do you need for applying the 5 Whys method?

Some people recommend assembling a Team, but we don’t think that is necessary.

If you develop this method at your Job you can do it without any problem.

You only need to feel like finding the Root Cause of your Problem .

Should you always find 5 Whys?

Sometimes, with just 3 “Whys” is enoug h .

You should try to dig as deep as you can, but sometimes you get to “bedrock” with less than 5 Whys.

5 Whys Method Examples

Now, we’ll propose you two examples of different situations in which this method can be very useful.

Let’s begin:

YouTube Channel - 5 Whys Method Example

Let’s imagine you own a YouTube channel :

You have been publishing new videos for a whole year on regular basis.
Your videos have a higher than average quality (regarding image, sound, etc).
All the people you’ve asked tell you that your videos are funny.

However, you just have half the audience of other similar channels .

1. Why do you have half the audience of your competitors?

Assuming you have approximately the same videos published; the obvious answer is this:

YouTube is not showing your content as often as that of your competitors.

This statement is not as obvious as it may seem.

If your content is good, and you have “plenty” of it…

2. Why is YouTube not showing your content as often as that of your competitors?

If YouTube is not showing your content as much as you would like, must be because some of your metrics are not as good as you expected:

You then discover that:

Your “Engagement” is not very high.
Your “Audience retention” is limited.
The “Average percentage viewed” is reduced.
On the other hand, your “Click-Through rate” is elevated.

Some users devour your videos, but others just move on .

So far, you have concluded that:

Your YouTube Title descriptions are better than average.
Some of your users love your videos.
Others don’t.

And this last fact is preventing your content from being better positioned.

3. Why some of your users don’t like your content?

You decide to investigate the average profile of your users:

Where they come from.
What they are interested about.

After a deep research, you conclude that users of your same country are much more engaged than those from other countries .

4. Why the users from your same country are much more engaged?

You start to look at your YouTube comments in order to figure out what is going on.

You find 3 different kinds of comments:

Stupid meaningless comments.
You suspect they are from your same country.
Comments requesting for some explanations; they didn’t understand your video at all.

The people from your same country understood perfectly your content:

Your Jokes.
The references you made.
The people you referred to.

While people from other countries, didn’t understood everything you said .

5. Why people from other countries don’t fully understand your videos?

So far, we have that:

Your videos don’t have as good metrics as you thought and that is why YouTube is not showing your content as much as that of your competitors.
Some of your users are very engaged while others are not.
Those Engaged users are from your same country.
They like your videos because it seems that they are the only ones that understand perfectly everything you say; your jokes, your references, etc…

And the reason some users don’t understand your videos is:

You are publishing videos with local references for a global audience.

People from other countries don’t understand your jokes because what you think is very popular all over the world, is popular only in your country .

That is why your publications don’t have as good metrics as they could.

Now, you’ll start introducing new and more international references in your videos.

We are not YouTube experts so please, forgive us if we said something wrong.

Since lots of our users are very interested in SEO, we’ll show a similar example, but focused on a Website:

Improving SEO - 5 Whys Method Example

Let’s imagine that you own a WordPress Site .

You have been writing interesting and high-quality content for a whole year.

You have already published 60 interesting articles.

However, you barely have 1,000 pageviews per month . What is going on?

Let’s develop a “condensed” 5 Whys method:

1. Why you only have 1,000 pageviews per month?

Because your content isn’t Rankings very good .

2. Why is your content Ranking so poorly?

Because your metrics are terrible:

You have a 0.3% CTR.

People do not Click on your content .

3. Why people don’t Click through your content?

You decide to look for some of your pages on Google and you find out that your Publications’ titles are not attractive at all .

While your competitors have nice Titles and Descriptions, your Posts have short boring titles.

4. Why do your Posts have boring Titles?

Because you didn’t know that you could edit them .

With this “5 Whys analysis” you found out that it is very important to edit your publications’ titles, so they are more attractive to your potential users .

Your content may be the best, but if it has a generic boring Title, nobody will Click through it.

* Believe or not, this is based on a true story.

Summarizing

The 5 Whys method is a simple iterative analysis that pushes you to find the root cause of your problems by asking yourself 5 consecutive times: Why this happens?

