Look at each cause and ask yourself: Why did this happen? This will lead to further sub-branches that identify more potential causes. Learn More about Root Cause Analysis Training (RCA) Analyze each cause If the cause belongs in more than one category, it is acceptable to include it wherever it may apply. Place the potential causes of each category as sub-branches of each bone by drawing a horizontal line. The category names can have generic names, such as material, method, machine, manpower, measurement and environment. The categories will be 45-degree lines that attach to the spine of the fish like bones. From there, you will draw a horizontal line from the center to serve as the spine. This is where you will write down the problem. You start by drawing a box on the right, which will serve as the fish head in the diagram. You just need to follow the steps below: Identify the problem However, it is a relatively simple process.
#ISHIKAWA DIAGRAM PROJECT MANAGEMENT HOW TO#
How to create a fishbone diagramĪ fishbone diagram is undoubtedly an important tool, which can make one think that drawing the diagram is a complicated process.
The fishbone diagram also goes by other names, such as the Herringbone diagram, Fishikawa diagram and Ishikawa diagram. He was a Japanese professor and expert in quality management. The fishbone diagram was developed in 1960 by Kaoru Ishikawa. But when the cause and effect diagram is used correctly, we can find out that the obvious cause we think is major is actually minor and vice-versa. These are the causes we think have the biggest impact on the problem we are experiencing with a particular process or product. When we analyze a problem, we tend to put heavy emphasis on the obvious causes. It is used when thinking about root cause analysis on a higher level, leading to solutions that have the potential to solve the problem once and for all. When drawn, the result looks like the skeleton of a fish – hence the name. What is a Fishbone Diagram?Ī fishbone diagram is a graphical tool that is used to identify all potential causes of a process or product failure. Sometimes you will hear it being called the cause and effect diagram when project managers are using it for quality management. It is mainly used in root cause analysis, particularly in the Analyze phase of the DMAIC methodology. There are several quality control tools in Six Sigma, one of them being the fishbone diagram. Six Sigma Virtual Instructor-led Training.