Back to Basics: Why Ask Why?
Back to Basics: Why Ask Why?
- Publication:
- Quality Progress
- Date:
- May 2015
- Issue:
- Volume 48 Issue 5
- Pages:
- pp. 64
- Author(s):
- Chadha, Rajeev
Abstract
Five whys is a fundamental and simple method of root cause analysis. Asking “Why?” is formalized by some industries and is a favored technique of many reliability, Six Sigma and manufacturing professionals. By repeatedly asking the question “Why?” you can peel away layers of the symptoms that lead to a problem’s root cause. This Back to Basics article focuses solely on latent causes because identifying them early can prevent other organizational issues.