5 Whys
What it is
Root cause analysis. Start with a problem and ask "why" five times to drill down to the root cause. Then identify the action to address it. A structured format for teams that need to go beyond surface-level issues.
When to use it
Best for root cause analysis when a recurring problem needs deep investigation. Use when the team has tried quick fixes that didn't work. Ideal for incident retrospectives or process failures.
Column breakdown
Problem
The problem to analyze
Why 1–5
Each successive "why" digs deeper
Root Cause
The underlying cause
Action
Proposed fix
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