What does it do?

A cause and effect diagram is a visual tool that logically organizes possible causes for a specific problem or effect by graphically displaying them in increasing detail. It is sometimes called a fishbone diagram because of its fishbone shape. This shape allows the team to see how each cause relates to the effect. It then allows you to determine a classification related to the impact and ease of addressing each cause

Why Use?

A cause and effect diagram allows your team to explore, identify, and display all of the possible causes related to a specific problem. The diagram can increase in detail as necessary to identify the true root cause of the problem. Proper use of the tool helps the team organize thinking so that all the possible causes of the problem, not just those from one person's viewpoint, are captured. Therefore, the cause and effect diagram reflects the perspective of the team as a whole and helps foster consensus in the results because each team member can view all the inputs

When Use?

You can use the cause and effect diagram whenever you need to break an effect down into its root causes. It is especially useful in the Measure, Analyze, and Improve phases of the DMAIC process

Downloads

The Ishikawa diagram considers the variables like 4 M’s man, machine, method, material and environment. 4 M’s can be replaced by 4 P’s namely people, plant and procedures and policies . These factors can be a sub divided if useful and the identification of significant factor is done to identify potential cause of defect. This tool is very effective way to organize and display various theories about what the root cause might be. Let us take the example of mixer not working properly. We have circled the potential root cause.

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