Evaluating the risk of an event with multiple causes.In addition the structure can also be used for: The standard categories for Service work (also called the 4 P’s) are: įishbone Diagrams are a primary technique used for root cause analysis. The standard categories for Sales (also called the 5 S’s) are: The standard categories for Marketing (also called the 7 P’s) are: The standard categories for Manufacturing (also called the 8 M’s) are: These mostly serve as references and mnemonics to help you ensure you are considering all possible aspects of the problem in your analysis.
#ISHIKAWA DIAGRAM CAUSE AND EFFECT FREE#
Or feel free to start from one of the standards and add or remove categories as appropriate. There are standard categories for various problem domains which provide a framework for the problem analysis however it is perfectly acceptable to create your own cause categories if it seems more appropriate the problem you are investigating. This structure helps the creators think in a systemic way by letting evaluate each primary cause in isolation (at least initially). The result is a diagram that uses a structure similar to that shown below. From this horizontal line main branches extend vertically both upward and downward (the ribs), with each main branch representing a single causal category.Įach category branch then has primary causes of the effect that fit in that category as sub-branches, with sub-causes branching off the appropriate primary causes in a repeating pattern until there is agreement that the root cause of each primary cause is identified (collectively the bones). Īt its most basic, the fishbone diagram consists of a single effect or issue at the far right of the diagram (the head) with a horizontal arrow pointing to it. They were created by Kaoru Ishikawa and are considered one of the Seven Basic Tools of Quality. AKA: Ishikawa Diagram, Herringbone Diagram, Cause and Effect Diagram, Fishikawa DiagramĪ Fishbone Diagram is a type of diagram used to show the causes of a particular problem or opportunity and to break down those causes into categories that are elaborated into successive levels of detail.