5-Why Analysis and Supporting Template

5-Why Analysis and Supporting Template
1/4/13 2:53 PM
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5-Why is a simple approach for exploring root causes and instilling a Fix the root cause, not the symptom,
culture at all levels of a company. Invented by Japanese Industrialist Sakichi Toyoda, the idea is to keep asking
Why? until the root cause is arrived at. The number five is a general guideline for the number of Whys
required to reach the root cause level, but asking Why? five times versus three, four, or six times is not a
rigid requirement. What matters is that we fix recurring problems by addressing true causes and not
symptoms - this is true progress.
5-Why Example
(Here is the 5-Why Powerpoint file used for these graphics)
http://www.dmaictools.com/dmaic-analyze/5-why
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5-Why Benefits Addressing Root Causes

The 5-Why thought process guides us to lasting corrective actions, because we address root causes and not
symptoms. Lets look at the effects of addressing the 1st Why versus the 5th Why in the above exercise -
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Note the improvement in corrective action effectiveness as each deeper Why is addressed above:
Responding to the first Why in the 5-Why process is almost counterproductive: we are retraining the
stock pickers in our warehouse, because we assume that they pulled the wrong item from our inventory.
In reality, the stock pickers performed their jobs perfectly, and the real cause was mislabeled parts
coming from the supplier.
Addressing the third Why (having the supplier check their stock for other mislabled products) is much
more effective that addressing the first Why, but this action will have no lasting effect beyond fixing the
current inventory situation.
Addressing the fifth why is powerful, because it focuses on the true cause: mistakes being made in the
label application process.
World class companies routinely address systemic causes like the 5th Why? above, eliminating reactionary
problem solving and shifting resources to prevention activities over the long run.
5-Why Reporting Format

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The above example shows a typical 5-Why format for narrow problem statements where one cause-path
exists. For broader problem statements where two or more causes are involved, the following format is
effective
This format is also very useful for explaining the causes behind the top bars on a Pareto chart, as in the case
above where a team has collected data and built a Pareto chart on top-level reasons for downtime. Instead of
simply showing a Pareto chart with no further insight into each Pareto bar, the team selects the top two items
(material shortages and downtime on machine ABC) and uses the 5-Why format to explore the root causes of
each.
Noting Actions Directly on 5-Whys

Remember that 5-Why exercises are only useful when actions come from the meeting. Take time to
document those actions/next steps with the team, and then follow up to ensure that they are implemented.
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Recording action items to the 5-Why document itself is a great practice, as shown below. Dont forget to
agree on the action owners and estimated timing!
Leading a 5-Why Exercise

1. Schedule the Meeting
Schedule a time for the 5-Why discussion, and invite individuals who know about the product and/or process
at hand. Your goal should be to run an efficient meeting and complete the 5-why in one session, no more than
an hour long. 5-Why is not meant to be a lengthy exercise.
2. Plan for a Successful Outcome
Clearly state the problem and desired outcome in advance of the meeting, via the meeting notice, email, etc..
An example of this would be: Complete a 5-Why analysis on problem ABC and understand next steps for
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further investigation / corrective action. Have an easel pad or large dry-erase board in the meeting room, and
have the problem statement and 5 Why column headers already documented before the attendees show up.
3. Run a Successful Meeting
Remember that the success of your meeting will determine attendance at your future meetings! You want to
have a reputation for holding productive meetings, being highly respectful of attendees while keeping the
meeting on track to achieve desired outcomes.
Take a couple of minutes at the start of the meeting and explain that 5-Why is a way to document root causes,
showing an example (use the Powerpoint file above if you dont have a more relevant example from your
company).
Take another couple of minutes to clearly state the problem, and make sure everyone agrees with the problem
statement. The more specific the problem statement, the better.
See the our video on this page for handling the 5-Why discussion itself there are a few important points that
will help you manage the discussion in the meeting.
4. Agree on Follow-Up Actions / Next Steps
Take time to document those actions/next steps with the team, and then follow up to ensure those actions are
implemented.
Limitations
5-Why is useful for straightforward problems with systemic causes like the case noted above, where poor
preventive maintenance is the systemic cause for unplanned equipment downtime. In cases when the root
cause is not readily apparent, 5-Why by itself will not solve the problem. For example, if a toy manufacturer
needs to improve color consistency in a product, they will need to understand which factors influence color the
most (otherwise they might not need a Six Sigma project to begin with). In cases like this, structured analysis
methods like multi-vari, correlation analysis, and DOE may be necessary to actually learn the physical
relationships between the input variables (process settings, raw materials, etc.) and output variables (in this
case, color). If your team is attacking a number of product variation challenges, then read Keki Bhotes World
Class Quality for a highly effective approach.
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