Cause and Effect

Diagram
(C&E, Ishikawa, Fault or Fishbone Diagram )

C&E Diagram

Objective

In This Module We Will.

Define a Cause and Effect diagram

Understand the elements of C&E analysis

Understand why and when to use C&E diagrams

Understand the importance of team involvement when

brainstorming

Workshop on project teams C&E Diagram

C&E Diagram

Cause & Effect Diagram

The Cause and effect diagram is also called:

Fishbone Diagram-because of the way it looks
Ishakawa Diagram for the inventor, Dr. Kaoru Ishakawa.
Main Category

Problem/
Desired
Improvement
Cause

Root
Cause

C&E Diagram

What is a Cause and Effect Diagram?

A visual tool to identify, explore and graphically display, in

increasing detail, all of the suspected possible causes
related to a problem or condition to discover its root
causes.
Not a quantitative tool
Main Category

Problem/
Desired
Improvement

Cause
Root Cause

C&E Diagram

Why Use Cause & Effect Diagrams?

Focuses team on the content of the problem

Creates a snapshot of the collective knowledge of team
Creates consensus of the causes of a problem
Builds support for resulting solutions
Focuses the team on causes not symptoms
To discover the most probable causes for further analysis
To visualize possible relationships between causes for any
problem current or future
To pinpoint conditions causing customer complaints, process
errors or non-conforming products
To provide focus for discussion

C&E Diagram

Product/Manufacturing

Man
Machine

Methods
Five Key
Sources of
Variation

+ Environment
Measurement

Materials

Use cause and effect diagram to single out variation

sources within the 5Ms + E
C&E Diagram

Transactional/Service

People
Policies

Procedures
Five Key
Sources of
Variation

+ Environment
Measurement

Place

Use cause and effect diagram to single out variation

sources within the 4Ps + M&E
C&E Diagram

Fishbone - Cause and Effect Diagram

Causes

Effect

Main Category

Problem

se

Cause

u
Ca
b
Root
Su
Cause

Shows various influences on a process to identify

most likely root causes of problem
C&E Diagram

Constructing a C&E Diagram

Materials

Methods

Problem/

Maintenance
Machinery

Manpower

Brainstorm to determine root causes and

add those as small branches off major bones
C&E Diagram

Fishbone Diagram Example

Fishbone diagram sourced from GOAL/QPC Black Belt Memory Jogger published 2002

C&E Diagram

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Same Example More Detail

C&E Diagram

11

Physical C&E Construction

C&E Fishbone diagrams can be constructed two ways:

Paper and pen
Usually more effective when working in a team
May take multiple sheets of flip chart paper
Many teams find it helpful to do the flip chart method
first because it lends itself to group dynamics.
Everyone can see and participate easier.
Minitab software
Very helpful when sharing diagram with an audience
outside of your team

C&E Diagram

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C&E Workshop

In Project Teams, complete the following items:

1. Determine the problem or head of the fishbone
2. Determine if your process is Transactional/Commercial
or Product/Industrial
3. Create a Cause & Effect (C&E) Fishbone diagram using:
- 4 Ps and M & E (Transactional process)*
- 5 Ms and E (Product process)*

* Use the headings (Ps and Ms) as guidelines. Customize to better describe the process
C&E Diagram

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