Problem solving is a skill that every business leader needs. Whether you’re a small business owner or a global CEO, problems will arise and you’ll need to know how to navigate the situation. The 5 Whys technique can help you find solutions to complex problems without getting lost in all the details.
In this article, we’ll explore the Five Whys technique so you can apply it to your next problem solving session.
What is the Five Whys Technique?
The 5 Whys technique is based on a simple but powerful formula—If you ask five times why a problem exists, you will likely uncover the root cause of the problem and solve it.
The 5 Whys is a process of inquiry that can help you develop deeper insight into a problem. The principle behind this method of problem solving is that in order to explain a problem, you need to find out what led to it in the first place. You need to find the root cause of a problem or uncover its initial cause.
Origins of the 5 Whys Technique
The 5 Whys method was first developed in the 1930s by Sakichi Toyoda, the Japanese industrialist, inventor and founder of Toyota Industries. Until this day, the method remains part of the Toyota Production System.
“The basis of Toyota’s scientific approach is to ask why five times whenever we find a problem… By repeating why five times, the nature of the problem as well as its solution becomes clear.“ Taiichi Ohno
How the 5 Whys Technique Works
The 5 Whys technique starts by looking at a problem you have. You begin by naming your problem, as if you were explaining it to a friend. Then you ask yourself one question, as if you were a listener. The question is typically: Why does it happen? The method will then work backwards. You use the last part of the question to identify the conditions that led to the problem.
In short, you’ll look at your problem through the lens of five questions and work your way backwards.
The 5 Whys Technique in Practice
Here is how the 5 Whys technique would work in action. After identifying that your new website failed to launch as per schedule, you ask the following Why questions:
- Why wasn’t the new website launched as scheduled? The website needed more development.
- Why wasn’t it developed by the deadline? Because the website developers needed to incorporate new features.
- Why weren’t the new features added earlier? One of the developers was not up to date with our requirements and process.
- Why was this website developer not up to date with our requirements and process? There was poor communication and coordination with our offshore developers.
- Why was there poor communication and coordination? Due to the failure to take into account others’ working hours and failing to set suitable timing for collaboration across different time zones.
Asking these five questions will help you identify where you went wrong, and give you the opportunity to determine a solution. The root cause of the issue, in this instance, is failing to accommodate to the different working hours of your project members. The solution is to address and establish a feasible working schedule for all.
Why is the 5 Whys Technique so Helpful for Problem Solving?
The 5 Whys technique helps you resolve problems by looking at the sequence of events that lead to them. This problem-solving technique helps you understand the cause of a problem and it helps you to see where the solution might lie.
You may have heard the expression, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.” Solving problems requires you to consider the problems at each level.
The 5 Whys technique helps you to look at the problem from every possible angle to understand why a particular problem occurred and how you might fix it.
As a business leader, manager or entrepreneur, you will be faced with multiple problems and challenges, so you’ll need to know how to find answers to complex questions and navigate challenging situations.
The 5 Whys technique is an invaluable skill to have in your toolkit. It will help you address a wide range of problems and issues, and is a simple way to understand what happened, what caused the problem, and then how to fix it.
If you’re looking to uncover new methods for problem solving that can drive results in your business, schedule a call with me today.
