The 5 Whys - Excel, Google Sheets, PDF

What is the "5 Whys"?

This is a technique used for root cause analysis. In essence, “why?” is asked five times sequentially to determine cause-and-effect relationships and solve problems. 

This iterative process can be used alone or in combination with other methods to achieve the desired results.

Advantages of the 5 Whys

Problems rarely fix themselves. When you’re proactive about tackling a problem, you stand a better chance at fixing it and preventing it from repeating itself. 

But here’s why the 5 Whys is particularly useful:

• Simplicity: The 5 whys approach requires no complex skills — if you can ask why five times, you’re off to a great start. 
• Low cost: You won’t need anything more than a pen and paper (or a (or a free 5 Whys template) to put this technique to work.  
• Ability to uncover hidden causes: When you ask “why?” sequentially, you can understand problems and their causes at a deeper level. Less obvious — but nevertheless important — causes of a problem might reveal themselves through your root cause analysis.
• Effectiveness: It’s not guaranteed to find the cause of every problem. But it’s still in use today over 90 years after its introduction, so it must be doing something right. Use a 5 Whys template to ensure you’re set up for success.   
  

How to use the 5 Whys technique

1. Start with a problem. Write down (or type out) the issue at hand. Your problem could be, for example, an IT system failure.
2. Assemble your problem-solving team. You might be confronting a problem alone or spearheading a multi-departmental undertaking.
3. Ask why your initial problem happened. For example, “Why did the IT system go down?” Think logically about this to get the best results. The answer could be, “The IT system was hacked.”
4. When you’ve answered this question, ask “why?” again. For example, you could ask, “Why was the system hacked?” Perhaps the IT system was outdated or someone’s credentials were stolen (the cause of 49% of breaches in 2023).
5. Repeat the previous step three more times. This should bring you to your root cause. 
6. Write down your plan for corrective action. The final step could be as simple as sending an email or as complicated as a system overhaul.