The Cause-and-Effect Diagram is a method to uncover potential root causes of a given problem. They are also called Ishikawa Diagrams and Fishbone Diagrams, and were developed by Kaoru Ishikawa. It is listed as a tool and technique of the fourth edition PMBOK®’s Perform Quality Control process. Large arrows represent categories of reasons for the cause of the effect. The classic categories were the six “M’s” – Machine, Method, Maintenance, Materials, Man and Mother Nature. However, the categories can be adopted to fit the current problem. Below is an example of a cause-and-effect diagram for Katy, who has been burning batches of cookies lately. Notice that a smaller arrow provides a cause for the larger arrow to which it is pointing.
July 6, 2009
Cause-and-Effect Diagram
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