Five Whys
What is it?
The Five Whys is a problem-solving technique that involves asking "why" five times to identify the root cause of an issue. By repeatedly questioning the cause of a problem, this method helps uncover underlying issues, enabling more effective solutions to be developed.
When to Use It: The Five Whys is a technique you can use to solve problems by finding their root cause. It's as simple as asking "why" repeatedly until you peel away the layers of symptoms and get to the underlying issue. It's like peeling an onion to get to its core.
Let's take a real-life scenario as an example:
Problem: Your houseplant is dying.
- Why? - The leaves are turning yellow.
- Why? - The plant is getting too much water.
- Why? - The watering schedule is not suitable for the plant's needs.
- Why? - The plant care instructions were not carefully followed.
- Why? - The instructions were lost and not replaced.
Root cause: The care instructions were lost, and as a result, the plant was watered incorrectly.
By using The Five Whys, you have discovered that the real problem isn't just the yellowing leaves or even the overwatering. The root cause is that the plant's care instructions were lost. Knowing this, you can now take action to find suitable care instructions and adjust the watering schedule accordingly.
The Five Whys is a straightforward and practical tool that can help you uncover the root cause of a problem, guiding you towa ...