Cause and Effect Analysis

Getting to the Root Cause of Problems and Understanding

their Impacts

Why Are We Using This

Technique?

Defining a solution to a problem without conducting

a cause/effect analysis is like shooting an arrow
without aiming. You are ensuring that the
solution you define will really hit the mark.

ASSUMPTION: You Have a Problem

Jumping straight to defining solutions often leads to failure.
You may have a problem now because the current solution
addresses the wrong problem.
Understanding your problem completely means you can
define a complete solution, versus a partial one which could
lead to long-term failure.

How Does It Work?

Youre going to use the fishbone diagramming
technique developed by Kaoru Ishikawa to get to
the root of your problem.
(Breaking a big problem down into granular
causes)

Your Goals
Use the Ishikawa (aka: fishbone, herringbone, cause and
effect, fishikawa) diagram to drive a discussion about the
issues you face
Identify the root (the real, most elemental) cause of your
problem.
Discover bottlenecks or inefficiencies in your process.

Identify The Problem

State the problem as you understand it now.
Express it in three words or less.
This is the Effect
Effect

Problem
Statement

Identify The Factors

Involved
Identify the big things that might be involved in
causing the problem.
Causes
[Facto
r]

Timin
g

Enviro
nmen
t

Effect

]
[Factor

Staff

Problem
Statement

Brainstorm Potential Causes

Drop each cause into a category. Create new
categories and adjust old ones as needed. Include
primary and secondary causes. The group should
agree on the diagram as it evolves.

Merger?

[Facto
r]

Recession?

Timin
g

Causes
Enviro
nmen
t

Effect

Problem
Statement
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Staff

or]
[Fact

Layoffs?

ills
Sk
s
et

Identify THE Critical

Cause(s)

Identify one (if possible) cause to focus on. Use the

5 whys technique to ensure you are focusing on the
right level of granularity (i.e. - identifying the root
cause).

Merger?

Timin
g

Recession?

[Facto
r]

Projects
Grinding to
a Halt

Causes
Enviro
nmen
t

Effect

Why? Production Costs

Why? Corporate Performance
Why? No Funding

Why? Dated Technology + Layoffs Senior S

Why? Inadequate Technical Skills
Inadequate Skillsets

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or]
[Fact

Layoffs?

ills
Sk
s
et

Review & Discuss Next

Steps
Now that you know what the real problem is, how
will you solve it?

Merger?

Timin
g

Recession?

[Facto
r]

Projects
Grinding to
a Halt

Causes
Enviro
nmen
t

Effect

Why? Production Costs

Why? Corporate Performance
Why? No Funding

Why? Dated Technology + Layoffs Senior S

Why? Inadequate Technical Skills
Inadequate Skillsets

te
ua
eq
ad
In

Staff

or]
[Fact

Layoffs?

ills
Sk
s
et