Are you tired of solving the same problems?

I've witnessed the frustration of managers and team leaders as they see their teams solve the same problems time and again.

Problem recurrence means valuable time is spent on the same issues instead of moving forward towards new horizons and tapping into new opportunities.

It’s not easy to take time to stop and really think about the causes of problems––often there is only enough time for a quick-fix with all the pressure cascading from bosses and customers. In some environments it is counterintuitive to slow down and delve into details and people may feel they are being unproductive.

With simple problems where the causes are blatantly obvious, by all means move to solutions and get them done. No use in deliberating in this case. But if you find yourself falling into the recurrence trap, then it’s time to do something different. In this case it may help to use tools such as the Fishbone and 5 Whys methods to take the team deeper into the problem before assigning action. The following article aims to explain the purpose and use of these tools prior to making changes, so that you can get cracking on more interesting things.

Fishbone Diagrams

Aptly named, Fishbone Diagrams offer a brainstorming tool drawn in the shape of a fishbone. They are a remarkably simple, visual means of generating ideas in a team. The head of the fish represents the obstacle, problem or effect under discussion. The fish’s bones are in turn populated with possible causes of what has been captured at the fish head.

This technique encourages broad thinking about the ‘bones’ or causes of challenges faced, so narrowing down root causes.

Figure 1 shows a theoretical Fishbone Diagram. Here we will focus the question: Why does a driver keep stalling his vehicle?

Figure 1: Simplified Example of a Fishbone Diagram

The Fishbone Diagram includes standard headings to help categorise possible causes. These also serve as a reminder to the team as to the elements to think about. In some cases the cause could be listed under more than one heading, and the team can decide under which category to place it. As this is a brainstorming process, all causes should be captured but teams must refine ideas by seeking true evidence of each cause listed. This will filter out sources of problems that are not relevant.

Figure 1 sees the most likely cause circled. This is how we single out a factor for further investigation of underlying dynamics. It is important that the team consider these sub-causes before proceeding to remedial actions that treat the symptom rather than the cause. Where the ultimate cause circled is more complex in nature, it may be worth developing a Fishbone Diagram just for this theme. Alternatively, where more straightforward, we could proceed using the 5 Whys.

5 Whys

A child’s affinity for problem-solving is both wonderful and natural.

When children ask questions, they are never satisfied with superficial answers. They invariably probe further with yet another ‘why?’. Somehow, as we get older, this ability wanes and we stop asking as many questions as we once did. We become less curious. Perhaps we believe we have seen so much that we do not need to wonder more deeply? But, that is an oversight. The 5 Whys takes us back to a childlike penchant for asking smart questions. In the context of Operational Excellence this basic technique digs deeply at the root cause of a problem through a series of ‘why?’ questions. The tool offers a quick, focused and easy way through which anyone in the organisation can probe a problem.

When you initiate a 5 Whys process, you may discover that there are many answers to a question and the process could descend into a labyrinth of causes. This makes root cause identification nearly impossible and team members risk losing faith in the process.

Be vigilant about having evidence for each answer that is accepted as an option.

When a possible root cause is put forward, have the team hold it up to the light of factual evidence. This will clean up the information captured so that the next level of questioning is more elegant.

You may be wondering about the name, ‘5 Whys’? The tool is so named as it encourages you to ask the question five times, but it's not rigid. In some cases the root cause of problem is revealed in less than five ‘Why?’ questions. In others it takes more than this. So, think of the number five as a guideline and alter the 5 Whys to suit the situation you are exploring.

Once your team gets at the root cause then test the countermeasure suggested by running it through a PDCA cycle. This process will expose any causes not properly interrogated and take them back a step in the analysis.

5 Whys and the Fishbone Diagram in Tandem

Coming back to the problem explored in our Fishbone Diagram example, Figure 2 breaks down the most likely causes even further to uncover the deeper, hidden root causes. The team is then in a better position to explore possible countermeasures and actions to address the root of the problem. If the team had discussed the problem without doing the analysis, they may have concluded to just do some training, but there are other actions required to rid the company of the problem as illustrated below.

Figure 2: Example of the 5 Whys process

The 5 Whys method is also highly effective when used on its own. Remember that if the problem at hand seems quite straightforward, the team can move to 5 Whys to uncover the cause. If the team is finding that getting at the heart of a problem is more complicated, they may need first to construct a Fishbone Diagram to narrow down their focus.

Any sub-causes established can be added to our Fishbone Diagram to show the team’s thinking but also to keep a record of the decisions made (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Adding sub-causes to the Fishbone Diagram

With causes and sub-causes in hand the team is now in a position to discuss countermeasures and put together a detailed action plan. With practice, the same problems will recur less frequently, and the team will feel motivated to tackle a fresh round of obstacles. In this way, their learning is stimulated and they begin to cross new thresholds of knowledge.

For more information to support your improvement journey, refer to Clear Direction (Heathcote, 2014) and Making a Difference (Heathcote, 2016).