Tuesday, June 12, 2007

5-Why Analysis

5-why analysis is an analysis technique adopted to move past symptoms and undertand the true root cause of a problem. It is said that only by asking "Why?" five times, successively, can you delve into a problem deeply enough to understand the ultimate root cause. By the time you get to the 4th or 5th why, you will likely be looking squarely at management practices. This methodology is closely related to the Cause & Effect (Fishbone) diagram, and can be used to complement the analysis necessary to complete a Cause & Effect diagram.

An example of an analysis - addressing the audit finding -
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
Finding: Manufacturing data captured by the MES system is not accurate. xxx *rest is censored*

Why #1:
Why is MES system data not accurate?
Ans: Data was not entered accurately by the production operators.
Why #2:
Why was data not entered accurately by the operators?
Ans: Operators did not obey the rules.
Why #3:
Why the operators did not obey rules?
Ans: Operators did not understand the rules.
Why #4:
Why the operators did not understand the rules?
Ans: Rules for the MES system were not properly established?
Why #5:
Why the MES rules were not properly established?
Ans: Engineer who qualified the MES system did not write the proper rules.

So, after asking 5 whys, root cause is found and here comes the suggested corrective action -


-> Corrective action: To write the proper rules for MES system in the operators' work instruction.
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

I tried this systematic approach analysis on myself, my 人生.

Why #1:
Why am I so sian?
Ans: I don't like to work.
Why #2:
Why don't I like to work?
Ans: Because it doesn't interest me.
Why #3:
Why doesn't it interest me?
Ans: Because nothing interest me.
Why #4:
Why?
Ans: Something is wrong with me. It's my problem.
Why #5:
Why?
Ans: I need to find something that I want to do...

Hence, the root cause is - the problem lies with me lah!

Does it work this way?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

hahha...think the 5-WHYs will not work lah, even at workplace. But just for audit finding and paperwork, maybe it will. :)

~~我的宝贝们~~ said...

YA! I think so too... see the example I tried on myself? Wa liao.. no corrective action for my 'sian-ness'... yet...