INFOGRAPHIC: The 5 Whys and the Root Cause

The 5 Whys is the best Six Sigma tool to find out the root cause of a problem. It is to be used during the Analyze Phase of the DMAIC process. The steps are simple — just write down the specific issue or problem. Then ask why the problem happens and answer the question. Keep asking until you are satisfied with your answer. This is a great way to really get down to the root of the problem. Sometimes it takes more than 5 Whys to get your true answer! The infographic below outlines a example of this process.