

– It prompts to take subsequent steps represented in all detailed information. – It helps the group to focus on a particular issue and thus exclude distracting propositions. – Participation in the process provides good opportunities for learning through group interaction that helps each individual benefit from the experiences of the rest of the participants. Ishikawa Summarized The Benefits Of Fish Bone As Follows: This model can be used in analyzing all kinds of problems. The model helps the team to gather detailed information about the problem and its specifics.ģ. It helps the problem-solving team to approach the problem with focus, thus eliminating non-essential elements and saving time in studying the problem.Ģ.

Ishikawa identified some of the benefits that can be achieved from applying this model, which go as follows:ġ. The fishbone tool is a great tool for analyzing problems with the participation of those responsible for this problem or those responsible for the main elements that may be the cause of this problem, whether this problem is personal or at a problem of companies and organizations, large or small, this planning diagram helps to analyze and find all factors and causes, no matter how big, small or trivial, which may be the main influencing and leading cause of the big problem. The reason for calling it the fish skeleton diagram is that the final form of this diagram is similar to the skeleton of a fish after you remove the meat from it, as the head of the fish represents the main problem and each sub-bone of the spine represents the main elements of this problem. It also depicts the relationship arranged schematically between the causes according to their level of importance or detail and as a given result.


It can be used to distinguish and rank the causes of an event, problem, or outcome. It is a schematic technique from Japanese quality control statistician Karo Ishikawa of the University of Tokyo. To represent secondary causes contributing to primary causes, drag Secondary cause shapes onto the drawing page and snap the arrowheads to primary cause lines.A fishbone analysis diagram, also called a “cause-and-effect diagram” and “Ishikawa diagram”, is a tool for analyzing a problem by identifying possible causes for the purpose of finding a set of integrative solutions to the problem. To represent major causes contributing to the categories, drag Primary cause shapes onto the drawing page and snap the arrowheads to category lines. To delete a category, select the shape and then press the DELETE key.įor each category shape on the drawing page, select the shape, and then type the name of the cause category. To add a category, drag a Category 1 or Category 2 shape onto the drawing page and position it so that the arrowhead is touching the spine. Select the spine (the horizontal arrow) on the drawing page, and then type text that describes the effect, problem, or objective.ĭetermine the number of cause categories that contribute to the effect, and then do one of the following: This template also provides a variety of shapes that represent primary and secondary causes that can be used to add even greater detail.Ĭlick File > New > Business, and then double-click Cause and Effect Diagram. The Cause and Effect Diagram template opens a drawing page that already contains a spine shape (effect) and four category boxes (causes) to help start your drawing. They are also called Ishikawa, fishbone, or characteristic diagrams. Cause and effect diagrams document all the factors that contribute to or affect a given situation: all the causes, that is, that lead to a certain effect.
