ishikawa-diagram
Skill3 starsChanged 6 months agoMITView on GitHub
Use an Ishikawa diagram to identify possible root causes of a problem by organizing contributing factors. Use when diagnosing defects, declining metrics, failures, or complex cause-and-effect issues.
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The file
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3 rules. About 0 are common, 3 are distinctive, and 0 are very specific to this project.
≈0
Common · estimate
Many files like this have a rule of this kind.
≈3
Distinctive · estimate
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0
Very specific
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- Common
- Distinctive
- Very specific
- Distinctive: line 34
Ask "Why is this happening?"
- Distinctive: line 35
Write ideas under each factor
- Distinctive: line 36
Use techniques like "Five whys" and first principles thinking
≈ “Common” is an estimate: at least 1 in 5 of the 350,495 skill files we read have a rule of the same kind, not the same words. “Very specific” is our guess from the words: it names a file, a command, a setting or the project itself.
Files
Ishikawa Diagram
Overview
- Category: Problem Solving Tool
- Purpose: "Identify root causes of problems"
- Created by Japanese professor Kaoru Ishikawa
- Also known as cause-and-effect or fishbone diagram
How to Use
Steps
- Define the Problem
- Draw a line to the left or right of the problem statement
- Identify Contributing Factors
- List potential categories contributing to the problem
- Common categories include:
- People
- Equipment
- Methods
- Measurement
- Material
- Environment
- Find Possible Root Causes
- Ask "Why is this happening?"
- Write ideas under each factor
- Use techniques like "Five whys" and first principles thinking
- Capture multiple potential root causes
- Analyze the Diagram
- Review possible root causes
- Gather additional data/evidence
- Identify most likely causes
- Develop solution strategies
Example Scenario
A product manager investigating declining new sign-ups:
- Factors identified: Landing page, competition, marketing
- Potential root causes explored under each factor
- Analysis leads to investigating conversion rates and sign-up flow
Key Takeaway
The Ishikawa diagram provides a structured approach to problem-solving by:
- Systematically breaking down potential problem sources
- Encouraging comprehensive analysis
- Facilitating deeper understanding of complex issues
Sources
- HarvardX: "How to create cause-and-effect diagrams"
- American Society for Quality: "Fishbone Diagram"
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