A cause and effect diagram, also known as an Ishikawa diagram, is a visual tool for identifying potential causes of a problem or effect. It displays the causes branching off from the main problem in a fishbone structure. The key causes are typically categorized as people, methods, materials, machines, environment, or measurements. Brainstorming is used to identify potential sub-causes within each category. Ranking the ideas can then help prioritize which causes to examine further. The diagram provides a systematic way to breakdown a problem and determine its root causes.
2. 3.Cause and Effect Diagrams
(Ishikawa)
A method for the identification of the
root cause of a problem.
3. cause and effect
What is Brainstorming?
• A way to get creative ideas.
• A way to get everyone’s views.
• A way to generate alternatives.
4. cause and effect
Potential Uses (Brainstorming)
• For identifying areas for improvement.
• For finding potential causes of problems.
• For developing possible preventive actions.
5. cause and effect
Some Guidelines (Brainstorming)
• Give wild and unusual
ideas.
• Aim for quantity.
• Build on ideas of
others.
• Encourage
participation.
• Evaluate or criticise.
• Stop to soon.
• Allow domination or
idea ownership.
Do’s Don'ts
6. cause and effect
Ranking
Ranking can be used after brainstorming to assess the teams
Priority position on a list of ideas. The basic procedure is:
•Each person privately selects 3 to 5 items from the list
•Each person ranks their selection in order of priority
•The marks are then totalled for each item
•The item having the highest total is then judged to have the
highest priority
7. cause and effect
What is a Cause and Effect Diagram?
• The process of a cause and effect diagram consists of defining
an effect in terms of possible causes and is normally carried
out in the form of a Brainstorming session.
• The principal causes are typically Man, Materials, Methods or
Machines.
• These are then reduced to sub-causes.
• Finally, the most likely causes are then circled and are subject
to future examination.
• These relationships are displayed pictorially in the form of a
fishbone structure.
8. cause and effect
Layout:
Man Method
Materials Machines
Effect
Sub-Cause
Sub-Cause Sub-Cause
Sub-Cause
Sub-Cause
Sub-Cause
9. Cause & Effect Diagrams
Sample
Incorrect shipping
documents
Manpower Materials
Methods Machine
Keyboard sticks
Wrong source info
Wrong purchase order
Inefficient info
Didn’t follow
No procedure
No communications
No training
Software problem
Corrupt
data
reluctant
Editor's Notes
Brainstorming is a technique used to generate a large number of ideas quickly, and may be used in a variety of situations.
Each member of the group, perhaps in turn, may be invited to put forward ideas for the resolution of the issue at hand.
Theoretically brainstorming can be applied to any form of idea generation.
The above scenarios however are the ones most likely to be of some benefit to Keystone.
Wild ideas are safe to offer, as criticism or ridicule is not permitted during a brainstorming session.
In order to do this, the people taking part do so with equal status.
The main objective is to create an atmosphere of enthusiasm and originality.
This is purely an information slide.
Try and make sure everyone in the group understands the process and be prepared to answer any questions which may arise.
A useful way of identifying the inputs that effect quality is the cause and effect diagram. These diagrams are also known as Ishikawa diagrams after their originator, or fishbone diagrams after their appearance.
The effect or issue being investigated is shown at the end of a horizontal arrow.
Potential causes are then shown as labelled arrows entering the main cause arrow.
Each arrow may have other arrows entering it as the principal issues or causes are reduced to their sub-causes - perhaps by Brainstorming.