5 Whys Analysis Tool
Ask why five times to move past symptoms and reach the real cause of a problem. Fill in the chain below, then share it as a link or export it as a PDF. No signup, no data leaves your browser.
Describe the problem clearly and specifically. A precise problem statement makes every following step sharper.
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What is the 5 Whys method?
The 5 Whys is a root cause analysis technique developed at Toyota. You start with a clear problem statement and ask why it happened. You take the answer and ask why again, repeating around five times until you reach a cause that, if fixed, would stop the problem from coming back.
The number five is a guideline, not a rule. Some problems reveal their root cause in three steps, others take seven. The goal is to stop at a true cause you can act on, not a symptom and not a person to blame.
How to use this tool
State the problem
Write down what actually happened, with enough detail that someone else would recognise it.
Ask the first why
Why did this problem occur? Base the answer on evidence, not assumptions.
Keep asking why
Take each answer and ask why again. Each step should follow logically from the one above it.
Reach the root cause
Stop when you reach a cause that, if removed, prevents the problem from recurring.
Share and act
Copy the chain into your ticket, share the link with your team, or export a PDF, then assign a corrective action.
For worked examples, common pitfalls, and how the 5 Whys fits with other methods, read our full guide to the 5 Whys method and root cause analysis.
Finding the root cause is only half the job
A cause on a printout changes nothing. Mobile2b turns findings into assigned corrective actions and tracks them to closure across your plant, on premise if you need it.
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