5 whys root cause analysis — what it is and how to use it.

Some problems need more than a quick fix. With the five whys analysis, you can drill down to the specific cause of your issue and stop it from emerging again.

The beauty of this technique is that it all comes down to a single word — why. Let’s talk through how it works.

• What is the 5 whys technique? Definition and origins.
• How to conduct a 5 whys analysis: a step-by-step guide.
• Practical examples of 5 whys in action.
• The 5 whys and Adobe Workfront.

The five whys technique is a problem-solving method based around iterative questioning. By asking “why?” five times, you should be able to move past superficial answers and get to the root cause of a problem. The process might seem relatively straightforward, but it’s an effective way to counter issues that keep recurring when other, simpler fixes barely scratch the surface.

Let’s look at a quick scenario. If you imagine a house with a leaky pipe, simply asking “why is the floor wet?” and answering “because there is a leaky pipe” is a viable response, but it’s somewhat unsatisfactory. The true issue lies deeper — “why is there a leaky pipe?”. If we then answer, “because the water pressure was too high”, we get a clearer picture of the issue. And if we dig deeper — “why is the water pressure too high?” — and realize that we may have a faulty pressure regulator, we can fix the regulator, replace the pipe, and be confident the issue is solved for good.

The history of the 5 whys.

As a technique, the five whys encourage innovation and resourcefulness — and after 100 years, they’re still going strong.

The method started with Sakichi Toyoda, the industrialist and inventor famous for Toyota Industries in the 1930s. Toyoda recognized the value of this strategy when it came to problem-solving issues while running his company. As the architect of the Toyota production system, he wanted to keep the lean product production process running as smoothly as possible. The five whys system played an important role in the basis of Toyota’s success.

Rather than allowing executives and project managers to sit in the boardroom developing theories about why a particular problem might have happened, they employed a “go and see” philosophy, where they went to the shop floor to investigate in person. They then continued investigating until they found the origin of the obstacle.

This eliminated personal opinions that could color perceptions about what caused a problem without proper analysis. The five whys technique brings a more scientific approach to the discovery of an underlying cause.

This led to superior processes that allowed the business to continue to grow and expand. The Toyota organization uses this strategy today to overcome obstacles and identify the nature of the problem as it arises.

This strategy quickly became popular outside the Toyota company, with many companies picking it up in the 1970s. Businesses and professionals continue to use it to improve their problem-solving skills and internal processes.

When to use the 5 whys method.

The five whys methodology shines in a wide range of management or business issues. For example, you might find it helpful when:

• Process improvements. The five whys is perfect for uncovering inefficiencies or bottlenecks within processes. By repeatedly asking "why" about a glitch or flaw in a process, your team can peel back the layers of the problem to find the underlying cause beneath. For example, if customer order fulfillment is consistently slow, the five whys might reveal whether the problem stems from inadequate staffing, outdated technology, or inefficient internal communication. Addressing these root causes leads to more sustainable improvements than simply implementing superficial fixes.
• Technical issues. The five whys helps you find a structured way to diagnose and solve tricky technical problems. It helps move beyond superficial fixes to identify the underlying root cause, preventing future occurrences. For instance, if a software application keeps crashing, asking the five whys can help determine whether you’re looking at a coding error, insufficient server resources, or a compatibility issue. This systematic approach ensures a thorough investigation — and a more robust solution.
• Addressing project delays. Project delays often result from a chain of interconnected factors rather than a single cause. By systematically questioning the reasons for delays, project managers can find the bottlenecks, resource constraints, or dependencies contributing to the overall problem. For example, if a project misses its deadline, the five whys might reveal whether the delay is due to insufficient resources, unclear requirements, or ineffective communication. This allows for targeted interventions to prevent future delays.
• Resolving customer complaints. By systematically investigating the reasons behind a complaint, businesses can identify problems in their products, services, or processes. For example, if customers frequently complain about poor customer service, the five whys can help determine whether the problem stems from inadequate training, insufficient staffing, or a lack of clear service protocols. Addressing these underlying issues can lead to higher ratings — which can be important for word-of-mouth recommendations and landing new customers.

The five whys strategy often works best when used to solve simple or moderately difficult problems. It does not have the intricacy of other problem-solving strategies, and this strategy may not work as well with extremely complex problems. But it is effective in helping professionals better understand the root causes of issues and take a first step in problem-solving.

When not to use the 5 whys method.

Let’s look at a few scenarios where the technique may fall short.

