Tech Insights

5 Why

Last updated , generated by Sumble
Explore more →

What is 5 Why?

The '5 Whys' is an iterative interrogative technique used to explore the cause-and-effect relationships underlying a particular problem. The primary goal is to determine the root cause of a defect or problem by repeatedly asking the question 'Why?'. Each answer forms the basis of the next question. The '5' in the name is just a rule of thumb; the actual number of questions needed may be more or less than five. This technique is commonly used in problem-solving, root cause analysis, and quality improvement initiatives to identify the fundamental cause of an issue, enabling effective solutions.

What other technologies are related to 5 Why?

5 Why Competitor Technologies

8D (Eight Disciplines) is a problem-solving methodology similar to 5 Whys, addressing root causes. They can be used interchangeably.
mentioned alongside 5 Why in 8% (1.8k) of relevant job posts
A3 problem solving is a structured approach that can incorporate the 5 Whys technique.
mentioned alongside 5 Why in 7% (208) of relevant job posts
8D (Eight Disciplines) is a problem-solving methodology similar to 5 Whys, addressing root causes. They can be used interchangeably.
mentioned alongside 5 Why in 13% (56) of relevant job posts
RCCA (Root Cause Corrective Action) is a general term for a process used to identify and fix the underlying causes of problems. The 5 Whys is a specific RCCA tool, but other methods exist that compete with its use.
mentioned alongside 5 Why in 7% (69) of relevant job posts
QRQC (Quick Response Quality Control) is a problem-solving method that emphasizes quick response and data-driven decision making; it is an alternate to 5 Whys.
mentioned alongside 5 Why in 3% (64) of relevant job posts

5 Why Complementary Technologies

Fishbone diagrams (also known as Ishikawa diagrams) can be used to visually organize the potential causes before applying the 5 Whys.
mentioned alongside 5 Why in 30% (300) of relevant job posts
Ishikawa diagrams (also known as Fishbone diagrams) can be used to visually organize the potential causes before applying the 5 Whys.
mentioned alongside 5 Why in 12% (502) of relevant job posts
FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) identifies potential failures; 5 Whys can then be used to dig deeper into the root causes of these failures.
mentioned alongside 5 Why in 3% (1k) of relevant job posts

This tech insight summary was produced by Sumble. We provide rich account intelligence data.

On our web app, we make a lot of our data available for browsing at no cost.

We have two paid products, Sumble Signals and Sumble Enrich, that integrate with your internal sales systems.