Clarifying the '5 Whys' Problem-Solving Method

[MegaSnegovichok]

It is a perfectly valid technique when applied to simple technical problems like the one described in the example. Unfortunately, managers tend to widely apply it to "soft" areas (e.g. people management, organisational structures etc.), where any answer to the question "why?" gives you only what you "believe" the cause might be, not what it actually is. To offset this bias you'd always have to ask "What makes you think so?" after every "why?" question.

[MoveToUSA]

As a maintenance engineer on contract basis, I only look at the 1st level of 5 whys at my clients workplace, if I go all the way deep I may loose my job as a maintenance engineer.

[vadster]

Good reminder that sometimes we need to step back. And rethink the situation we are in. Thanks for your work!

[Claudiuyoro]

For me, the 5 why's is working! Thanks for the information!

[Techpower]

Very well explained, and thankyou Matthew McConaughey for doing the narration :D

[aceman]

Good video, but I would argue that the root cause is NOT that there was no strainer--you have to keep asking "why?" The root cause is probably something along the lines of "management has a culture of expedience over thoroughness, " or "management failed to train the maintainer, " or "management failed to perform quality checks, " or "management failed to follow through on ordering new parts, " etc.

[GeraldCrumbley]

Wasn't it Sakichi Toyoda who devised this system?

[ToddMetcalf]

Very nice video, simple and to the point.

[prashantkhurape]

Very good example & explaination !

[davehansel]

Nicely explained! I also use 5 whys strategy tool in Google sheets. Great content!

[leegale]

Why was there no strainer ?
Had it been left off
Did it restrict flow
Had it broken

[milkco]

What happens when the whys become circular? For example (I don't know how machines work so take this idea with a grain of salt), what if the pump was supposed to seperate bad oil but there is bad oil makes the pump stop working? What does this circular logic resemble?

[Drewmack]

Not far enough. Why are you making metal shavings that's the actual root cause. Is the pump damaged? If the pump is damaged why wasn't it replaced or PMed before failure?

[gathirwatimo]

Anyone from RMIT? You've found a schoolmate.

[JamesWattMusic]

finding and scheduling for root causes of failures is one of the last realms where Humans rule. It is a very difficult problem, which automation hasnt solved. Some can take this advice for a career choice.

[wazmasole]

More like a problem "identification" video than that of solving, you never really got to the nitty-gritty of how to solve the problem. You just rushed it in there at the end; "by adding a stranger"

This is a "WHY the problem" video than a "HOW to solve the problem" as falsely represented in your Title.

[imightbebiased]

0:24 "Break down", as in the action is two words. "Breakdown" is a noun.

"Occurrence" is spelled incorrectly.

0:46 Made me stop the video in rage. "Its" not "It's", which is a contraction. Your graphic is saying "Problem in it is own right".

Nothing makes me question the value of a video spotlighting how improved thought processes can lead to better results when the video itself is riddled with flaws.

Why don't you have a proofreader?
Why wasn't this reviewed before deployment?
Why is this still grammatically incorrect after being up for 5 years?

[williamduke]

So what's the answer to a problem with those rules?


Sue! You sue the living daylights out of them.


But then they throw another rule at you: You can't!


And who established these rules?


Some "winner" (In quotes because in this particular case the winner is an absolute joke) that never gets anything right.


So what's the answer?


You wait until the "winner" has gotten enough things wrong and then you SUE! That's right! You throw out their last rule (you can't) and take issue with all of the other rules AND everything they got wrong!


They will take you seriously when they're faced with the prospect of having to pay you several hundred thousand dollars!

[tfmooney]

This may not be the best example of finding the root cause of this problem. The strainer is another Band-Aid. What will happen when the strainer gets all plugged up with shavings. No lube, bearing fail, fuse fail, equipment down. The source of the failures has not yet been discovered. Why are the shavings in the lube???

[CUEBALL]

Sounds like basic troubleshooting to me. But they need to come up with special terms to call it so others think they are far more educated and knowledgeable, when most likely the opposite is true.