Beyond the Blame Game: Finding the Root Cause with the Fishbone Diagram
- Herman Veitch
- Dec 2
- 2 min read
Welcome to Your Problem-Solving Lab!
Ever feel like you're constantly putting out fires in your business, only for the same problems to resurface? That's because you're likely treating symptoms, not the actual root causes. To build truly resilient and efficient systems, you need a powerful tool to uncover why things are going wrong, or what truly needs to happen to achieve desired outcomes. This week, we're introducing the Fishbone Diagram, also known as the Ishikawa Diagram, a brilliant way to map out potential causes systematically
Symptoms vs. Roots: The Crucial Distinction
It’s easy to confuse correlation with causation. Just because two things happen together doesn't mean one causes the other. For instance, low productivity might correlate with a new team member, but the root cause could be unclear processes, not the person. Many business owners struggle with strategic decision-making because they lack clarity on these underlying issues.
The Fishbone Diagram helps you:
Move Beyond Symptoms: Stop fixing the same problem repeatedly.
Identify Multiple Causes: Uncover all contributing factors, not just the obvious ones.
Ensure Desired Outcomes: Proactively plan what must happen to achieve your goals.
As Albert Einstein famously said, "If I had an hour to solve a problem, I'd spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and 5 minutes thinking about solutions."
Your Diagnostic Tool: The Fishbone Diagram
Imagine a fish skeleton: the "head" is your problem (or desired outcome), and the "bones" are major categories of potential causes. You then brainstorm specific causes within each category. Common categories include:
Manpower/People: Skills, training, communication, morale.
Methods: Processes, procedures, instructions, workflows.
Machines/Equipment: Tools, technology, infrastructure.
Materials: Raw materials, information, supplies.
Measurement: Data collection, KPIs, and reporting inaccuracies.
Environment: Workspace, culture, external factors.
For problem-solving, you ask "Why did this happen?" repeatedly for each category. For achieving a desired outcome, you ask, "What must happen?" This structured brainstorming helps you pinpoint the root causes of inefficiencies and implement solutions that have a real, measurable impact.
Ready to Solve Problems at Their Source?
Stop reacting and start proactively optimising your business. The Fishbone Diagram empowers you to identify root causes, streamline operations, and build robust systems for consistent, profitable growth.
Curious how robust systems can transform your business?
Download our free decision-making tool today! It's your first step, a powerful "taster" that will help you pinpoint your current challenges and show you exactly how our comprehensive online course on building systems and processes can propel your business beyond the 5-year mark. Download it here.
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