Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?
Loading...DETERMINE ROOT CAUSE
The 5 Whys process is simple. To determine root cause or to get a deeper understanding of a problem, you simply ask why at least five times. As you probe deeper into root cause, you engage higher order thinking skills to find meaning. This process will often challenge your understanding of the problem or situation. This is important for teams to be able to fully address a problem or analyze a potential solution to a problem.
5 WHYS EXAMPLE
A 5 Whys conversation with an elementary student might look like this:
WHY #1: Why is it important to be in school?
“Because I want a good job.”
WHY #2: Why do you want a good job?
“Because I want to support myself and help my Mom.”
WHY #3: Why is it important to help your Mom?
“Because she helps me.”
WHY #4: Why does she help you?
“Because she loves me.”
WHY #5: Why does she love you?
“Because it makes me happy and it makes her happy. So in other words, we should stay in school so that we can get a good job, support ourselves and help our Mom.”
