Fishbone Diagram for Root Cause Analysis

April 7th, 2009

The fishbone diagram has a few other common names such as the cause and effect diagram, 5-Whys, and the why-why diagram.  These names are appropriate because this tool seeks to find the reasons why a particular event (the effect) was caused.

Analysis of underlying, or root cause, can be described as the method used to discover the essential deciding factor for an occurrence or flaw. This procedure is an area of interest because pinpointing the cause of an incident raises the probability of being able to produce or avoid it later on.

Many tools have been created to perform root cause analysis. A few of these tools include the Pareto chart, the fishbone chart, and failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA). Although all of these are valid and useful tools, we will take a closer look at the fishbone diagram.

By working from the end after figuring out the effect is the universal algorithm for coming up with a hypothesis. Usually, this is the incident or problem someone is trying to identify. Determining cause and effect is after that. If you ask yourself “What is causing this?”, you can come up with many different responses and you should compose those in catalog form. Upon the determination of the answer, you ask yourself again.

Creating the Fishbone Diagram

For every cause, the “why” question is asked till no more answers could be generated or till five generations have been completed (hence the 5 -Whys.  Due to it,the general shape of this diagram looks similar to a horizontal tree. At the far right the original event (the effect) is listed. Then a horizontal line is drawn towards the left. From the horizontal line,the answers the “why” questions are listed. Then the reasons for those answers are branched off. In most of the cases,the branches are a little bit slanted creating a look of a fishbone.

A company desires to cut its costs for the quarter. They do not order tools. The workers then do not have the tools they need to make the product. Without the proper tools, the workers take longer to complete their work. This results in higher wages so the price of the product must be raised. At a higher price, the customer refuses to buy the product. This is an example of the 5-why chain for a company that cost that company a customer.

After the root cause is uncovered, measures may be taken either to either guarantee that the root cause can be prevented in the future if the end result was a negative one, or else that it occurs again if there was a positive result. Only the symptoms of the problem get treated, as opposed to the cause, if the core of the problem is not correctly identified. Practices such as these could bring on extra costs, slower delivery, lesser quality, or all three.


Pert Chart - Pert Chart Training and resources

Leadership Development - Traditionally, leadership development has focused upon improving the leadership abilities in addition to attitudes of leaders. People are not all born with alike potential to command well any more than folks do not completely have identical capacity to play soccer or sing like superstars. Different personal characteristics can help or encumber one's management usefulness and call for formalized programs designed for developing management skills.
Keywords: Leadership Imperative, Transactional Leadership, Characteristics of an Effective Leader, Leadership Qualities, Psychology: Team Motivation

Income Tax Help - Need help with your Income Taxes - we have Income Tax Help
Keywords: Income Tax Help

Knowledge Management Training - Knowledge Management Training - Learn how to make more of the knowledge your people already possess

Team Building Ideas - Team building ideas for your group, company, or project.
Keywords: Build a Covered Wagon

Tax Deductions - Tax Deductions - Tips for Individuals and Small Business
Keywords: mileage tax deductions, tax deductions for the self employed, Standard Deduction vs Itemized Deduction, Tax Deductions, missed tax deductions, Small business tax deductions, 10 most common tax deduction , Tax Deductions for 2008, self employed tax advice, Hot Tax Deductions, commuting tax deduction, car tax deduction

Lemon Law - Lemon Law Help - We can help you understand the Lemon Laws and protect yourself
Keywords: Lemon Law

Cause and Effect Diagram - More things than you ever wanted to know about Ishikawa Diagrams, such as how to use them, where they grow, and what not to feed them after midnight.

Time Management Training - Learn How to Manage Your Time to get more things done in less time, and make the most of the time you have.
Keywords: POSEC time management, Eisenhower important/urgent, Eisenhower Method

Consulting Mentor - Consulting Mentor is your connection to Consulting Resources, Tips, and Mentoring.
Keywords: McDonald's Management Style, Self-employed tax deductions, Change Management, income tax deductible mileage, Business Vehicle Deductions, Entrepreneur Skills and Qualities, Send Tax Return Certified, consulting articles, deducting mileage, Send Taxes Certified Mail, Business Driving Log, Project Management vs Operations Management, Consulting Resources

Risk Management Training - Risk Management Training -- learn to identify and mitigate risks in your project or company

Kaizen - Applying the Kaizen Philosophy - It's the little things that count when you're running lean. And six sigma kaizen philosophies all apply when you're keeping your total quality management program in check with Kaizen concepts.
Keywords: Kaizen Concept

Ninja-Nerd - Nerdy Stuff about Social Media, Internet Marketing, Copywriting, Search Engine Optimization, and other web marketing things that might be useful for promoting your business online.

Total Quality Management - Total Quality Management - the pursuit of ISO 9001, CMM and other Deming-like pursuits
Keywords: Quality Management Tips

Gant Chart - Gant Charts are the key to project management in the modern era.

