Muhammad Azfar Bin Johan (B082010113)

Technique Application for Problem Solving

The ability to solve problems is crucial in both personal and professional contexts. It entails
locating problems, assessing them, and developing workable solutions. However, it might be
difficult to solve problems, particularly if you don't know what caused them in the first place.
Techniques for solving problems can be useful in this situation. The "Five Whys," which entails
asking "why" five times to determine the root of a problem, is a well-known problem-solving
method. This method enables you to identify the source of an issue and create workable ways
to solve it. This writing will examine the "Five Whys" method, explain how to use it, and offer
examples to show how it works.

Given the scenario:

A restaurant is experiencing low customer satisfaction ratings. The following will explain about
using the “Five Whys” technique.

1. Ask "why" - Why are customer satisfaction ratings low?

Answer: Because customers are complaining about long wait times for food.

2. Ask "why" again - Why are customers experiencing long wait times for food?

Answer: Because there are not enough cooks in the kitchen to prepare the food quickly.

3. Ask "why" again - Why are there not enough cooks in the kitchen?

Answer: Because the restaurant has not hired enough staff to keep up with demand.

4. Ask "why" again - Why has the restaurant not hired enough staff?

Answer: Because they do not have a budget to hire more employees.

5. Ask "why" again - Why does the restaurant not have a budget to hire more employees?

Answer: Because they are spending too much money on marketing and advertising.
Hence, by using the "Five Whys" technique, the restaurant was able to identify that the root
cause of their low customer satisfaction ratings was not hiring enough staff due to budget
constraints caused by excessive spending on marketing and advertising. The restaurant can then
take action to re-allocate their budget towards hiring more staff to improve food preparation
times and customer satisfaction ratings.

To apply this technique, start by defining the problem you want to solve. Then, to dig further
into the problem and discover what is causing it, ask "why" five times. Use the answers to each
"why" question to guide your consideration of potential fixes and corrective actions. This
method allows you to pinpoint the source of an issue and create workable ideas to fix it.

In conclusion, the "Five Whys" method is a strong tool for problem-solving that can assist
people and organisations in locating the source of an issue and creating workable solutions.
You can go into an issue and identify the root reason by asking "why" five times. This method
is adaptable and can be used in a variety of situations, including both personal and professional
ones. It is important to remember that the method is not always effective and that further
research may occasionally be necessary to determine a problem's necessary cause. In any case,
the "Five Whys" strategy is a helpful place to start when trying to solve an issue, and with time
and practise, it may be a beneficial addition to any problem-solving toolbox.