5 Whys
The printer isn't working
What is it's unplugged/no power?
The app is slow because users are frustrated
What is NOT a root cause (symptom)?
Ice cream sales and sunburns both increased
What is hot weather (common cause)?
Your car won't start
What is check the battery?
You're late to work
What is poor time planning or leaving late?
Sales dropped because fewer people are visiting the store
What is NOT a root cause (still a symptom)?
A student failed a test and says "the test was too hard".
What is lack of preparation or study?
Your phone battery is draining quickly
What is check apps running in the background?
A plant is dying
What is inconsistent watering or lack of sunlight?
You will have 5 million points deducted if you say, "What is I'm Holly Hamm"
Customers are calling more because wait times increased due to understaffing
What is understaffing as the root cause?
A restaurant is getting bad reviews for slow service
What is staffing, training, and process inefficiency?
A package didn't arrive on time
What is check tracking, address, or shipping delays?
You keep missing your morning workouts
What is inconsistent bedtime or poor evening routine?
Employees are disengaged because productivity is down
“What is NOT a root cause (this is circular reasoning)?”
👉 True RCA would ask: why is productivity down?
A gym notices fewer attendees in January than expected
“What is ineffective marketing, pricing barriers, or competition?”
👉 Push beyond “people aren’t coming”
Your internet suddenly becomes very slow
“What is check network usage, outages, or router issues?”
Your laptop keeps freezing during meetings.
“What is too many background programs or insufficient system resources?”
Customers are unhappy because reviews are negative due to long wait times caused by understaffing
“What is understaffing as the root cause?”
👉 Push further: Why understaffed? (hiring, scheduling, turnover)
A team is missing deadlines even though everyone is working long hours
“What is poor prioritization, unclear requirements, or inefficient processes?”
You’re gaining weight despite exercising regularly
“What is check diet, calorie intake, sleep, or stress?”