The Five (5) Whys Technique

5 Whys is a technique that helps us to get to the root cause of a challenge, problem, and/or situation.

It’s an effective tool that encourages us to repeatedly ask ourselves “WHY?” whenever we desire to dive deeper and get to the core of our thoughts, feelings, emotions or solve a challenging situation/problem.

What’s beautiful about this technique is how useful it can be when utilized as a personal-development tool; we’re able to explore why we do certain things, have specific reactions, and act the ways in which we do. Identify the root cause allows us to alter our responses and approach each situation in an honest, intentional, and productive way!

Using the 5 Whys method gets us closer to the truth, harnesses problem-solving, helps to establish solutions/resolutions and assists with better systems/processes as we journey throughout our personal and professional lives.

Here’s the frame work:

1. What’s the problem? or What thoughts/feelings are you trying to explore?

2. Why did the problem or thought occur?

3. Why did the answer/reason in question 2 occur?

4. Why did the answer/reason in question 3 occur?

5. Why did the answer/reason in question 4 occur?

Please see an example (below):

* The 5 Whys method was developed by Sakichi Toyoda a Japanese inventor and industrialist. The technique became an integral part of the Lean philosophy and is used as a part of the Toyota Production System as an essential approach to problem-solving.