Whatever the problem, there will be a proven tool or technique to help. The question is which one do you select?
We have the privilege to work with incredibly talented people across a wide range of industries and sectors and one of the most rewarding aspects of our work is helping them to chose which tool or technique will deliver sustainable value.
This month we look at the Five Whys.
So what is it?
The Five Whys is a powerful question asking method used to explore the cause/effect relationships underlying a particular problem. Ultimately, the goal of applying the Five Whys method is to determine a root cause of a defect or problem.
By repeatedly asking the question “Why” (five is a good rule of thumb), you can peel away the layers of symptoms which can lead to the root cause of a problem. Very often the underlying reason for a problem will lead you to another question. Although this technique is called “5 Whys,” you may find that you will need to ask the question fewer or more times than five times before you find the root cause of the problem.
Who can use it?
Anyone wishing to drill down beyond the sympton of a problem to identify the potential root causes.
Why Five Whys?
Help identify the root cause of a problem.
Determine the relationship between different root causes of a problem.
One of the simplest tools; easy to complete without statistical analysis.
Understand why the systems did not detect the problem
How to use?
1. Write down the specific problem. Writing the issue helps you to formalize the problem and describe it completely. It also helps a team focus on the same problem.
2. Ask “Why” the problem happens and write the answer down below the problem.
3. 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.
4. Loop back to step 3 until the team is in agreement that the problem’s root cause is identified. Again, this may take more or less than five “Whys”.
When is it used?
The Five Whys method can be used on any problem that requires the root cause to be identified on its own or in conjunction with a Fishbone (also known as the cause and effect or Ishikawa) diagram. The Fishbone diagram helps you explore all potential or real causes that result in a single defect or failure. Once all inputs are established on the fishbone, you can use the Five Whys technique to drill down to the root causes.
There can be more than one cause to a problem as well. In an organisational context, generally a Five Whys root cause analysis is carried out by a team of persons related to the problem.
Example
In this example the problem could be focused on people not getting patients to theatre on time whereas the real reason related to equipment maintenance.
• The patient was late in theatre. Why?
• There was a long wait for a trolley. Why?
• A replacement trolley had to be found. Why?
• The original trolley’s safety rail was worn and had eventually broken. Why?
• It had not been regularly checked for wear. Why?
• We do not have an equipment maintenance schedule…….
Solution?
Setting up a proper maintenance schedule helps ensure that patients will never be late again due to faulty equipment. If we just repair the safety rail, or even do a one-off safety rail check of all trolleys, the problem will happen again at sometime in the future
Combining Five Whys with Tree Diagram
Once you get comfortable with the concept of the Five Whys it is clear that not all problems have a linear root cause. A tree diagram (see below) can be used to map out the different routes that you might take through a root cause analysis exercise. The key to any successful Five Whys exercise is to ensure that the answers to the Why questions can be based on data and fact.
Another perspective on Five Whys?
Another use of the five whys is to combine the five whys thinking with the key tools of problem solving which enable you to get to a deeper understanding of the problem
• Why? Define the problem
• Why? Map the process
• Why? Collect the data
• Why? Pareto Analysis
• Why? Cause and Effect (Fishbone)
Final thoughts on the Five Whys
The Five Whys is one of the most challenging tools in the toolbox but with experience can be the most powerful so take every opportunity to practice its logic