The 5 Whys | CWX Workflow Tools
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Ops Console / Module 01 / 5 Whys

The 5 Whys

Find the real cause, not the symptom.

Ask "why" about five times in a row, walking from a symptom down to a cause you can actually change. It is the fastest way to keep a problem from coming back, and it works best on one clear issue with a mostly single cause chain.

Time5–20 min
FormatInteractive worksheet
SavesPDF · JSON record
← Root Cause module All modules

What it is

Ask "why" about five times in a row to walk from a symptom down to a cause you can actually change.

When to use it

One clear problem with a mostly single cause chain, especially process and human-factor issues. Many parallel causes? Use Fishbone first.

How to run it

State the problem precisely, ask why it happened, then why that happened. Stop when fixing the last answer would prevent it returning.

Draft saved

Worked example · print shop

Problem: We reprinted a 2,000-sheet business card run.

  1. Why? The color didn't match the approved proof.
  2. Why? The press wasn't profiled to the new stock.
  3. Why? The operator ran the default profile.
  4. Why? Nothing flags a new stock for profiling.
  5. Why? The job ticket doesn't capture stock changes. ← root cause

Countermeasure: add a "new stock?" flag to the ticket that forces a profiling step before the run is released.