Fishbone / Cause and Effect / Ishikawa Diagrams
What is a Fishbone Diagram?
A visual tool used to logically organize possible causes for a specific problem by graphically
displaying them in increasing detail.
Helps to identify possible root causes and ensures common understanding of the causes.
Causes are arranged according to their level of detail, resulting in a depiction of relationships and
hierarchy of events.
These diagrams are also called Ishikawa Diagrams and Cause and Effect diagrams. The diagram (the
bones) logically organizes potential root causes to a problem (the head)
The team will use the diagram to brainstorm and organize possible root causes to the problem the labels
at the top should correlate with the type of process examples; people, policy, place, process,
management, materials, machine/equipment, design, measurement, mother nature, systems, forms,
place, software, and man power, whatever applies. This list is only examples and not the only labels that
can be used.
The bones are then used to identify possible root cause hypothesis (sometimes based on opinion and has
not yet been proven factual) by the team per the label they are under.
Example – Problem (head) “pick up orders are taking too long” Label, Process, Possible root causes
(bones), packaging not available, food not done, need condiments… ect
See spreadsheet for template and examples
Once you have possible root causes the team of subject matter experts can determine what is/are the
true root cause (it can be that there is more than one which is the benefit of using the fishbone diagram)
When brainstorming possible root causes to a TRUE root cause with a team on
the fishbone diagram it is great to combine it with the 5 WHY’s technique asking
“why” you may not use all 5 “whys” but it encourages everyone to think beyond
the symptoms.
Example
Reference goleansixsigma.com