Project Management Course - Project Management Training -- learn how to make projects run smoothly, whether you're a PMP or just studying to be one.
Keywords: History of Project Management, Project Management Course, functional organizational structure, Balanced Matrix, Project Mangler Blog, Project Leadership vs. Project Management, Weak Matrix, Strong Matrix Organization, Project Management Blog, Strong Matrix Organization, Matrix Organization, Project Management vs Release Management, Matrix Organizational Structure

MCSE Certification Training - Merit the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) certification and show your knowledge in innovating and applying the network designed for business products rooted in the Microsoft Windows 2000 Server platform and Windows Server System. Learn about MCSE training advantages. Go through the normal MCSE employment functions and computing situations to learn whether this certification is meant for you. Obtain the Microsoft education in addition to resources designed to help you mature the proficiencies needed to succeed in the IT industry. Reserve
Keywords: MCSE Certification Training

Ghant Chart - All About Ghant Charts

Audio Conference Calling - Audio Conference Calling Tips, Services Directory, and Reviews
Keywords: Teleconferencing Etiquette, Teleconference Etiquette, Audio Conference Calling, Conference Call Etiquette, Teleconference Etiquette, Disadvantages of Web Conferencing

Business Analyst Career - Business Analyst Career resources to keep business analysts well trained, properly prepared for interviews, and cetified for ready deployment.

Flow Chart - Flow Chart training and resources

Gannt Chart - Gannt Charts are the key to project management in the modern era.
Keywords: Mac Project Planning Software, Gannt, Gannt

Masters Degree Online - Get your Masters Degree online
Keywords: Masters Degree Online

Root Cause Analysis - Root Cause Analysis Training and Resources
Keywords: Fishbone Analysis

Gantt Chart - Gantt Chart Training and resources. Gantt Charts are the key to project management in the modern era.
Keywords: Henry Gantt, Gantt, How to use Gantt Chart, Gantt Chart, Gantt chart timeline, Gannt chart, Gantt chart mac, Gaant Chart, Methods of Team Conflict Resolution, Mac Gantt Chart, Work Breakdown Structure Gantt Chart, Gantt Charts and PERT Charts, Creating a Gantt Diagram, How to make Gantt and Pert chart, Henry L. Gantt, Fishbone Diagram Training, Gantt Chart Tutorial, Gantt Mac

Emotional Intelligence - Learn to harness the power of EQ and put emotional intelligence to use at work and home.

Abraham Maslow - Abraham H. Maslow brought a fresh viewpoint to civilization of psychology through his notion of "hierarchy of human needs". His awareness of an "authentic self" is nowadays considered one of the base stones of the Humanistic movement.
Keywords: maslow's hierarchy of needs, motivation and personality, Maslow Marketing, maslow's theory, humanistic psychology, Theory Z, Maslow and Education, maslows hierarchy of needs, Abraham Harold Maslow, Maslow, self actualization, theories of human motivation, maslow biography, maslow's hierarchy, maslow theory, maslow's hierachy of needs, maslow on management, Motivation Theories, motivation theory, Abraham H. Maslow, hierarchy of needs, maslow's theory of motivation, A Theory of Human Motivation, biography of abraham maslow, theories of motivation, maslow hierarchy of needs

Debt Reduction Solutions - Debt Reduction and Debt Solutions Tips and Guidance
Keywords: Debt Reduction Plan, Debt Reduction Solutions

Envision Software - Offshore software application development outsourcing has led to vegetative business progress throughout the planet. Software ought to go through a step-by-step process before it is presented for broad use to utilize most suitable industry practices at lowest possible cost, meeting global standards in addition to industry norms. At the present time, everyone of us, an individual or an company wants to be at the pinnacle, nevertheless just gaining the top positioning won’t do; retaining as well as maintaining that importance is of utmost import.
Keywords: Pareto Charts, maslow's hierarchy of needs theory, Clayton Alderfer, Self Fulfilling Prophecy, Maslow motivation, Hawthorne Studies, Maslow theory of motivation, Project Timeline Chart, PERT Chart, Hawthorne Effect, Gantt Chart tutorial, Fiedlers Contingency Theory, Maslow Triangle, maslow's hierarchy of needs, Contingency Theory, Employee Recognition, Elton Mayo, Maslow's theory, Hawthorne Study, Micromanagement, Theory X and Theory Y, Kaoru Ishikawa, Business Management Articles, Douglas McGregor, Vilfredo Pareto, Micromanager, Gant Chart, Gantt Chart, Fiedlers Contingency Model, Halo Effect, PERT Diagram, Ghant Chart, employee motivation theories, Gannt Chart, modern motivational theories, Parado Chart, Critical Path Diagram, Maslow's theory of motivation, Path-Goal Leadership Theory, ERG Theory