Sometimes you’ll need less than 5 Whys, and other times 5 won’t be enough.

Although there are different approaches for developing a “5 Whys analysis”, the simpler the better .

Never underestimate this method : You have surely settled for the first explanation you’ve encountered several times without discovering the true root cause of your problem .

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Home » Infographics » Uncovering Solutions: The Power of the 5 Whys in Problem-Solving

Uncovering Solutions: The Power of the 5 Whys in Problem-Solving

Posted on November 6, 2023
/ Under Diagram , Infographics
/ With 3 Comments

Introduction

In the intricate dance of problem-solving, the ability to ask the right questions often determines the quality of the solutions obtained. One powerful and elementary approach to problem-solving is the “5 Whys” technique , a method that encourages deep thinking through persistent questioning. Originally developed by Sakichi Toyota within the Toyota Motor Corporation, this technique has proven its efficacy in swiftly identifying the root causes of problems. In this article, we will delve into the mechanics of the 5 Whys and explore its application in real-life problem-solving scenarios.

The 5 Whys Strategy

The 5 Whys strategy is a systematic approach to problem-solving that involves asking “Why?” repeatedly until the root cause of a problem is uncovered. The process starts by identifying the specific problem and then iteratively asking why the problem occurred, drilling down to its fundamental cause. This approach is not only simple but also highly adaptable, making it applicable to a wide range of issues.

How to Conduct 5 Whys Analysis

Define the Problem: Begin by clearly articulating the problem at hand. Writing it down helps formalize the issue and ensures that the entire team is focused on the same problem.
Ask “Why”: Ask why the problem occurred and record the answer. If the answer does not pinpoint the root cause, proceed to the next step.
Repeat: Continue asking “Why?” for each answer obtained, creating a chain of causation. Repeat this process until the team reaches a consensus on the root cause.
Develop Corrective Actions: Once the root cause is identified, develop appropriate corrective actions to eliminate the issue from the system.

Example of 5 Whys in Action

Let’s take a practical example of a vehicle not starting:

The vehicle will not start (The problem)
Why? – The battery is dead (First why)
Why? – The alternator is not functioning (Second why)
Why? – The alternator belt has broken (Third why)
Why? – The alternator belt was well beyond its useful service life and not replaced (Fourth why)
Why? – The vehicle was not maintained according to the recommended service schedule (Fifth why, a root cause)

Note: The process could extend to a sixth or seventh “Why,” but five iterations are generally sufficient to identify the root cause.

Criticisms of the 5 Whys

While the 5 Whys technique is a valuable tool, it is not without criticisms. Some of the notable critiques include:

Stopping at Symptoms, Not the Root Cause: Critics argue that the technique might lead investigators to address symptoms rather than digging deep into the actual root cause.
Limited by the Investigator’s Knowledge: The effectiveness of the analysis relies on the knowledge and experience of the investigator, potentially limiting the scope of the investigation.
Not Asking the Right Why Questions: The success of the technique depends on asking the right questions, and if these are not framed appropriately, it may yield inaccurate results.
Not Repeatable – Different People Build Different 5 Whys: Different investigators may develop different 5 Whys analyses for the same problem, leading to inconsistencies.
The Tendency to Isolate a Single Root Cause: Critics argue that the technique might oversimplify complex problems by isolating a single root cause, ignoring potential systemic issues.

Despite its criticisms, the 5 Whys technique remains a valuable tool in the arsenal of problem-solving methodologies. When applied conscientiously and collaboratively, it enables teams to unearth the underlying causes of problems and implement effective corrective actions.

Embracing the simplicity of asking “Why?” multiple times can lead to profound insights, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation in problem-solving.

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5 whys analysis

Go beyond surface-level symptoms and avoid acting on assumptions. Uncover the root cause of a problem as a team.

Prep Time 5 mins

Run Time 30-60 mins

5 Whys Analysis

5 Whys in action

This software team uses Confluence to find the root cause of an increase in customer support calls.

A non-profit team uses Trello to uncover why a digital fundraising campaign fell short of their goal.

An executive team worked in Miro to uncover why the new CTO they hired is a poor fit for the company.

