Fishbone Analysis - Is commonly known as the "Problem-Analysis Tool" or the "Cause-

&-Effect Diagram".

Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa a Japanese Quality Control Statistician invented the Fish Bone Diagram
in the year 1960. He pioneered the quality management process in the Kawasaki Shipyard. 

The Fish Bone Diagram resembles that of the side view of the Skeleton of a Fish.

This diagram is used to explore all the potential causes (during the input, or process until the
output stage) that result in a single effect (output)

The potential causes could be due to any of the  6(M's) , 8 (P's), & 4 (S's)

6M's - Machines, method, material, maintenance, man & mother nature

8P's - Price, promotion, people, process, place, policy, procedure, product

4S's -Surrounding, suppliers, systems, skills

The causes are arranged according to their level of importance to identify the root cause of a
problem (effect).