Ishikawa Diagram

Fishbone Diagram
Problems surface in all
companies

Why do they
occur?
- Fishbone Diagram

 Identifies and organizes the potential causes of abusiness

problem.
 Uses an easy and understandable format.
 Used to identify the sources ofprocess variation.
 Itis also called Ishikawa Diagram and Cause and Effect
Diagram.
- Fishbone Diagram

 Identifies the causes of an undesirable effect of a problem.

 It is also possible to identify the hierarchy of causes including
the possible root causes.
 Brings attention to the primary factors affecting the quality of a
product or service.
 These factors need to be optimized in order
to reduce the amount ofprocess variation.
 The outcome can provide initial information
to later problem solvingtools.

Continuous Improvement Toolkit .www.citoolkit.com

- Fishbone Diagram
Root Causes are Normally:
 Those at the ends of chains of causes.
 They do not have any sub-causes.

Primary SubCause
Cause
Cause

Effect /
Problem
- Fishbone Diagram

 Often used during brainstorming sessions.

 Everyone gains insight into the cause andeffect
 This makes the solution easier to find later on.
- Fishbone Diagram

 Potential causes are sometimes called the processinput

variables.
 They are normally grouped into categories for easier sharing
and reference.
 These are often called the 6Ms.
- Fishbone Diagram
Example – The Increased Coolant Consumption in a Factory:

Environment Machine Method

Adjusting
Machine leakage Machine breakdown Concentration settings
Evaporation
in hotseasons Adding WBLFto
Trench gets the tankdirectly
other materials Blocked hoses
High Coolant
Consumption
Rounding Lack of training
Biocide level WBLFnot measured measurement
per line separately Poorcommunication
Antifoam WBLFnot between shifts
level measure on time

Material Measure Man

The 4 Ss (used in service industries)
An alternative used for service industries, uses four
categories of possible cause:
Surroundings
Suppliers
Systems
Skills
After you have determined your root cause, prioritise or screen the
causes to determine which are having the largest effect. Once
identified focus on these. An easy Cause screening method involves
looking at each one and asking two questions
How likely is this cause to be the major source of the issue or
variation?
V- Very Likely
S- Somewhat Likely
N- Not Likely
How easy would it be to fix or control?
V- Very Easy
S- Somewhat Easy
N- Not Easy
Put the answers of the two questions together. Work on the Cause
which have a result of VV, VS and SV
People
Types of Questions that may be Asked
Note, this is not a definitive list of questions that may be asked to identify potential source of variation

• Does the person have adequate supervision and support?

• Does the person know what he is expected to do in his job?
• How much experience does the person have?
• Does the person have the proper motivation to do his best work?
• Is the person satisfied or dissatisfied with his job?
• Is the person more- or less-productive at certain times of the day?
• Do physical conditions such as light or temperature affect their work?
• Does the person have the tools/equipment needed to do the job?
• Who does the person contact when problems arise?
• Is the work load reasonable
Methods

Types of Questions that may be Asked

Note, this is not a definitive list of questions that may be asked to identify potential source of variation

• How is the method used defined?

• Is the method regularly reviewed for adequacy?
• Is the method used affected by external factors?
• Have other methods been considered?
• How does the operator know if the method is operating effectively?
• Is statistical analysis used to verify the effectiveness of the method?
• What adjustments must the operator make during the process?
• Have any changes been made recently in the process?
Machines

Types of Questions that may be Asked

Note, this is not a definitive list of questions that may be asked to identify potential source of variation

• How old is the equipment or machinery?

• Is it maintained regularly?
• Is the machine affected by heat or vibration or other physical factors?
• How does the operator know if the machine is operating correctly?
• Is statistical analysis used to verify the capability of the machine?
• What adjustments must the operator make during the process?
• Have any changes been made recently in the process?
Get to the root of the problem