The Five Whys

What are the Five Whys

The 5 Whys is a problem-solving method that relies on asking “why?” five times in a continuous sequence to discover the root cause of a problem. Each time you ask why a problem occurred; your answer then becomes the basis of your next question. This will force you to dig deeper and deeper into the true root cause of the issue.

This method is simple. Your team will decide the first “why” question to start with and then appoint someone (preferably in management) to ask the rest of the 5 whys within the sequence of questions.

Here is an example of how you can use the 5 Whys:

  1. Document the problem.
  2. Use it only with a team.
  3. Continue to ask why you have the problem until you find the root cause.

Sample 5 whys blank worksheet

Tips When Using the Five Whys

  • Make sure the answer to each question is based on factual data instead of disputable group opinions. This should give you a more accurate root cause.
  • The number five is just a rule of thumb; it’s very possible you may need to ask more than five questions to identify the root cause of the problem. It’s also possible that you could need less than five questions to identify the right answer. The main idea is that you should end this step once you’re no longer coming up with practical answers.