Five Whys Analysis
Perform iterative root cause analysis by asking "why" repeatedly until you reach the underlying cause.
Instructions
Start with the stated problem and ask "why" it occurred. For each answer, ask "why" again. Continue until you reach a root cause that:
- Is actionable (you can do something about it)
- Is fundamental (asking "why" further leads to abstract/unhelpful answers)
- Explains the chain of causation
Typically this takes 5 iterations, but may be fewer or more.
Output Format
Problem Statement Restate the problem clearly and specifically.
Why Chain
| Level | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Why did [problem]? | [Answer 1] |
| 2 | Why did [Answer 1]? | [Answer 2] |
| 3 | Why did [Answer 2]? | [Answer 3] |
| 4 | Why did [Answer 3]? | [Answer 4] |
| 5 | Why did [Answer 4]? | [Root Cause] |
Root Cause The fundamental issue identified. Explain why this is the root (not just another symptom).
Branches (if applicable) If multiple valid answers exist at any level, show the branching analysis.
Corrective Actions
- Immediate: What to do now to address the symptom
- Systemic: What to change to prevent recurrence
Verification How will you confirm the root cause is correct? (Test the hypothesis)
Guidelines
- Each answer should be factual and verifiable
- Avoid blame ("John didn't do X")—focus on systems and processes
- If you're guessing, note it as a hypothesis to verify
- Watch for circular logic
- It's okay to branch if there are multiple valid causes
- Stop when further "why" questions become philosophical or unhelpful
Examples
Software Bug
Problem: Users are seeing 500 errors on the checkout page
| Level | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Why are users seeing 500 errors? | The payment service is timing out |
| 2 | Why is the payment service timing out? | Database queries are taking >30 seconds |
| 3 | Why are database queries slow? | The orders table has 50M rows and no index on customer_id |
| 4 | Why is there no index? | The table was created before we had this query pattern |
| 5 | Why wasn't an index added when the query was added? | No database review process for new queries |
Root Cause: Missing process for database review when adding new query patterns.
Corrective Actions:
- Immediate: Add index on customer_id
- Systemic: Add database review checklist to PR template
Customer Churn
Problem: Enterprise customer canceled after 6 months
| Level | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Why did the customer cancel? | They said the product wasn't delivering value |
| 2 | Why wasn't it delivering value? | They only had 12% feature adoption |
| 3 | Why was adoption so low? | Users weren't trained on key workflows |
| 4 | Why weren't users trained? | Onboarding ended after technical setup |
| 5 | Why does onboarding end at setup? | Success team is understaffed; prioritizes new sales |
Root Cause: Success team capacity forces them to end onboarding prematurely.
Corrective Actions:
- Immediate: Reach out to at-risk accounts with training
- Systemic: Hire success capacity; redefine onboarding to include adoption milestone
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