What is it?

5 Whys is a root cause analysis tool for helping teams quickly get to the causes of an issue before developing solutions.

Why is it useful?

• Surfaces the real problems rather than just the symptoms.
• Creates team buy-in as issues are unpacked together.
• Ensures solutions are targeted and sustainable.

Objective

To help the team understand all the causal factors that have a bearing on an issue and fix the real problem rather than treating the symptoms.

When would you use it?

• When you have a complex or stubborn problem to solve.
• Before developing a solution, to avoid addressing only symptoms.
• As a diagnostic tool to clarify what’s really going on.

Resources required

• A willing group of participants.
• Large blank paper (about 1m high by 3m long).
• Wall space to display the paper.
• Marker pens (with spares).
• Open space with no tables and chairs (this works best as a standing exercise).

Rules

• Always run a root cause analysis phase before moving to solutions.
• Don’t debate each point at length — capture quickly and move on.
• Keep answers clear and unpacked so others outside the session can understand later.

Roles & responsibilities

Facilitator

• Keeps the process moving.
• Avoids long debates.
• Ensures notes are clear and usable afterwards.

Participants

• Contribute ideas and expertise.
• Follow the process positively.
• Help the team move towards deeper insight.

Process

1. State the challenge

The Facilitator writes a concise statement of the problem on the left side of the paper.
Example: “Revenue budgets not balanced.”

2. Ask “Why?”

Move one step to the right and ask: “Why is that?” Capture responses as short, clear phrases.
Example: “Costs are too high” or “Income is too low” (not just “Costs” or “Income”).

3. Continue asking “Why?”

For each answer, ask “Why?” again and record the next level of causes.

4. Go deeper

Try to work each branch to around five levels, or until you reach a genuine root cause.

5. Map branches

Once one path is complete, return to earlier levels and explore other causes.

6. Review

The completed diagram shows all the identified root causes that need to be considered in your solution.

Secret Sauce

• Write answers so anyone outside the session could follow the logic later.
• Expect more than two answers per level — capture them all.
• You may not be able to fix every root cause, but identifying them ensures solutions are stronger and better informed.