Use the "Five Whys" for simpler problem-solving - Retro Time // A Software Podcast | Lyssna här

If you’re a UX designer, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about the “Five Whys” as a way to uncover hidden problems. It’s often used as a research method to help us understand the cause of problems that might not be completely clear at first.

This problem-solving method was created by Toyota in the 1930s and was largely used as a basis for Toyota’s later innovations in lean manufacturing. Taiichi Ono, the father of Toyota’s Lean Manufacturing once said:

The basis of Toyota’s scientific approach is to ask why five times whenever we find a problem … By repeating why five times, the nature of the problem as well as its solution becomes clear.Taiichi Ono

Even though this method is nearly 100 years old, it’s a great way to uncover problems and identify the root issues affecting your users, your process, your build, your team, etc. Whether you’re a software engineer, a UX designer, or work on the manufacturing shop floor, you’ll find this method useful.

Topics: • 03:50 – What are the five whys? • 06:26 – The “Five Whys” is for everything — It’s about investigation and learning • 06:52 – An example • 09:18 – The answers can change depending on who you ask • 11:42 – Keep asking why until you get your answer • 13:29 – The “Five Whys” helps solve the butterfly effect • 14:53 – Complex problems might have simple solutions – Occams Razor • 18:51 – Don’t bring your computer to the IT department • 19:48 – How many whys are too many? • 23:41 – You won’t get nearly as far with simply experience in your job as you will with insight into the experience you’ve had. • 29:27 – Culture is the Key — A Brittany Summit Jam

Helpful Links: • Ask “Why” Five Times About Every Matter • How to Use 5 Whys to Find the Root Cause • en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_whys • Mental Models for Software Engineers: Occam’s Razor

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