Understand
Five Whys
Asking “why” step by step, with evidence at each step, to trace a problem to its cause.
What is Five Whys?
Asking “why” step by step, with evidence at each step, to trace a problem to its cause.
What you learn
Every “why” needs evidence. Stop at a cause you can fix.
When it helps
one specific failure needs an evidence-backed chain of causes, starting from what happened.
Use it at work
- Write the problem as a fact.
- Ask why it happened, and check the evidence.
- Repeat with each answer, often about five times.
- Stop at a cause you can fix, and fix it.
Your output
Next time something fails, write each “why” with the evidence for it. Stop when you reach a cause you can change.
Watch for
Jumping to the easiest guess, often a person, without evidence.
Related practices
Sources
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