Professional Documents
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The 5-Why analysis method is used to move past symptoms and understand the true root cause
of a problem. It is said that only by asking "Why?" five times, successively, can you delve into a
problem deeply enough to understand the ultimate root cause. By the time you get to the 4th or
5th why, you will likely be looking squarely at management practices. This methodology is closely
related to the Cause & Effect (Fishbone) diagram, and can be used to complement the analysis
necessary to complete a Cause & Effect diagram.
Here is a real world example from a kitchen range manufacturer:
Hybrid Tools
A Japanese transplant automobile manufacturer uses a hybrid form that includes a trend chart
and pareto chart to guide the 5-Why thinking of its problem-solving teams. On one piece of
paper, the form captures historical data, problem priorities, root cause analysis, corrective
action, and verification. An example of the form is shown below with a hypothetical example
from an appliance manufacturer.