Explain the 5 Whys technique.

• A. A brainstorming method to generate five different ideas.
• B. A way to assign blame to five different departments.
• C. A root cause analysis method that asks 'Why?' five times (or until the fundamental cause is found).
• D. A technique to prioritize ideas by five criteria.

Answer: (C)

The essence of the 5 Whys technique is to uncover the root cause of a problem by repeatedly asking “Why?”. Start with a specific problem, answer why it happened, then ask why that happened, and continue this line of questioning several times—typically five times—until you reach a fundamental cause that explains the issue and can be addressed. The power is in moving beyond surface symptoms to a cause that, when corrected, prevents the problem from recurring. It’s especially useful for straightforward problems and works best when you involve people with on-the-ground knowledge, so the reasoning isn’t just guesswork but grounded in actual cause-and-effect.

For example, if a machine stops running, you’d ask why it stopped and get an answer like “the motor stopped.” Then ask why the motor stopped, and learn it overheated due to insufficient cooling. Ask why there was insufficient cooling, and discover the cooling fan wasn’t working. Keep digging: why wasn’t the fan working? because a bearing seized. Why did the bearing seize? due to inadequate lubrication. From that chain you identify the root issue (maintenance and lubrication) and implement corrective actions (adjust maintenance schedules, replace worn components) to prevent recurrence.

This approach isn’t about brainstorming ideas, blaming departments, or ranking options by five criteria, so it fits the goal of diagnosing underlying causes rather than generating ideas or assigning blame.