5 Whys Technique: An Essential Approach for Solving Design Problems in Digital Products
The five whys technique is a simple yet powerful tool used in product design to identify the root cause of a problem or issue. It involves asking “why” five times in succession, with each answer leading to the next question until the root cause is identified.
The five whys technique was first developed by Toyota Motor Corporation in the 1930s to improve its manufacturing processes. It has since been adopted by organizations in various industries, including product design, to identify and solve problems.
One of the key benefits of the five whys technique is that it helps designers and developers identify the underlying cause of a problem rather than just addressing the symptoms. By drilling down to the root cause, designers and developers can implement a more effective solution that addresses the issue at its source rather than just treating the symptoms. For example, if a product is experiencing a high rate of returns due to a design flaw, the five whys technique can help designers and developers identify the root cause of the problem. By asking “why” five times, they might discover that the problem is due to a lack of user testing during the design process, which can be addressed by incorporating more extensive user testing.
Another benefit of the five whys technique is that it helps designers and developers to think critically and creatively about problems. By asking “why” five times, designers and developers are forced to consider multiple potential pain causes and evaluate them to identify the most likely root cause. This process helps to stimulate critical and creative thinking, leading to more innovative and effective solutions. In addition, the five whys technique is a valuable tool for product design because it is simple and easy to use. It does not require any special training or equipment and can be applied to any problem or issue. This makes it an accessible and effective tool for designers and developers to use in their daily work.
See the 5 Whys Technique in action with this practical example
Imagine that you are designing a new website, and the loading time is slower than expected. You might first ask, “why is the loading time slower than expected?” The answer might be that the website has too many large images and videos.
The next question would be, “why does the website have too many large images and videos?” The answer might be that the designer did not optimize the images and videos before uploading them to the website.
The third question would be, “why were the images and videos not optimized before being uploaded to the website?” The answer might be that the designer was unaware of the importance of image and video optimization for website performance.
The fourth question would be, “why was the designer unaware of the importance of image and video optimization?” The answer might be that the designer did not receive proper training on website performance optimization.
Finally, the fifth question would be, “why did the designer not receive proper training on website performance optimization?” The answer might be that the company lacks a comprehensive design training program.
By asking “why” five times, we have identified the root cause of the problem. The company does not have a comprehensive training program for designers, which resulted in the designer not being aware of the importance of image and video optimization, which led to the website having too many large images and videos and slow loading times.
Once the root cause has been identified, designers and developers can take action to address the problem. In this case, they might recommend that the company implement a comprehensive training program for designers to ensure they know the best practices for website performance optimization.
Learn from a real-world example of the 5 Whys Technique in action
While this technique may seem like an unfamiliar or obscure tool, it is a widely used and highly respected problem-solving method that industry leaders often employ. In fact, many of the world’s largest and most successful companies, including Google, Apple, and Amazon, have used the five whys technique to identify and solve problems in their operations.
Here are a few examples of situations when big tech companies have used the five whys technique to solve problems:
- Google: Google used the five whys technique to identify the root cause of a problem with their Gmail service. When users reported that they could not access their emails, the company used the five whys technique to identify the root cause of the problem. After asking “why” five times, they discovered that the problem was due to a software bug causing the server to crash. They were able to fix the bug and restore access to the Gmail service for users.
- Apple: Apple used the five whys technique to identify the root cause of a problem with their iPhone 6 Plus devices. When users reported that the devices were bending, Apple used the five whys technique to identify the root cause of the problem. After asking “why” five times, they discovered the problem was due to a design flaw in the device’s casing. They were able to redesign the case and prevent the problem from occurring in future devices.
- Amazon: Amazon used the five whys technique to identify the root cause of a problem with their fulfillment centers. When employees were experiencing high levels of stress and burnout, Amazon used the five whys technique to identify the root cause of the problem. After asking “why” five times, they discovered that the problem was due to unrealistic performance expectations and a lack of employee support. They implemented changes to the fulfillment center operations, including more realistic performance expectations and increased employee support, which helped reduce stress and burnout.
Conclusion
By addressing the root cause, designers and developers can implement a solution that addresses the problem at its source and prevents it from occurring again. This can save time, money, and resources that would otherwise be wasted on addressing the symptoms of a problem rather than the root cause.
For Further Reading
DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE: 5 WHYS — iSixSigma
What are 5 Whys? — Interaction Design Foundation (IxDF)
5 Whys: Getting to the Root of a Problem Quickly — Mind Tools
