Comprise the team.

A Cross Functional Team (CFT) is the appropriate organization to carry out the exercise known as “5 Why & 5 How.” You shouldn’t be working on it by yourself at your desk. Participants on the team should include operators from various shifts or from the next step in the process, as well as individuals who are familiar with the process in issue. Additionally, members of the Quality and Process Engineering departments should be included. Every member of the team will contribute their own one-of-a-kind perspective on the issue at hand and pose significant questions that might not have been asked in any other circumstance.

Define the problem that is at hand.

Prior to beginning an investigation into the root cause of a problem, it is essential for any team to first precisely describe the issue at hand. Construct a problem statement that is both clear and succinct. It is important for the team to maintain their concentration on the process rather than on the persons. In addition to this, the team needs to determine the extent of the problem that needs to be solved. It is possible that the problem-solving exercise will result in minor enhancements when larger and more comprehensive enhancements are required if the scope is too limited. The definition of the problem with an excessively broad scope may, on the other hand, result in an extension of the amount of time necessary to address a problem and the generation of solutions that may not be compatible with the corporate culture or with the corporate plan, and therefore may never be implemented. When you take the effort to precisely identify the problem at the beginning of the process, it frequently saves time and makes it easier to find a solution to the problem.

The next step is for the leader of the team or the facilitator to inquire as to the reason “Why” the problem or failure mode happened. Not based on an emotional reaction, the reactions must be supported by facts or evidence rather than being biased by feelings. The replies should also concentrate on errors that occur in the processes or systems.

It is then the facilitator’s responsibility to inquire of the group whether the stated causes have been rectified, and whether the failure mode or problem is still present. If you receive a positive response, proceed to the second “Why” question, and then proceed to the third, fourth, fifth, and so on until you receive a negative response.

Use 5 Whys Technique 

You should be aware that it is not always required to ask “Why” five times. It is possible that the underlying cause will be discovered during the third or fourth “Why” It is also possible that it will take more than five attempts to get past the symptoms of the problem and arrive to the underlying cause of the issue. Moreover, by the time you reach the third, fourth, or fifth “Why,” it is highly probable that you will identify a management or systemic practice as the root reason.

Corrective actions and Implementation

Following the identification of the root cause or causes, it is necessary to compile a list of suitable remedial measures that can be taken to address each root cause. What is a helpful strategy for coming up with potential answers to the underlying causes of the problem and establishing action items to make the situation better? Following the completion of the measures that were recommended, it is going to be necessary to evaluate how effective the actions were. Statistical Process Control (SPC), part inspection, or any number of other approaches could be utilized to monitor and measure the process in order to validate the success of any modifications that have been implemented.