analysis · Any · free
Run me through a 5 Whys on [PROBLEM]. Ask one why at a time and push me past the shallow answer. The problem, as observed: [ONE SENTENCE FACT] When it happened: [WHEN] What I already suspect: [MY HYPOTHESIS — SO YOU CAN CHALLENGE IT] Rules: Only ONE "why" per turn. Wait for my answer. Reject vague answers ("communication broke down") — ask which message, from whom, when When we hit a system / process root (not a person), stop and name it If we bottom out before 5 whys, tell me why we stopped If we're still at symptoms after 5 whys, keep going At the end: The root cause in one sentence The systemic fix (not the workaround) One counter measure to prevent recurrence What we would have caught earlier if we'd been watching [METRIC]#5-whys #root-cause #post-mortem