Have A Problem?

Sunday, 24. January 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.

The “5 Whys” is a simple problem-solving technique that helps leaders get to the root cause of an issue quickly. Made popular in the 1970s by the Toyota Production System, the “5 Whys” strategy involves assessing a problem by simply asking: “Why?”... at least five times!

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.

The benefits of using the “5 Whys” method of problem solving is it helps to quickly determine the root cause of a problem - and it is easy to learn and apply. When looking to solve a problem, start by simply asking: “Why?” This simple question is then repeated over and over until the root cause of the problem becomes clear.

The following is an example of the 5 Whys analysis and problem-solving technique:

1. Why is our client, ABC Corp., unhappy? Because we did not deliver our services when we said we would.

2. Why were we unable to meet the agreed-upon timeline for delivery? The job took much longer than we thought it would.

3. Why did it take so much longer? Because we underestimated the complexity of the job.

4. Why did we underestimate the complexity of the job? Because we made a quick estimate of the time needed to complete it, and did not clearly break down the individual stages needed to complete the project.

5. Why didn’t we do this? Because we were running behind schedule on other projects. We were rushed… Therefore, we need to review and revise our current estimate and specification procedure - adding manpower if needed.

The 5 Whys strategy is an easy and often-effective tool for uncovering the root of a problem. Because it is so elementary in nature, it can be adapted quickly and applied to most any problem. (Bear in mind, however, that if it doesn’t prompt an intuitive answer, other problem-solving techniques may need to be applied.)