What you'll need

Video conferencing with screen sharing, digital collaboration tool (see templates), optional templates, atlassian templates, other templates, instructions for running this play, 1. prep 5 min.

Come prepared with a problem statement. It can be something your team is currently facing, or something that happened in the past that needs to be addressed.

For remote teams, create a collaboration document (see optional templates above) and share with the team in advance.

For in-person teams, label a whiteboard with the following columns:

Problem statement 1

Problem statement 2

Problem statement 3

Problem statement 4

Problem statement 5

How can we solve it?

2. Set the stage 5 min

Let your team know the following at the start of the meeting:

We’ll be digging deep to get to the bottom of a problem
We’re here to investigate, not to blame

TIP: CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER

The 5 Whys Analysis Play works best in a culture that encourages curiosity and learning from mistakes. This kind of environment prevents it from turning into a blame game.

3. Brainstorm 5 min

For your initial problem statement, ask the team, “Why did this happen?

Set a timer for 5 minutes. Have your team add their own answers on the collaboration document or on the whiteboard.

TIP: ASK A DIFFERENT WAY

What caused [problem]?
What led to [problem]?
What are the conditions under which [problem] occurred?
What contributed to [problem]?

4. Choose 1 min

As a team, choose one of the answers to dive into as your next problem statement. Replace your initial problem statement with this one.

TIP: TAKE A VOTE

Vote on problem statements to move forward with. Try Trello Voting Power-Up or have the team add +1 to their chosen statements.

5. Repeat 25 min

Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you’ve asked “why?” a total of 5 times.

TIP: THE FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT WHYS

If you still haven’t scratched the surface, keep asking “why” until the team agrees you’ve hit a meaningful level of root cause.

6. Propose solutions 10 min

Once you’ve gotten to the point of root cause, have team members propose solutions to your final problem statement. Choose just one or two solutions to pursue, assign an owner to each solution, and determine when the team can expect to hear back from the owners.

Capture all notes

Post your notes from the session in a place where the whole team can see.

Add the problem statement as a work item to your team’s work board, such as in Jira or Trello.

Ensure you’re checking in on the progress of the proposed solutions at the agreed upon time.

After the first brainstorming step, instead of voting on one problem statement, have the group break out into teams, one for each problem statement. Then follow the rest of the Play in teams to see what root cause each team ends up with.

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Root Cause Analysis, Ishikawa Diagrams and the 5 Whys

Published: June 11, 2018 by Matthew Barsalou

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a way of identifying the underlying source of a process or product failure so that the right solution can be identified. RCA can progress more quickly and effectively by pairing an Ishikawa diagram with the scientific method in the form of the well-known plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle to empirically investigate the failure. Often, failure investigations begin with brainstorming possible causes and listing them in an Ishikawa diagram. This is not necessarily wrong, but often the ideas listed do not clearly contribute to the failure under investigation.

Write a Problem Statement

Once a problem-solving team has been formed, the first step in an RCA is to create a problem statement. Although critical for starting an RCA, the problem statement is often overlooked, too simple or not well thought out. The problem statement should include all of the factual details available at the start of the investigation including:

What product failed
The failure observations
The number of failed units
The customer’s description of the failure

The customer’s description does not need to be correct; it should reflect the customer’s words and be clear that it is a quote and not an observation. For example, a problem statement may start as, “Customer X reports Product A does not work.” The rest of the problem statement would then clarify what “does not work” means in technical terms based upon the available data or evidence. A good problem statement would be: “Customer X reports 2 shafts with part numbers 54635v4 found in customer’s assembly department with length 14.5 +/-2 mm measuring 14.12 mm and 14.11 mm.”

Create an Ishikawa Diagram

An Ishikawa (or fishbone ) diagram should be created once the problem statement is written and data has been collected. An Ishikawa diagram should be viewed as a graphical depiction of hypotheses that could explain the failure under investigation. It serves to quickly communicate these hypotheses to team members, customers and management. Hypotheses that have been investigated can also be marked on the Ishikawa diagram to quickly show that they are not the cause of the failure (Figure 1).

How Did the Failure Happen?

