The 5 Why Analysis is a methodology used to investigate cause/effect relationships for a particular problem and identify a root cause. It is often used in the context of lean, six sigma, process improvement projects. Repeatedly asking the question “Why” allows you to peel away the layers of symptoms which can lead to the root cause of a problem. Note that the number 5 is a good rule of thumb, but some problems may take more or less levels to really get to the root cause. Also, sometime the underlying reason for a problem will lead to another question to be investigated.
The methodology is often applied with a fishbone or Ishikawa diagram, which allows you to lay out all the potential inputs and factors affecting a problem. The 5 Whys are a good way to then drill down into the details. The methodology is best used in a team setting, and it helps to discuss the various issues in depth and make sure the team comes away with an agreement before proceeding. Be careful not to “lead” the questioning in order to get to a preconceived answer.
Keep in mind also to think through reasons why a problem was not detected, and why the system allowed the problem to occur. All of these factors are helpful in developing a corrective action plan.
5 Whys: Root Cause Analysis
Toyota, the car manufacturer, started using this technique in the 1930’s in order to uncover what caused a certain problem during the manufacturing process. And while it’s too robotic for UX research, we can learn a lot from this mindset: you should always dig deeper, and aim for finding a lot of meaningful insights.
My advice:
- Ask follow-up questions
- “Why” is your friend, but don’t be too robotic or interrogative, there are a lot of great alternative questions
- Always be ready to ask unexpected questions, you shouldn’t follow your interview script in a rigid manner (in UX research, we usually conduct semi-structured interviews)
Related UX Knowledge Base Sketch:
https://tinyurl.com/bdh3bcck
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