What a 5 whys is
The 5 Whys drills from a symptom to a root cause by asking why repeatedly, each answer becoming the next question. Five is a guideline, not a rule — you stop when you reach something you can actually change.
When to use one
- Investigating a single, well-defined failure
- A fix keeps being applied and the problem keeps returning
- You need a quick root cause analysis without convening a workshop
The data format
First line: Problem, text. Then one 'why' answer per line; last = root cause.
Paste rows like this — copy the example straight into the builder to see it render:
Problem, Line stopped unexpectedly Motor overheated Lubrication failed Pump not delivering oil Filter was clogged No preventive maintenance schedule
How to make one
- Paste your data into the Studio, or upload a CSV or XLSX file.
- Set your colours — by hand, from pasted brand hex codes, or extracted from your logo.
- Generate and export as PNG or SVG for your deck or report.
One thing people get wrong. If the chain ends at "human error" you stopped too early. Keep going until you reach the system that permitted the error — that is the thing worth fixing.
Why it runs in your browser
Charts are parsed and drawn entirely on your own device. No rows, files or logos are uploaded, so a 5 whys built from confidential project or process data never touches a server. You can verify it: open your browser's network tab while you generate one.