Elements in the Ishikawa diagram should be able to explain how the failure happened. For example, “lighting” is a typical example under “environment”; however, it is seldom clear how lighting could lead to the failure. Instead, the result of bad lighting should be listed and then empirically investigated. In this example, lighting could cause an employee to make a mistake resulting in a part not properly installed. Therefore, the part not properly installed would be listed in the Ishikawa diagram. Simply investigating the lighting could take time and resources away from the investigation so the first step would be to see if a part is installed.

Causes of a part not being installed can be listed as sub-branches, but the priority should be on determining if the part was installed or not. If a part is not correctly installed, then use the 5 Whys on that part of the Ishikawa diagram for investigation. The lighting may be a contributing cause, but it should not be the first one investigated. The Ishikawa diagram should be expanded each time 5 Whys is used. For example, the branch may end up as: material → part not installed → employee skipped operation → work environment too dark → poor lighting → light bulbs burned out.

In this example, the use of 5 Whys led to the true cause of the failure – the light bulbs burned out. Had the 5 Whys not been used, then the employee may have been retrained, but the same employee or somebody else may have made the same or a different mistake due to the poor lighting. Each time a cause is identified, the 5 Whys should be used to dig deeper to find the true underling cause of the failure. Failing to use the 5 Whys risks a recurrence of the failure – the corrective action may only address symptoms of the failure.

Other Potential Causes

Potential causes that do not directly explain the failure, but theoretically could have caused it, can be listed in the Ishikawa. This ensures they will not be forgotten; however, better explanations should be prioritized for investigation. Tracking and monitoring investigation are related actions can be facilitated by copying the Ishikawa items into a spreadsheet such as the one shown in Figure 2.

Here, each hypothesis from the Ishikawa diagram is prioritized and the highest priority hypotheses are assigned actions, a person to carry them out and a due date. This makes it easier for the team leader to track actions and see the results of completed actions. Such a tracking list can also be used to communication the team’s progress to management and customers. New insights may be gained as the investigation progresses. For example, somebody checking the length of a part may have observed damage. This damage could then be entered into an updated Ishikawa diagram and then transferred to the tracking list.

The Scientific Method

The scientific method should be used when investigating the failure. According to biophysicist John R. Platt’s Strong Inference , the scientific method consists of:

Devising alternative hypotheses
Devising a crucial experiment (or several of them) with alternative possible outcomes, each of which will, as nearly is possible, exclude one or more of the hypotheses
Carrying out the experiment so as to get a clean result
Recycling the procedure, making sub-hypotheses or sequential hypotheses to refine the possibilities that remain and so on

Each item in the Ishikawa diagrams should be viewed as a hypothesis that could explain the cause of the failure under investigation. A good hypothesis should be simple, general, avoid making too many assumptions and should be able to make refutable predictions. A simpler hypothesis is more likely to be correct. In general, it is best to look for the cause closest to the problem and then work back from there using the 5 Whys. The ability to make predictions is essential for testing the hypothesis ; a hypothesis that can’t be tested should not be trusted as there is no way to be sure that it is correct. As Dutch psychologist and chess master Adriaan de Groot said, “Where prediction is impossible, there is no knowledge.”

Integrate the Scientific Method

The scientific method can be integrated into RCA by using cycles of PDCA . The planning phases consist of describing the problem, collecting data and forming a hypothesis.

P : Whether freshly formed or taken from an Ishikawa diagram, the hypothesis should make some form of prediction (or plan ), such as “measurement deviation” predicting “parts will be measured out of specification.”
D : The next step is do – where the hypothesis is evaluated. This could be as simple as measuring a part or as elaborate as designing a new type of test method.
C : The check phase is where the results are evaluated and conclusions are formed.
A : Act is where the conclusions are acted upon. A hypothesis may be rejected or modified based on new evidence or the results of the testing, or a plan may be created to confirm a supported hypothesis.

If the hypothesis is not supported, then the next one in the prioritized tracking list should be selected and evaluated.

