# Run a 5 Whys analysis on a recurring problem

Walks a problem through 5 Whys step by step, checks each link against evidence, and ends with fixes that target the real cause.

- Topic: Thinking & Decisions
- Framework: RTF
- Level: Advanced
- Tags: Write, Analyze, Fill-in Template
- Source: https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/prompts/run-a-5-whys-analysis-on-a-recurring-problem

## Prompt

```text
Run a 5 Whys analysis with me on a problem that keeps coming back.

**The problem:** [WHAT HAPPENED, where, when, how often - e.g. "customer invoices went out late three months in a row"]
**Impact:** [cost, customers affected, time lost]
**What we know so far:** [FACTS, TIMELINE, DATA, NOTES FROM THE TEAM - paste them]
**Fixes already tried:** [WHAT, and what happened]

How to run it:
1. Write a precise problem statement (what, where, when, how much), with no blame and no cause baked in.
2. Ask "why did this happen?" and give the most likely answer based on my facts. For each answer, state the evidence that supports it, or mark it [NEEDS CHECKING].
3. Repeat until we reach a cause that is a process, system, or decision we control - usually 4-6 levels. Stop earlier if the evidence runs out, and say so.
4. Where there is more than one plausible answer at a level, branch the chain rather than picking one.
5. Test the chain backwards: "if we fixed this cause, would the problem stop?" Flag weak links.

Return:
1. Problem statement.
2. The Why chain(s) as a numbered list, each step with its evidence or [NEEDS CHECKING].
3. Root cause(s) in one sentence each.
4. Countermeasures: a quick containment step and a permanent fix, with owner and date blanks.
5. Questions to ask the team to confirm the weak links.

Rules: "human error" or "someone forgot" is never a root cause; keep asking why the process allowed it. Don't invent facts I didn't give you.
```

## What to fill in

- cost, customers affected, time lost
- FACTS, TIMELINE, DATA, NOTES FROM THE TEAM - paste them
- WHAT, and what happened
- NEEDS CHECKING

Free to copy and use. From ThinkWithPrompt (https://www.thinkwithprompt.com/), a library of 2,663 curated AI prompts.