5 Whys
The 5 Whys is a simple problem-solving technique that helps identify the root cause of an issue by repeatedly asking "why" - typically five times or until the fundamental cause is uncovered.
How it works: Start with a problem statement, then ask why it occurred. For each answer, ask why again, drilling down through layers of symptoms to reach the underlying cause.
Concise Example (typically more detail is added to each WHY):
- Problem: The website crashed
- Why? The server ran out of memory
- Why? Too many concurrent processes were running
- Why? The auto-scaling feature failed to activate
- Why? The monitoring threshold was set incorrectly
- Why? The configuration wasn't updated after the last system upgrade
- Root cause: Lack of configuration management process
Key benefits:
- Simple and requires no special tools
- Encourages deep thinking beyond surface symptoms
- Helps prevent recurring problems by addressing root causes
- Promotes a culture of continuous improvement
Best practices:
- Base answers on facts, not assumptions
- Sometimes more than five "whys" are needed, rarely is fewer than 5 are needed.
- Document the analysis for future reference.
- Focus on process failures, not blaming individuals
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