Using Ishikawa diagrams and the scientific method can serve as a standalone methodology for RCA or be used as part of any RCA process that uses Ishikawa diagrams. This approach is completely compatible with methodologies such as 8D and A3 reports.

de Groot, Adriaan D. 1969. M ethodology: Foundations of Inference and Research in the Behavioral Sciences . The Hague: Mouten.
Platt, John R. 1964. “Strong Inference.” Science 146, no. 3642: 347-353.
Quine, W.V. and J.S. Ullian. 1978. The Web of Belief . (10th ed.), New York: Random House.

About the Author

Matthew Barsalou

5 Whys is the practice of asking why repeatedly whenever a problem is encountered in order to get beyond the obvious symptoms to discover the root cause.

For instance, Taiichi Ohno gives this example about a machine that stopped working (Ohno 1988, p. 17):

Why did the machine stop? There was an overload and the fuse blew.
Why was there an overload? The bearing was not sufficiently lubricated.
Why was it not lubricated? The lubrication pump was not pumping sufficiently.
Why was it not pumping sufficiently? The shaft of the pump was worn and rattling.
Why was the shaft worn out? There was no strainer attached and metal scraps got in.

Without repeatedly asking why, managers would simply replace the fuse or pump and the failure would recur. The specific number five is not the point. Rather it is to keep asking until the root cause is reached and eliminated.

5 Whys Illustrated

When to Use the 5 Whys

Management should use the 5 Why problem-solving method with Gap from Standard problems. This is problem-solving that focuses on:

specific problem definition
setting goals
root cause analysis
establishment of countermeasures
checks, standards, and follow-up activities

The aim is to prevent the problem from recurring by eliminating its underlying causes.

In general, there are three types of root-cause analysis:

One-variable-at-a-time (OVAT)
Multivariate-at-a-time (MVAT)

No advanced math skills are required for logic-based analysis such as 5 Whys. However, the ability to think critically, especially in terms of inductive logic (broad generalization from specific observation), deductive logic (general premise to specific conclusion), and abductive logic (general observation to hypothesis), is necessary.

Diagram of the three types of root cause analysis

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Management should use the 5 Why problem-solving method with Gap from Standard problems. This is problem-solving that focuses on: specific problem definition. setting goals. root cause analysis. establishment of countermeasures. checks, standards, and follow-up activities. The aim is to prevent the problem from recurring by eliminating its ...
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Root Cause Analysis with 5 Whys Technique (With Examples)

What Is the 5 Whys Technique?

Case Study: Manufacturing Defects

Application in Service Industry

Step 1: Identify the Problem

Step 2: Ask ‘Why’ Five Times

Recurring Issues

Process Improvement

Benefits of Using a Template

Customizing the Template

Encouraging Open Communication

Continuous Improvement Mindset

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The 5 Whys Process We Use to Understand the Root of Any Problem

The origin of the 5 Whys

How the 5 Whys process works

The 5 main steps to the the 5 Whys

Step 1: Invite anyone affected by the issue

Step 2: Select a 5 Whys master for the meeting

Step 3: Ask “why” five times

Step 4: Assign responsibility for solutions

Step 5: Email the whole team the results

Some real-life 5 Whys examples

The 5 Whys in daily life

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Getting to the Root of a Problem Quickly

Origins of the 5 Whys Technique

When to Use a 5 Whys Analysis

How to Use the 5 Whys

1. Assemble a Team

2. Define the Problem

3. Ask the First "Why?"

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4. Ask "Why?" Four More Times

Step 5. Know When to Stop

6. Address the Root Cause(s)

7. Monitor Your Measures

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Root Cause Analysis – The 5 Whys Technique

How to Conduct 5 Whys Analysis?

5 Whys Example

5-Whys Criticisms

5 Whys: Examples, explanations, and how to find the causes of problems

Working on complex products

Solving complex problems

Dealing with consistent problems

Step 1 – Form your problem statement.

Step 2 – Ask “why has this happened?” 5 times.

Step 3 – Jot down logical causes.

Step 4 – Hypothesize an answer.

Step 5 – Test your hypothesis.

Step 6 – Repeat until solved.

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Step 1 — Write down your problem statement.

Step 2 — Start with the broadest possible question.

Step 3 – Write down logical issues.

Step 4 – Once you’re ready, you can come up with a possible solution to this problem.

Step 5 – Put that hypothesis into action.

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