Five Whys
Why do it? Dig into a problem to find a potential root cause – the issues causing the issues.
Time: 30 minutes
Group or Individual: Group Activity
Overview
Often used in business to examine why a product or process or service issue may be arising, this technique can also work well in the classroom to have students dig into content, concepts, cases, the course itself, etc. The strategy asks that we look beneath the surface to determine larger issues that may be the actual cause of the problem. For example, instead of saying there is a lot of plastic in the ocean, one might instead say, we use too much plastic. The resulting actionable item then becomes less about cleaning up the ocean and more about making sure it is not polluted with plastic in the first place, which is a much more sustainable strategy.
Directions
- Define the problem or issue, writing it in a space where all can access it.
- Ask why in relation to the posted problem or issue and, just as a toddler might, keep asking why in response to each suggestion until you have asked and answered "why" at least five times.
Note: Include the previous answer in the question to make sure it continues to narrow the focus and stays on track.
- Review the questions and answers and then look at the identified root cause.
Note: You may now want to use a brainstorming activity to begin outlining an action plan.
Note: In a virtual space? No worries. Use a virtual whiteboard, slides, or a simple shared document to facilitate and gather ideas.
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