What are some common tools and techniques for root cause analysis besides the 5 Whys and fishbone diagrams?

5 Why's technique was developed by Sakichi Toyoda & used within the Toyota Corporation. a) The outcome of a 5 Why analysis is one or several root causes b) It is a technique for determining the root cause or contributing causes of a problem. c) It shows the relationship of causes by repeatedly asking the question “Why?” d) It usually, takes 5 levels of “why?” to determine the root cause. Use “Therefore” in the reverse to check if your logic is correct e) The final root cause should be within the control of your team Typically, could be Lack of Process, Ineffective Process, or Failure to execute the Process Mantra: "In a 5 Why Analysis, 5 is not a magic number. In some cases, it could take more than 5 Whys & in some cases less than 5 Whys"

5 time limit is very important in 5 Whys. If we ask more than 5 times, the analysis becomes off track. Moreover, to ask why from a fresh eye meaning peson not directly invole in the case is necessary to solve the issue.

The application of logic tree technique of problem solving is well-established in root cause analysis. It can be used in any case where a Root Cause Analysis is required. It will guide you through the steps of analyzing the problem and determining the root causes. The key to the logic tree and root cause analysis is to keep asking yourself "WHY" until you can't. Never forget that some discipline in the investigation is essential for a good root cause analysis. Always begin by stating the problem, then list each potential cause, utilize the WHY methodology (at least 5 whys to sort), take modest actions, don't jump to solutions, and validate the claim.

The 5 Why's method is used commonly in the food industry to deep dive into the causes for the problem. it is easy to apply as well. asking 5 times why is not big task, but the first why is important because next 4 whys may lead somewhere and end up with improper corrective action. For ex: Employee does not have skills of HACCP study In the cause analysis rather than saying no training is provided, say as the training need identification was not done, module of training does not cover based need basis, Needs are not verified. mantra: Carefully do the first why then proceed with other 3 or 4, involve food safety team do the brainstorm for the cause.

The "5 Whys" method helps prevent treating symptoms and instead focuses on resolving the core issues that lead to problems. It encourages deeper thinking and a more systematic approach to problem-solving.

The Fishbone Diagram is a cause analysis tool that identifies many possible causes for an effect/problem. It’s Inductive Reasoning: the premises are viewed as supplying some evidence, but not full assurance of the truth of the conclusion. It’s widely used for the probable cause analysis. It helps us organize information to identify potential relationships. It’s a Group Participation visual tool for structured brainstorming with the cross-functional team (It can be used to structure a brainstorming session. It immediately sorts ideas into useful categories) When to use Fishbone: a) When identifying possible causes for a problem b) When a team’s thinking tends to fall into ruts

A Fish bone diagram also known as Cause-and-Effect Diagram, is a visual tool used to analyze and illustrate the possible causes of a specific problem or issue. It helps identify the root causes by categorizing and connecting various factors that could contribute to the problem, making it a valuable tool in problem-solving and quality improvement processes.

“First things First” is the thought behind the Pareto diagram. Our attention is focused on problems in priority order" Pareto diagrams are used to: a) Analyze a problem from a new perspective b) Focus attention on problems in priority order c) Compare data changes during different time periods. The chart is named after Pareto principle. Vilfredo Pareto made extensive studies about the Unequal distribution of wealth & formulated mathematical models to quantify this mal-distribution (roughly 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes (the “vital few”)) a) Dr. Joe M. Juran developed the “vital few” and the “trivial many” concept in the context of quality control & improvement, name to apply to the phenomenon of “vital few” and “trivial many.”

Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) is a graphical tool that is utilized to investigate the underlying causes of system-level failures. This method employs Boolean logic to combine a series of lower-level events, and it is essentially a top-down approach that aims to identify the component-level failures (basic events) that lead to the occurrence of system-level failures (top events). The process of fault tree analysis involves the use of "events" and "logic gates" to connect the events and determine the root cause of the top undesired event. Compared to Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA),Fault Tree Analysis is considered to be a more straightforward approach as it focuses on all possible system failures that may lead to an undesired top event.