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    "The 5 Whys": Root Cause Analysis

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    karthikkanda
    The document discusses the "5 Whys" technique for root cause analysis. It involves repeatedly asking "why" to get to the underlying cause of a problem. You ask "why" about the presented problem, and then "why" about the answer, until the root cause is identified. The technique was popularized by Toyota and helps determine the root cause of issues quickly and easily. An example of using it for the problem of getting caught speeding is provided.

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    "The 5 Whys": Root Cause Analysis

    Uploaded by

    karthikkanda
    77 views2 pages
    The document discusses the "5 Whys" technique for root cause analysis. It involves repeatedly asking "why" to get to the underlying cause of a problem. You ask "why" about the presented problem, and then "why" about the answer, until the root cause is identified. The technique was popularized by Toyota and helps determine the root cause of issues quickly and easily. An example of using it for the problem of getting caught speeding is provided.

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    5Whys-p24

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    5Whys-p24

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    The document discusses the "5 Whys" technique for root cause analysis. It involves repeatedly asking "why" to get to the underlying cause of a problem. You ask "why" about the presented problem, and then "why" about the answer, until the root cause is identified. The technique was popularized by Toyota and helps determine the root cause of issues quickly and easily. An example of using it for the problem of getting caught speeding is provided.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    77 views2 pages

    "The 5 Whys": Root Cause Analysis

    Uploaded by

    karthikkanda
    The document discusses the "5 Whys" technique for root cause analysis. It involves repeatedly asking "why" to get to the underlying cause of a problem. You ask "why" about the presented problem, and then "why" about the answer, until the root cause is identified. The technique was popularized by Toyota and helps determine the root cause of issues quickly and easily. An example of using it for the problem of getting caught speeding is provided.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    The 5 Whys

    Root Cause Analysis


    If you dont ask the right questions, you dont get the right answers. A question asked in the right way often
    points to its own answer. Asking questions is the ABC of diagnosis. Only the inquiring mind solves problems.
    Edward Hodnett (1871-1962 British Poet)

    Determine the Root Cause: 5 Whys


    (Adapted from www.mindtools.com)

    Asking Why? may be a favorite technique of your three year old child in driving you crazy, but it could teach
    you a valuable problem solving technique.

    The 5 Whys is a simple problem-solving technique that helps you to get to the root of a problem quickly.
    Made popular in the 1970s by the Toyota Production System, the 5 Whys strategy involves looking at any
    problem and asking: "Why?" and "What caused this problem?" Very often, the answer to the first "why" will
    prompt another "why" and the answer to the second "why" will prompt another and so on; hence the name
    the 5 Whys strategy. Benefits of the 5 Whys include:
    It helps you to quickly determine the root cause of a problem.
    It's simple, and easy to learn and apply.

    How to Complete the 5 Whys

    When you're looking to solve a problem, start at the end result and work backward (toward the root cause),
    continually asking: "Why?" You'll need to repeat this over and over until the root cause of the problem
    becomes apparent.

    1. Write down the specific problem. Writing the issue helps you 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 doesnt 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 problems root cause is identified. Again, this
    may take fewer or more times than five Whys.

    Prepared by Pelletier Consulting www.pelletier-consulting.com 2014 Page 1


    5 Whys Example

    Problem Statement: Got caught speeding.i

    i
    http://www.educational-business-articles.com/5-whys.html

    Prepared by Pelletier Consulting www.pelletier-consulting.com 2014 Page 2

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