The 5 Whys

4 minutes read

5 Whys is a simple yet powerful technique to get through the real or root cause of a problem by cutting out all its outward symptoms. It can also be used to identify and eliminate waste practices. It was developed by Mr. Sakichi Toyoda in the 1930s. The technique gained vast popularity and is still used by Toyota and many companies across the world.

The starting point is to define the problem clearly and then to ask ‘Why’? Once you answer the first ‘Why’?, pose that answer as a statement and again ask ‘Why’?. You continue doing this for a further 3 times.

How to run a 5 Whys

Running a 5 Whys is very simple and generally follows the below step-by-step process.

  • Identify who all are affected
    Once you know what problem you are aiming to solve, assemble the team who are familiar with the problem to discuss it. It's generally good to have stakeholders from different teams in the meeting as you can get a more holistic and wider perspective. Also, don't forget to include someone who can moderate or facilitate the session.

  • Define the problem
    Discuss the problem and agree on a clear problem statement. Eg - ‘’We are finding many bugs post-live deployment’’. Write your statement down on a sticky note or a whiteboard so that everyone in the meeting can see it.

  • Ask the first ‘’Why’’
    Ask the first why i.e why is the problem happening. Eg - ‘’Why are we finding many bugs post-live deployment?’’. Ensure you separate guesses from reality when you ask your ‘’Why’’ otherwise it may cause confusion.

  • Ask ‘’Why’’ four more times
    Keep asking ‘’Why’’ four more times until you get to the real root cause.

  • Address the root cause
    Once you have identified the root cause, discuss how you want to solve it and agree on actions you will take to prevent the problem from recurring.

Example of 5 Whys

Problem Statement: We are finding many bugs post-live deployment

  1. Why are we finding many bugs post-live deployment?

    • Because there is no end-to-end testing fully.

  2. Why is there no end to end testing being done fully?

    • Because QA is busy and does not have much time.

  3. Why is the QA busy?

    • Because the QA is working on multiple projects and is not able to test each project in detail.

  4. Why is the QA working on so many projects?

    • Because there is lack of additional QA resources to work on other projects.

  5. Why is there lack of additional QA resources to work on other projects?

    • Because we are still waiting for the recruitment team to hire more QA's.

Benefits of 5 Whys

  • Helps to identify the real relation between the cause and the actual root problem
  • One of the simplest techniques to identify the root cause of a problem quickly
  • Easy to learn and apply
  • Comprehend what went wrong
  • Identify potential improvements
  • Build a culture of continuous improvement
  • Avoids you from taking immediate action without considering if you’ve identified the real root cause of the problem

Who all should be invited to a 5 Whys

Five Whys helps teams to learn that problems in companies are caused not by bad people but by bad processes. Careful consideration must be done as to who to invite or who not to invite for the meeting. Everyone affected directly or indirectly by the problem should be invited for the meeting, otherwise whoever is left out can easily be a target for blame.

Individuals who must be invited for the meeting are anyone who is - trying to fix the problem, who is involved actively in the product or projects, who is connected to the problem, decision makers who will solve the problem and a moderator (if needed) to run the meeting

Conclusion

5 Whys is most effective when you are dealing with simple or moderately complex issues rather than something very complicated or multi-faceted. The reason being that it is designed to drill down in detail rather than a broader investigative approach.

While the 5 Whys technique was originally developed for use in a manufacturing setting, it can be beneficial in a wide range of applications. Do you use the 5 Whys in your work or personal life? If so, how was it and did it work for you?