Digging down to the root causes of a problem

Have you ever had a problem that repeatedly returned despite being solved? Recurrent or stubborn problems are often symptoms of deeper issues that "quick fixes" don’t address, wasting resources and increasing frustration for all involved.

?Last month, Katia and I told you about the Ishikawa problem solving tool. In this article, we examine the complementary technique of the 5 Whys (sometimes known as the 5Y). It is a simple but powerful tool. It makes it possible to identify the fundamental causes of a dysfunction or a problematic situation in order to be able to propose effective and definitive responses.

In this article, we look at the 5 Whys technique (sometimes known as 5Y). It is a simple but powerful tool for cutting quickly through the outward symptoms of a problem to reveal the underlying causes.

?The 5 Whys technique was developed in the 1930s by Sakichi Toyoda, Japanese industrialist, inventor and founder of Toyota Industries. It became popular in the 1970s. Toyota, among others, still uses it today to solve problems. We can also emphasize that it is useful beyond industrial processes because it allows better decisions to be made, or to reveal deeper motivations.

?The method is remarkably simple:

1. We identify the problem. What's going on? Is it a problem? What are the consequences?

2. We ask ourselves the question “why” as many times as necessary to pinpoint its root cause(s)

3. An adequate counter-measure is sought and implemented to prevent the problem from recurring

?The 5 Whys uses "counter-measures," rather than "solutions." A counter-measure is an action or set of actions that seeks to prevent the problem from arising again, while a solution may just seek to deal with the symptom. As such, counter-measures are more robust, and will more likely prevent the problem from recurring.

How do you run a 5 Whys analysis?

To begin with, it is important to remember a few best practices:

·??????Put aside emotions. This is particularly important if you are using the method with people directly involved in the problem to be solved.

·??????Stay factual. Ban deductions and assumptions. Keep in mind the question "what can we observe?"

·??????Explore the causes over which you have control. For example, we cannot act on a natural disaster that will cause a blackout. But we can provide an emergency solution (such as a generator) to limit the consequences.

·??????Use the following path to validate the link between the problem identified and the causes stated: Why? → Because → Therefore

o??Why is the delivered item defective?

o??Because it does not meet the specifications

o??Therefore, it cannot be used and is classified as defective by the customer

Let’s take a concrete example – your customer is refusing to pay for some promotional items:

The example above illustrates how to find a root cause for a given problem. But our problems often stem from several distinct causes. They therefore take the form of causal trees, which make it possible to generate more complete and therefore more lasting responses:

So, let's take the previous example and complete our answer:

And don't forget to assign responsibilities and deadlines for the counter-measures identified, and keep your stakeholders informed of the results.

?This simple technique can often point you quickly to the root cause of a problem. But it is most effective when used to solve simple or moderately difficult problems: it may sometimes not be suitable if you have to tackle a complex or critical problem. Indeed, the 5 Whys method can lead you to follow a single line of inquiry (the famous “tunnel” effect), or a limited number of leads, when in reality, there may be multiple causes. In such cases, it is recommended to combine the 5 Whys with the Ishikawa approach to ensure that you keep a 360 degree view.

?If you would like to know more about this problem-solving tool, do not hesitate to contact us directly.

Debbie Brown and Katia Gutknecht?