State the problem, then ask why up to five times. Record the evidence for each answer, name the root cause and set the action. Download the worksheet as Excel for the file. It runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded. The example shown is an invented case.
The 5 Whys technique asks “why?” repeatedly to move from the symptom of a problem toward its cause. Five is a guide, not a rule: stop when you reach a cause the organisation can act on. Each answer should rest on evidence, not opinion, or the chain can wander to a convenient conclusion. When a problem has several causes, a fishbone diagram can help you map them first.
You start with a clear statement of what went wrong. You then ask why it happened, answer from evidence, and ask why again about that answer. After about five rounds you usually reach a cause that sits in a process, a control or a decision, not in one person's mistake.
The technique is quick and works best for problems with a fairly direct chain of causes. For problems with several contributing causes, map them with a fishbone diagram first, then run 5 Whys on the most likely branches.
This worksheet keeps the chain, the evidence, the root cause and the action in one place, and exports them to Excel for your working paper or CAPA file.
Vendor X was paid twice for the same invoice. The team asks why five times.
