Free tool
5 Whys canvas
The 5 Whys is a way to find the cause of a problem by asking why, then asking why again of each answer, until you reach a cause you can fix. Fill in the canvas below, then print it as a one-page record.
Problemequalswhat happened, where and when
Why 1 to 5equalseach answer is the next question
Root causeequalsthe answer you can change, which stops the problem returning
What happened, where and when. A fact you can see, not an opinion.
Answer with something you have checked at the work area
Optional: stop earlier if the answer is already a cause you can fix
Usually your last answer, worded as something you can change
What removes the root cause, not just the symptom
Pre-filled with the worked example. Your text stays in your browser.
Whys answered
4 of 5
Root cause: The feeder track is missing from the weekly inspection list, so wear goes unseen
Test the chain by reading it backwards from the root cause with “therefore” between each step. Any step that does not follow, or that you cannot show with evidence, is a guess.
Problem: Line 3 stopped for 40 minutes on the night shift
Why 1: The press jammed on a misfed part
Why 2: The part sat crooked in the feeder bowl
Why 3: The feeder track had a burr that caught the part
Why 4: The track was not on the weekly cleaning and inspection list
Root cause: The feeder track is missing from the weekly inspection list, so wear goes unseen
Countermeasure: Add the track to the weekly checklist and deburr it today (Maintenance lead, by Friday)
Next step
Want to keep problem solving in one place?
Bring this result to a 45-minute demo and we will show where it fits in LeanSuite's AI Root Cause Analysis.
How to use it
Ask why, check the answer, repeat
Start from a fact. One problem, observed, with where and when. If there are several problems, do one canvas for each.
Answer each why from evidence. Go to the work area, look at the part or the record, and ask the people who do the job. An answer you cannot show is a guess, and the chain is only as good as its weakest link.
Stop at a cause you can change, write it as the root cause, and add a countermeasure with an owner and a date. If several causes are plausible, list them first with the fishbone diagram maker. For worked chains with the evidence behind each why, see our 5 whys examples.
Worked example
Illustrative numbers, not a benchmarkA press line stops for 40 minutes on the night shift.
- 1Why 1: the press jammed on a misfed part.
- 2Why 2: the part sat crooked in the feeder bowl.
- 3Why 3: the feeder track had a burr that caught the part.
- 4Why 4: the track was not on the weekly cleaning and inspection list.
- 5Root cause: the track is missing from the weekly inspection list, so wear goes unseen. Countermeasure: add it to the checklist and deburr it today.
Embed this tool
Teaching this, or writing about it? Paste this code into your site, course page or intranet and the tool works right there. It is free, with no sign-up.
<iframe src="https://www.theleansuite.com/tools/five-whys-canvas/embed" title="5 Whys canvas by LeanSuite" width="100%" height="2900" style="border:0;max-width:1000px" loading="lazy" allow="clipboard-write"></iframe>
<p style="font:13px/1.4 sans-serif"><a href="https://www.theleansuite.com/tools/five-whys-canvas">5 Whys canvas</a> by LeanSuite</p>How LeanSuite helps
LeanSuite's AI Root Cause Analysis helps teams work through the cause of a problem and keep the analysis with the corrective action that follows.
See AI Root Cause AnalysisRead more
- Free template: 5 Whys template
- Free template: Root cause analysis template
- 5 Whys in the lean glossary
- What is the 5 Whys Root Cause Analysis Method?
- 5 whys examples: worked chains with the evidence for each why
- What is the 5 Whys Root Cause Analysis Method?
- 5 Whys: When It Works and When It Doesn't
- Root cause analysis: the method guide
- Fishbone diagram guide: use it first when the cause could be in several places
- Problem solving methods compared: where the 5 Whys fits
- Fishbone diagram maker: for causes that could be in several places
FAQ
5 Whys canvas: common questions
The 5 Whys is a root cause technique from the Toyota Production System. You state the problem, ask why it happened, then ask why of that answer, and keep going until you reach a cause you can act on. Five is a rule of thumb. Sometimes three whys are enough and sometimes you need more.
Write the problem as a fact. Ask why it happened and answer with something you have checked at the work area, not a guess. Make that answer the next question. Stop when the answer is a cause that, if removed, would stop the problem coming back. Then write the countermeasure, an owner and a date.
Stop when the answer is something you can change, such as a missing check, an unclear standard or a worn part, and not a person's mistake or something outside your control. If the answer is that someone made an error, ask why the process allowed that error. If you cannot show an answer with evidence, go and look before you go on.
It follows one line of cause, so it can miss other causes and the answer depends on who is in the room. It works best for simple problems with a clear chain. For problems with several possible causes, brainstorm them on a fishbone diagram first, confirm which are real, then run the 5 Whys on each.
Yes. Print or save as PDF opens your browser's print dialog with a one-page sheet holding the problem, the whys, the root cause, the countermeasure, owner and date. Everything is built in your browser from what you typed; nothing is sent to or stored on our servers.
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