Fishbone Diagram

What is it?

The cause and effect diagram, also called the fishbone diagram and Ishikawa diagram, provides a picture of various elements that may contribute to a problem or a topic.

What does it look like?

When is it used?

The cause and effect diagram is used when:

1. Root Causes of a problem need to be identified.

2. There are many ideas and/or opinions about the causes of the problem.

3. A visual is a better way to show the cause/effect relationship

How is it made?

1. Identify the problem or determine the topic that needs to be analyzed.

2. Record the problem statement or the topic.

3. Write the effect in the right most box or at the head of the fish.

4. Draw and label the main bones (i.e. materials, assessments, students, methodology).

5. As a group or individual, brainstorm possible causes.

6. Study the list to begin to determine root causes. May want to use relations diagram or multi-voting to determine the most probable root cause.

Applications

Identify the causes of World War II

Study the causes of low morale

Read about Volcanoes. Use sticky notes to capture important information. Place sticky notes on the fishbone diagram.

Identify how to have successful play.

Study the cause of bird migration.