The 5 Whys of Problem-Solving Method

Summary

The video introduces the 5 Whys technique by Sakichi Toyoda, a simple yet effective method to identify the root cause of a problem. By repeatedly asking 'why' after each answer, deeper issues are uncovered. The video demonstrates this through an example where a team avoids using new software due to missing information. After just three 'why' questions, the true issue is revealed: the software asks for details that users often don't have. This technique helps avoid frustration and leads to better solutions. More information is available in the accompanying article.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Many problems at work are symptoms of deeper issues.
• 🛠 To solve problems effectively, it's important to find the root cause.
• ❓ Sakichi Toyoda's 5 Whys technique is a simple method to discover the root cause.
• 💡 Start by asking 'Why?' about the problem, and continue until you reach the underlying issue.
• 🧑‍💻 Example: An IT team rolls out new software, but no one uses it despite training.
• 🤔 First 'Why': People aren't using it because they don't like it and find it a pain to use.
• 📋 Second 'Why': The system asks for information that users don't have.
• 🧾 Third 'Why': Receipts often don’t list individual items, making it hard to input data.
• 🔑 Root Cause: The system demands information that isn't always available, so people avoid it.
• ✅ The 5 Whys technique helps identify the true issue, enabling effective solutions.

Q & A

What is the main idea behind the 5 Whys technique?

The 5 Whys technique is a problem-solving method that helps identify the root cause of an issue by repeatedly asking the question 'Why?' until the underlying cause is found.

Who developed the 5 Whys technique, and for what purpose?

The 5 Whys technique was developed by Sakichi Toyoda. It was created to address and solve underlying problems rather than just treating their symptoms.

Why is it important to find the root cause of a problem?

Finding the root cause of a problem is crucial because it allows for effective solutions that prevent the issue from reoccurring, rather than just temporarily fixing the symptoms.

What initial problem is presented in the script example involving the IT team?

The initial problem is that no one on the team is using the new software for tracking expenses, despite having been trained on it.

How does the team respond when asked why they are not using the software?

The team responds by saying they don't like the software and find it a pain to use.

What does the 5 Whys technique reveal as the root cause of the IT team’s issue?

The root cause is that the software requires information that users often don’t have, such as listing exact items that aren’t always detailed on receipts.

What might have happened if the 5 Whys technique was not used in the example?

Without using the 5 Whys technique, the team might have been wrongly blamed for not using the software, without addressing the actual usability issue of the software itself.

How many 'Why' questions were needed to get to the root cause in the given example?

In the given example, it took three 'Why' questions to get to the root cause of the problem.

What is one benefit of using the 5 Whys technique, as highlighted in the script?

One benefit is that it helps avoid superficial solutions and ensures that efforts are directed toward solving the actual underlying problem.

Where can someone learn more about the 5 Whys technique?

The script mentions that more information about the 5 Whys technique can be found in the article accompanying the video.

Outlines

00:00

🔍 Identifying Deeper Problems at Work

Many workplace problems are symptoms of deeper issues. To prevent recurring problems, it's crucial to identify the root cause. The 5 Whys technique, developed by Sakichi Toyoda, is a simple method to do this by repeatedly asking 'Why?' until the underlying issue is found.

❓ How to Use the 5 Whys Technique

The 5 Whys technique starts by questioning the current problem and repeatedly asking 'Why?' to drill down to the root cause. For example, if a team isn't using new expense tracking software, the process begins by asking why they avoid it and continues until the fundamental issue is revealed.

💡 Example of the 5 Whys Technique in Action

In the example, an IT team rolls out new software that no one uses, despite training. By asking 'Why?' several times, it's discovered that users lack the necessary information to complete the process, which is why they avoid the software. This highlights how quickly the technique can uncover key obstacles.

🔑 Discovering the Root Cause

In this case, only three 'Why?' questions were needed to uncover that the software asks for details users don't always have, leading to its avoidance. Without using the 5 Whys technique, the issue might have been misattributed to user negligence, instead of software design flaws.

🚀 Applying the 5 Whys to Solve Problems

The 5 Whys technique is a simple yet powerful tool for identifying the root cause of problems and avoiding frustration or misdirected blame. Once the real issue is known, steps can be taken to address it. More information can be found in the accompanying article to this video.

Keywords

💡Problem

A problem is an obstacle or issue that prevents a desired outcome. In the video, problems at work are described as symptoms of deeper, underlying issues. The focus is on understanding problems not just at surface level but digging deeper to solve them effectively, ensuring they don't reoccur.

