Cause and Effect Diagram
A cause and effect diagram is a graphic tool used to explore and display the possible causes of a certain effect.
Highlights
- Cause and effect diagram instructions, example, and template
Note: Spanish and Portuguese translations of this tool also available for download.
A cause and effect diagram, also known as an Ishikawa or "fishbone" diagram, is a graphic tool used to explore and display the possible causes of a certain effect. Use the classic fishbone diagram when causes group naturally under the categories of Materials, Methods, Equipment, Environment, and People. Use a process-type cause and effect diagram to show causes of problems at each step in the process.
- It helps teams understand that there are many causes that contribute to an effect.
- It graphically displays the relationship of the causes to the effect and to each other.
- It helps to identify areas for improvement.
*NOTE: Before filling out the template, first save the PDF file to your computer. Then open and use that version of the tool. Otherwise, your changes will not be saved.
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