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You Need to Ask Why — 5 Times
Discover the Revealing Answers from the “Magic Fifth”
Toddlers know how to do this only too well. As Grown Ups we typically stop asking why after the first one. What would it be like to continue asking why? Annoying? Yes maybe. Revealing? Absolutely!
Originating from the Toyota Production System, the “Five Whys” technique involves asking “why” five times to uncover the layers of causation behind a particular issue.
Each successive “why” peels away another layer, revealing a more comprehensive understanding and often leading to unexpected revelations.
The Five Whys
The 1st Why : Identifying the Surface Issue
Imagine a scenario where production output is lower than expected. The first “why” seeks to identify the surface-level problem. For instance:
Scenario: Production output is lower than expected.
- Why is the production output low?
- Answer: The machine broke down.
The 2nd Why : Understanding the Immediate Cause
Once the initial problem is identified, the second “why” probes deeper to understand the immediate cause.
