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🐠 Fishbone Diagram

6 min read

Visualize causes of problems or issues using a causal diagram shaped like a fish skeleton.

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🔱 💡 🧠 🌈 ⚙️ 📊 🗄️

Notes

- "A fishbone diagram is a visual thinking tool that helps you identify all the possible causes of a problem." - Sydney D'Mello

Story

Fishbone Diagrams, also known as Cause-and-Effect Diagrams or Herringbone Diagrams, are visual tools used to organize and analyze potential causes of problems or issues. They help identify root causes by categorizing them into main groups like People, Methods, Machines, Materials, Measurements, Mother Nature, and Management.

TakeAways

  • 📌 Identify and categorize possible causes of a problem using a fishbone structure
  • 🐠 Fishbone Diagrams help prevent missing potential causes by organizing them into categories.
  • 🔍 Common main groups: People, Methods, Machines, Materials, Measurements, Mother Nature, Management.

Example

Problem: Low Employee Productivity

🔸 **People**
  - 🏢 **Lack of training:**
    - 📊 *85%* of employees felt inadequately trained (Employee Survey)
    - ❌ Example: Sales team struggled with new CRM system due to insufficient training.
    - ✅ **Solutions:**
      1. 🧑‍🏫 Develop and implement comprehensive training program for new CRM system (~2 months)
        - Responsible Party: HR/L&D Department
      2. 📹 Create video tutorials and online resources for self-paced learning (~1 month)
        - Responsible Party: IT/Internal Communications
  - 🗣️ **Poor communication:**
    - 📉 *20%* decrease in project completion rates due to miscommunication (Project Management Report)
    - 🤔 Example: Confusion between departments led to delayed project delivery.
    - ✅ **Solutions:**
      1. ➕ Establish regular cross-functional team meetings (~1 week)
        - Responsible Party: Project Managers/Team Leads
      2. 📧 Implement company-wide instant messaging platform (~2 weeks)
        - Responsible Party: IT/Internal Communications
 
🔹 **Methods**
  - 💼 **Inefficient processes:**
    - ⏲️ *Average process time*: 10 days vs. industry standard of 5 days (Process Efficiency Audit)
    - ✅ Example: Order fulfillment process had too many manual approval steps.
    - ✅ **Solutions:**
      1. 📈 Analyze and optimize order fulfillment process (~4 weeks)
        - Responsible Party: Operations/Process Improvement Team
      2. 🚀 Automate approval workflows using digital forms (~3 months)
        - Responsible Party: IT/Appropriate Department
  - 🛠️ **Outdated tools:**
    - 📊 *60%* of employees reported difficulties using outdated software (IT Support Tickets)
    - 💻 Example: Using Microsoft Office 2010 instead of newer, more efficient versions caused productivity loss.
    - ✅ **Solutions:**
      1. 🛍️ Upgrade to latest version of Microsoft Office Suite (~3 months)
        - Responsible Party: IT/Finance Departments
      2. ➕ Encourage use of collaborative tools like Google Workspace or Microsoft Teams (~2 weeks)
        - Responsible Party: IT/Internal Communications
 
🔹 **Materials**
  - ⚒️ **Insufficient resources:**
    - 📈 *45%* increase in project delays due to resource scarcity (Project Management Report)
    - 🛑 Example: Marketing team lacked necessary tools for creating engaging social media content.
    - ✅ **Solutions:**
      1. 💻 Purchase necessary software and hardware for marketing team (~3 weeks)
        - Responsible Party: Finance/Marketing Departments
      2. 📚 Provide budget for outsourcing specialized services when needed (~Ongoing)
        - Responsible Party: Finance/Marketing Departments
 
🔹 **Mother Nature** (Environmental Factors)
  - 🌡️ **Unpredictable weather:**
    - ❌ *30%* reduction in outdoor event attendance due to unfavorable weather conditions (Event Reports)
    - ⛈️ Example: Heavy rain caused cancellation of popular annual festival.
    - ✅ **Solutions:**
      1. 🔍 Analyze historical weather data and reschedule events during safer months (~2 weeks)
        - Responsible Party: Event Planning Department
      2. 🎪 Obtain temporary event shelters and equipment for weather protection (~4 weeks)
        - Responsible Party: Finance/Event Planning Departments
 