• Highly complex problems: For intricate issues with many interwoven causes, the five whys may oversimplify the situation, potentially missing crucial contributing factors. The iterative "why" questioning may not be sufficient to unravel the complexities of such problems.
• Intertwined causes: When multiple causes, parties, timeframes, and other factors are involved, the five whys may struggle to distinguish between contributing factors and the ultimate root cause. The linear progression of questions may not adequately capture the multifaceted nature of the problem.
• Situations requiring empirical evidence: The five whys relies heavily on deduction and may not provide sufficient rigor for situations demanding empirical validation of the identified root cause. More robust methods may be necessary to ensure that the conclusions are supported by evidence.

In such cases, more sophisticated root cause analysis (RCA) methods are necessary. These techniques offer a more structured and comprehensive approach, often incorporating data analysis and multiple perspectives.

Alternative RCA Methods.

For complex scenarios where the five whys don’t quite cut it, you could consider alternative RCA techniques. These include:

• Fishbone diagrams (Ishikawa diagrams): These diagrams represent potential causes of a problem, categorized by varied factors — including people, materials, methods, and environment. This approach encourages brainstorming and a more holistic view of the problem.
• Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA): FMEA systematically identifies potential failure modes, their effects, and their causes, allowing for proactive risk mitigation. This is particularly useful in high-stakes situations where the consequences of failure are severe.

Choosing the appropriate RCA method depends on the complexity of the problem and how rigorously you want to approach it. While the five whys serve as a valuable starting point for many situations, recognizing its limitations and employing more sophisticated techniques when necessary is crucial for effective problem-solving.

When it comes to conducting a five whys analysis, you’ll find there’s more to it than simple repetition. Let’s go through the steps.

1. Assemble a group of team members.

First, bring together a team of professionals who are familiar with the issue. Include people from across different departments that might impact the problem. Each team member will have a different perspective and fresh ideas that can help the team better uncover the root cause of a problem.

2. Select a leader.

To keep the team motivated and moving forward, select a leader who will organize the group. Having a leader will ensure that the team continues to work their way through the five whys strategy and properly evaluate each question.

The leader should focus more on their role as a facilitator. All team members should feel the freedom and flexibility to speak their thoughts about the dilemma and what might have caused the problem.

3. Write down the problem on a whiteboard or paper.

Next, the team should record their problem statement to ensure everyone is on the same page. Taking notes as they progress through the evaluation levels will keep thoughts and ideas organized. It will also help the group appropriately implement the changes that need to happen to prevent the problem from recurring.

4. Ask the first “why.”

Now, the group needs to articulate the question they want to solve and answer their first “why.” For example, if they want to know why a software update occurred late, they will pose a question, such as, “Why did this software update occur behind schedule?” The team will then want to brainstorm their answer to this question and record their notes.

5. Ask “why?” four more times.

Following this first ask, the team needs to follow up with four more rounds of “whys.” Once the team has answered the first question, they need to ask why that event occurred.

6. Determine the root cause of the problem.

Once the team has gone through the five stages of “why,” they need to articulate what they understand to be the root cause of the problem. Look at the final answer derived from this process and use that to begin articulating the cause and effect that resulted in the original problem. The group can then begin brainstorming ideas for solving this problem.

7. Assign responsibilities for solutions.

Armed with information about the root cause of the problem and the chain of events that occurred, the team should begin articulating solutions to the problem. Assign responsibilities to different team members to prevent the problem from reoccurring. Record the corrective actions assigned to different team members and their jobs to improve business function.

8. Share the analysis results.

Finally, the team should share with the larger department or company the outcome of their analysis. Describe the answers to the questions found, the believed root cause, and the solutions articulated. As the group moves forward, watch for progress and continuous improvement and see if the solution does its job of alleviating the chain of events that led to the initial obstacle.

Tips for effective 5 whys analysis.

The five whys technique, while deceptively simple, requires thoughtful application to yield accurate and actionable results. Here’s how to maximize its effectiveness.

• The "five" is a guideline, not a rule: The number "five" in "five whys" is a rule of thumb, not an absolute requirement. In some cases, you may need to ask "why?" more than five times to reach the root cause, particularly for complex issues. Conversely, you might reach the root cause before five iterations, especially for simpler problems. The key is to continue questioning until further "why" inquiries yield no additional insights.
• Focus on factual answers: Avoid speculation or assumptions. Answers must be grounded in facts and observable evidence, not opinions or hypotheses. This prevents the five whys from becoming a purely deductive exercise, which can lead to inaccurate conclusions. By focusing on factual accounts of what happened, teams can more reliably identify the root cause.
• Embrace multiple lanes of inquiry: A single problem can often have multiple contributing factors. The five whys allows for parallel investigations, following different lines of inquiry simultaneously. This approach ensures a more comprehensive analysis, capturing the full range of contributing factors and leading to more robust solutions.
• Don't assign blame: The five whys focuses on identifying the root cause of a problem, not assigning blame. Even if individual actions or failures contributed to the problem, the goal is to understand the underlying systemic issues that allowed those failures to occur. This approach promotes a culture of continuous improvement rather than one of blame. By focusing on "why" things happened, rather than "who" is responsible, the five whys facilitates more effective problem-solving and prevents the recurrence of similar issues.