💡Root cause

The root cause refers to the fundamental reason behind a problem. In the video, solving a problem effectively requires identifying its root cause rather than just addressing the symptoms. The 5 Whys technique helps uncover this root cause, which is crucial for long-term solutions.

💡5 Whys technique

The 5 Whys technique is a problem-solving method developed by Sakichi Toyoda. It involves asking 'Why?' repeatedly (often five times) to drill down to the root cause of a problem. In the video, this technique is demonstrated to uncover the core issue behind employees not using a new software system.

💡Symptom

A symptom is an indication of a deeper issue, not the problem itself. In the video, work problems are often symptoms of more significant, underlying causes. For example, employees not using software is a symptom, but the deeper issue revealed through questioning is that the software asks for hard-to-obtain information.

💡Underlying issue

An underlying issue is the hidden cause behind a visible problem. In the video, it's emphasized that many problems at work are just the surface manifestation of deeper issues. Identifying the underlying issue is key to creating lasting solutions.

💡Software adoption

Software adoption refers to the process of employees or users starting to use new software tools in their work. In the video, the problem is that employees are not adopting the expense tracking software, and the 5 Whys technique is used to explore why this is happening.

💡Avoidance

Avoidance occurs when individuals steer clear of a task or tool they find challenging or frustrating. In the video, employees are avoiding the software because it asks for information they cannot easily provide, revealing a key barrier to its adoption.

💡Scanned receipts

Scanned receipts are digital copies of physical receipts. In the video, the software requires employees to upload scanned receipts and provide additional item details. However, when receipts lack individual itemization, employees are unable to comply, leading to frustration.

💡Training

Training refers to the process of teaching employees how to use new systems or tools. In the video, even though the employees were trained to use the new expense tracking software, they still avoided it, suggesting that training alone wasn't enough to ensure proper software adoption.

💡Effective resolution

Effective resolution means addressing a problem in a way that prevents it from recurring. In the video, using the 5 Whys technique leads to an effective resolution by uncovering the root cause of the problem (i.e., the software asking for hard-to-provide information), allowing for a solution that ensures future compliance.

Highlights

Many problems at work are just symptoms of deeper issues, so it's essential to drill down to find the underlying cause.

Sakichi Toyoda's 5 Whys technique is a simple and effective way to identify the root cause of a problem.

The process involves asking 'Why?' repeatedly until the core issue is revealed.

In the example, an IT team implemented new expense-tracking software, but no one is using it despite being trained.

The first 'Why' question uncovers that people don't like the software because it's difficult to use.

The second 'Why' reveals that the system requests information the users don't have.

The third 'Why' identifies that the system asks for itemized receipts, which sometimes don't list individual items.

The root cause is that the software demands information that is often unavailable, making it less useful.

Without the 5 Whys technique, management might have wrongly blamed the employees for not using the system.

By identifying the real issue, management can now work on improving the software to meet users' needs.

The 5 Whys technique is valuable because it prevents superficial solutions and focuses on addressing the actual problem.

The technique is simple yet powerful in helping avoid recurring issues by getting to the root cause.

The approach can save time and resources by resolving the core problem early in the process.

The method enhances communication and understanding between teams, especially in problem-solving situations.

Readers can learn more about the 5 Whys technique in the accompanying article for further insights and applications.

Transcripts

Many problems at work are just symptoms of deeper issues.

Therefore, to solve a problem effectively, so it doesn't reoccur, we need to drill down to identify the underlying cause.

Sakichi Toyoda's 5 Whys technique is a simple way to do this.

To use it, you start with the problem you're facing, and then keep asking “Why?” until you've discovered the root cause.

For instance, imagine the IT team in your organization has just rolled out new software for tracking everyone's expenses.

But, no one on your team is using it, even though they've all been trained.

So, you use the 5 Whys Technique to get to the root of the problem.

You start by asking why people aren't using the new software. They say that they don't like it. And, that it's a pain to use.

You then ask WHY they don't like it. They tell you that the system asks them for information they don't have.

You then ask them WHY they don't have the necessary information.

They say that the system wants their scanned receipts, which is fine. But it also wants them to list exactly what they bought.

Sometimes, the receipts don't list individual items. When this happens, they can't use the software.

In this case, it took just three WHY questions to get to the root of the problem.

The system is asking for information that your people often don't have. So, they're avoiding it because it's not useful.

If you hadn't used the 5 Whys technique, you might have just got angry with your team, again, for not using the software as they should have.

But now you know what you need to do to resolve the situation.

The 5 Whys technique is a simple way to get to the root of a problem.

You can find out more about it in the article that accompanies this video.