🔹 **Machines** (Equipment and Technology)
  - 💥 **Frequent equipment breakdowns:**
    - 📊 *40%* downtime in production due to machinery issues (Maintenance Reports)
    - 🛠️ Example: Packaging line stopped operation frequently, causing delays in product delivery.
    - ✅ **Solutions:**
      1. 🔬 Conduct comprehensive equipment maintenance audit (~2 weeks)
        - Responsible Party: Maintenance/Operations Departments
      2. 💰 Allocate budget for preventative maintenance and upgrades (~Ongoing)
        - Responsible Party: Finance/Maintenance/Operations Departments
 
🔹 **Measures** (Policies and Guidelines)
  - ⚡️ **Lack of clear emergency protocols:**
    - ❌ *2 hours* delay in response to critical incident due to unclear procedures (Incident Report)
    - 📄 Example: No established guidelines for handling power outages, leading to confusion during blackout.
    - ✅ **Solutions:**
      1. 📚 Develop comprehensive emergency protocols and guidelines (~3 weeks)
        - Responsible Party: HR/Safety/Legal Departments
      2. 🗒️ Conduct regular drills and training sessions to familiarize staff with procedures (~Ongoing)
        - Responsible Party: HR/Safety/Relevant Departments
graph LR
    A[Problem: Inefficient Sales Process] --> B[People];
    A --> C[Methods];
    A --> D[Materials];
    A --> E[Mother Nature];
    A --> F[Machines];
    A --> G[Measures];
    B --> H["Lack of training"];
    B --> I["Poor communication"];
    C --> J["Inefficient processes"];
    C --> K["Outdated tools"];
    D --> L["Insufficient resources"];
    E --> M["Unpredictable weather"];
    F --> N["Frequent equipment breakdowns"];
    G --> O["Lack of clear emergency protocols"];
    H --> P["Develop & implement training program (2 months)"];
    H --> Q["Create video tutorials (1 month)"];
    I --> R["Analyze & optimize communication channels (4 weeks)"];
    I --> S["Encourage use of collaborative tools (2 weeks)"];
    J --> T["Analyze & optimize order fulfillment process (4 weeks)"];
    J --> U["Automate approval workflows (3 months)"];
    K --> V["Upgrade Microsoft Office Suite (3 months)"];
    K --> W["Encourage use of collaborative tools (2 weeks)"];
    L --> X["Purchase necessary software/hardware (3 weeks)"];
    L --> Y["Provide budget for outsourcing services (Ongoing)"];
    M --> Z["Analyze historical weather data & reschedule events (2 weeks)"];
    M --> AA["Obtain temporary event shelters & equipment (4 weeks)"];
    N --> AB["Conduct comprehensive equipment maintenance audit (2 weeks)"];
    N --> AC["Allocate budget for preventative maintenance & upgrades (Ongoing)"];
    O --> AD["Develop comprehensive emergency protocols & guidelines (3 weeks)"];
    O --> AE["Conduct regular drills & training sessions (Ongoing)"];

Process

  • 🌈 Identify Problem: Clearly define the problem or issue you want to address.
  • 🗄️ List Main Groups: Identify and write down the seven main categories (People, Methods, etc.).
  • ⚙️ Brainstorm Causes: For each group, brainstorm possible causes related to that category.
  • 🔱 Arrange Causal Links: Connect causes to their respective groups, creating a fishbone structure.

Thoughts

  • 🧠 Structured Thinking: Fishbone Diagrams promote organized thinking around potential causes.
  • 💡 Comprehensive Analysis: By categorizing causes, this tool helps ensure all possible reasons are considered.
  1. Management
  2. 🧐 5 Whys
  3. Ishikawa diagram - Wikipedia
  4. MindTools | Home

Graph View