{"id":12343,"date":"2017-09-26T10:00:35","date_gmt":"2017-09-26T08:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hatrabbits.com\/?p=12343\/"},"modified":"2023-11-22T15:02:15","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T14:02:15","slug":"5-whys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hatrabbits.com\/en\/5-whys\/","title":{"rendered":"The 5 Whys \u2013 identifying the root cause of your problem"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1658848398798{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Looking for a solution to your problem? Start with a quick root cause analysis. With the 5 Whys technique, you’ll uncover what’s causing your misery.<\/em><\/p>\n

Problem analysis is essential<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Not quite understanding the origin of your problem will mess with your problemsolving process. If you don\u2019t properly analyse your problem, there is a good chance you\u2019ll be fighting a symptom, instead of getting closer to an actual solution. Many times what seems to be the problem is not what actually needs to be solved. Often there is a deeper problem that needs to be eliminated first.<\/p>\n

This is why a root-cause analysis is essential to any problemsolving endeavour. And this doesn\u2019t have to be complicated. Often a few clever \u2018why\u2019 questions are enough to uncover the cause of your trouble.<\/p>\n

The 5 Whys<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The 5 Whys technique is developed by Japanese inventor Sakichi Toyoda. Having proven its worth in the Toyota factories, the method is now widely used within Kaizen<\/em>, Lean Manufacturing<\/em> and Six Sigma<\/em>.<\/p>\n

The idea behind the technique is simple; if you ask \u2018why\u2019 five times, the root cause of your problem or defect will become clear. Using the technique will enable you to peel away layers of distracting symptoms to quickly detect the real causes of a problem. This allows you to eliminate the root of your problem, instead of merely fighting the symptoms.<\/p>\n

How it works<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Step 1. Assemble the right team<\/em><\/span>
\nTo properly utilise the 5 Whys technique, it is important to gather a group of people who are familiar with the details considering the problem. This is important as the outcome of the technique strongly depends upon the knowledge of the people involved.<\/p>\n

Step 2. Present the group with a problem statement<\/em><\/span>
\nPresent the group with a brief, clear problem statement. You can write this statement on a whiteboard or flipover, for all to see.<\/p>\n

Step 3. Ask the first \u2018why\u2019 question<\/em><\/span>
\nAsk the team why the problem occurs. Make it very clear to the group that only facts should be mentioned (this is why you need people who know a lot about the facts surrounding the problem). Steer clear of assumptions and hypotheses. Write down the answer. Sometimes more than one cause will be presented by the group. In that case, write down all causes and repeat the following steps for each listed cause individually.<\/p>\n

Step 4. Ask four more \u2018why\u2019 questions<\/em><\/span>
\nUse the answer to formulate a second question and repeat this procedure until you can\u2019t answer the question anymore. Each answer forms the basis of the next question.<\/p>\n

Sometimes it will take more (or fewer) why-questions, but often 5 why-questions will give you a good view of what’s causing your troubles.<\/p>\n

How to keep a monument from crumbling<\/strong><\/h4>\n

A classic 5 Whys example is the analysis of the crumbling Jefferson Memorial.<\/p>\n