This document discusses why using "why" questions when coaching the improvement kata may not be effective and can put learners on the defensive. It notes that people associate "why" questions with blame from their past experiences. As an alternative, it recommends asking "where, when, what" questions to help learners deeply understand the circumstances and sequence of events leading to problems, without blame. The document provides examples of how to frame questions this way to help learners localize and analyze problems.

1. www.LERNZONE.com
© Tilo Schwarz - all rights reserved.
You are welcome to copy or use this document non-commercially with an indication of source on each page.
LernzoneLeading Change - Change Leadership
„We need leadership that plants
orange trees,
not management that quenches the
last juice from picked oranges.“
NoWhy v1.2
Tips&Tricks for the Kata Coach
No Why!
Why using why-questions might not be a good idea.

2. © Tilo Schwarz, feel free to use this slide with an indication of source.
www.LERNZONE.com
NoWhy v1.2 2
In the lean community we have trained people
to ask „5 times why“
as a technique for root cause analysis.
Maybe this was a mistake!
Why? 😉
Let’s explore…

3. © Tilo Schwarz, feel free to use this slide with an indication of source.
www.LERNZONE.com
NoWhy v1.2 3
Yes, „the 5 why“ where introduced by Taiichi
Ohno as a method for root cause analysis…
But are we really able to use them in the Toyota-Way?
Some thoughts to consider…

4. © Tilo Schwarz, feel free to use this slide with an indication of source.
www.LERNZONE.com
NoWhy v1.2
The Kata Coach intends to improve the
Learners systematic problem solving ability by
training him in using the Improvement Kata.
4
An important thing to learn with the
Improvement Kata is root cause orientation.
Then, of course, the Coach should ask 5 times why.
Well, let’s think again…

5. © Tilo Schwarz, feel free to use this slide with an indication of source.
www.LERNZONE.com
NoWhy v1.2
We use the Improvement Kata to reach a Target-
Condition in the unknown zone.
Therefore we have to find our current threshold of knowledge.
This is the point where we must conduct the next experiment.
Going beyond this line by guessing is very risk and will
eventually lead to failure.
5
head and brain by
Patrick J. Lynch
Next Target-
Condition?
Threshold of
knowledge
known unknownWe

6. have

7. to

8. conduct

9.
an

10. experiment

11. here

12.
to

13. find

14. out.

15. © Tilo Schwarz, feel free to use this slide with an indication of source.
www.LERNZONE.com
NoWhy v1.2
At the threshold of knowledge we have to
admit: „I don’t know“.
6
See!

16. We