5 x Why?
ACTIVITY TYPE
- Consulting
- Deciding together
DESCRIPTION
The purpose of the stand-up is first and foremost to provide a quick guidance. With the 5x Why questions, a problem is to be understood in depth and not just scratched on the surface.
The principle is very simple: you ask, for example, like a toddler, “Why” over and over again. Repeated questioning helps to identify hidden problems that would not come out in a single questioning.
Why is the problem a problem?
- Why? (Problem description)
- Why? (Direct effect)
- Why? (Cause – Effect)
- Why? (Organisational barriers)
- Why? (Systemic barriers)
WATER/ AGRICULTURE EXAMPLE
The 5 Why method allows you to organize your workshop work. It is recommended for intensifying activities with a working group. In itself, it assumes a certain workshop dynamics, which helps to accelerate the work, e.g. among Stakeholders who have already been working on improving the quality of absorptive capacity in the catchment area for years, but climate change processes are changing the current conditions.
HOW TO USE IT ONLINE
Use the Jamboard, Whiteboard or similar e-tools
RESOURCES NEEDED
- Time to do: depends on the number of questions
- Staff: at least one facilitator
- Equipment: whiteboards/wall, flipchart, post it stickers, pens
SUITABLE FOR (large and small groups, face to face and on-line participation)
- small groups, large groups divided up with 4 to 6 people per table
HOW TO DO IT
1. Assemble a Team
2. Define the Problem
3. Ask the First “Why?”
4. Ask “Why?” Four More Times
5. Know When to Stop
6. Address the Root Cause(s)
7. Monitor Your Measures
ADVANTAGES
- The 5 Whys uses “counter-measures,” rather than “solutions.”
- A counter-measure is an action or set of actions that seeks to prevent the problem from arising again, while a solution may just seek to deal with the symptom. As such, counter-measures are more robust, and will more likely prevent the problem from recurring.
- Can be used for troubleshooting, quality improvement, and problem solving, but it is most effective when used to resolve simple or moderately difficult problems.
- The tool’s simplicity gives it great flexibility, too, and 5 Whys combines well with other methods and techniques, such as Root Cause Analysis
CHALLENGIES
- It may not be suitable if you need to tackle a complex or critical problem.
- Can lead to pursue a single track, or a limited number of tracks, of inquiry when, in fact, there could be multiple causes.
- In some cases, you may need to ask “Why?” a few more times before you get to the root of the problem. The important point is to stop asking “Why?” when you stop producing useful responses.
VARIATIONS
5 Whys might be done in a single lane of inquiry or multiply lanes.