Sometimes, the easiest way to understand the application and possibilities of the five whys strategy is to go through a few examples. Here are three situations where businesses might use this strategy to better ascertain the root cause of their problems.

Low sales numbers.

One opportunity to use the five whys process is if a business looks at its sales numbers and realizes they have declined over the past quarter. The team — comprised of marketing, sales, and customer service personnel — might go through the analysis like this:

• Why have our sales numbers decreased? We have experienced an increase in complaints about the product — which has led to fewer recommendations, repeat purchases, and upsells, along with more negative reviews online.
• Why have our customers begun to complain more about the product? Our software has seen more bugs and technical issues, which led to more customer service calls and frustration.
• Why have there been more bugs? The product team and research and development department have a significant percentage of new employees and lack the experience and know-how to reach the level of capability that customers want.
• Why do these departments have so many new employees? We had high turnover in the past 18 months.
• Why did we have such a high turnover? We offered benefits packages that were significantly smaller than the competition and lost some of our best developers.

In this situation, the team recognizes the importance of valuing employees and creating a desirable work situation to build loyalty. Quality employees produce quality customer experience. They can develop an action plan to better train new hires and improve their benefits packages to ensure they attract and retain the top talent.

Failing to produce ordered products on time.

Another opportunity for a five whys analysis might arise if a manufacturer does not finish filling orders for companies who paid for their products.

• Why did we fall behind in filling these orders? We completed the orders behind schedule due to a backlog earlier in the month.
• Why was there a backlog earlier in the month? The backlog arose because the machine’s belt stopped working for a full week, and we could not complete orders in that time.
• Why did the belt stop working? The motor for the belt was overdue for maintenance servicing, and it could not maintain the level of work.
• Why was the machine behind on servicing? Due to consistently high demand, no one wanted to shut down the machine for the few hours it would take to service it.
• Why did no one schedule time to shut down this machine for maintenance? The manager overseeing this machine did not want to risk a small delay in production to stay on top of the maintenance.

This team discovered that the desire to avoid a small delay in production to perform routine maintenance resulted in a large delay to fix the machine, causing missed deadlines. This team should develop an action plan to enforce regular maintenance and investigate slower times to schedule the maintenance. They will also need to make sure no manager gets penalized for missing quotas when they take the time to maintain their machines.

Teams regularly missing product deadlines.

Businesses might also encounter situations where their teams fail to meet project deadlines. This can delay deliverables to clients or otherwise disrupt the rest of the organization. To solve the problem, a team might ask questions such as:

• Why did the team miss this deadline? The team completed their project behind schedule because different team members completed their parts of the project late.
• Why were different team members completing their parts of the project late? The team members completed their parts of the project late because they had gaps in responsibilities that they did not find until the deadline.
• Why were there gaps in responsibilities? The team members were assigned tasks but otherwise communicated very little, so they did not realize that no one was handling important parts of the project.
• Why were team members not communicating? The team culture was virtually non-existent, and the group functioned more as a single leader who divided up tasks with little discussion between team members.
• Why did the team lack a cohesive culture? The team lacked a cohesive culture that encouraged cooperation because they were not encouraged to engage or ask questions, which led to guessing and feelings of individualism.

This team might focus on the importance of doing a better job of building team culture through regular meetings, encouraging discussions and asking questions, and nurturing leaders who guide others by example and welcome outside-the-box thinking.

Adobe Workfront’s collaborative features make the five whys simpler than ever. Its project management capabilities allow for easy documentation of each "why" and its corresponding answer, creating a clear audit trail of the analysis. The platform's robust communication tools facilitate real-time collaboration among team members, ensuring that everyone participates actively in the discussion and contributes their expertise.

Here are a few key features:

• Centralized workspace: Use Workfront to create a dedicated space for conducting five whys analyses, ensuring that all relevant information is stored in one easily accessible location.
• Task creation for each "why": Create individual tasks within Workfront for each "why" question and its corresponding answer, facilitating clear documentation and progress tracking.
• Assign ownership: Assign ownership of each task to a team member, ensuring accountability and fostering collaboration.
• Utilize comments and discussions: Use Workfront's commenting and discussion features to facilitate real-time collaboration and knowledge sharing among team members.
• Generate reports: Use Workfront's reporting capabilities to generate a concise summary of the five whys analysis, facilitating communication of the findings to stakeholders.

Learn more about how Adobe Workfront can help your business streamline workflows and improve collaboration.