ICGB · Question #39
The 5 Why Analysis is only useful if the possible independent variable can be broken down into five possible causes.
The correct answer is B. False. B (False) is correct because the "5 Whys" is a flexible root cause analysis technique - the number five is a guideline, not a strict rule. You ask "why" repeatedly until you reach the underlying root cause, which may take three iterations or seven; the goal is depth of…
Question
The 5 Why Analysis is only useful if the possible independent variable can be broken down into five possible causes.
Options
- ATrue
- BFalse
How the community answered
(25 responses)- A20% (5)
- B80% (20)
Explanation
B (False) is correct because the "5 Whys" is a flexible root cause analysis technique - the number five is a guideline, not a strict rule. You ask "why" repeatedly until you reach the underlying root cause, which may take three iterations or seven; the goal is depth of understanding, not hitting exactly five causes.
A (True) is wrong because it misrepresents the method as requiring a fixed structure. In practice, the number of "whys" varies depending on the complexity of the problem.
Memory tip: Think of the "5" in 5 Whys as a rule of thumb, not a rule of law - it signals "dig deep," not "stop at five." If you reach the root cause at why #3, you're done.
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