Type the problem and list possible causes under six common categories. The fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram draws itself. Download it as SVG or PNG for your working paper or report. It runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
Up to six causes per category are drawn. Long causes are shortened on the diagram.
A fishbone diagram lays out possible causes so none is forgotten. It does not prove which cause is real. After drawing it, test each cause against evidence, keep the ones that hold, and ask why again until you reach a cause the organisation can change. Then record the corrective action and check that it worked.
A fishbone diagram, also called an Ishikawa or cause-and-effect diagram, puts the problem at the head of a fish and groups possible causes on bones that branch from the spine. Grouping causes into categories helps a team look beyond the obvious one. Common categories are people, process, systems, policy and controls, data and external factors, and you can rename them to suit your problem.
In audit, the fishbone is a way to organise the "why" behind a finding. It is most useful when several causes could combine, such as duplicate payments that arise from both a system gap and a missing control.
This tool draws the diagram from what you type. Everything stays in your browser. Download the picture for your working paper, then test each possible cause against evidence.
An internal audit finds the same vendor invoice paid twice. The team lists causes under each category.
