The 5 Why’s of Corrective Action
 The 5 Why method asks why an event happened and place the resulting answer in the cause chain. Each question should be simple, short, focused on a single question and starting with “Why…?” After each cause has been identified, the next question to ask is “Why did this event happen?” |
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| Example of 5 WhysProblem Statement: Caliper was found in use on shop floor beyond its calibration date.
Why was a caliper in use beyond its calibration date? |
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| Why was the caliper not recalled? Because the caliper was not on the recall list. Why was the caliper not on the recall list? Why are new caliper not added to recall list? |
Why did the operator not check the label? Because the operator was recently hired and had not been trained to check calibration labels. Why wasn’t the operator trained to check labels? Why doesn’t OJT address calibration labels? |
Once the 5 why’s have been used successfully your business management system will see marked improvements.
Through you internal auditing process you will find many opportunities for improvement, and there are software solutions that can aid you as you progress in your problem resolution understanding. ISO 9001 software and as9100 software packages will help you collect and analyze your problem solving information to help make better decisions and improve your bottom line.
