How do you adapt and refine the 5 whys technique for different types of gaps and contexts?

1 Know your goal

Before you start asking why, you need to have a clear and specific goal for your gap analysis. What are you trying to achieve? What are the desired outcomes and metrics? How will you measure success and progress? Having a goal will help you focus your questions and avoid irrelevant or vague answers.

2 Define your gap

Next, you need to define your gap clearly and objectively. What is the current state and the desired state? What is the difference between them? How does it affect your goal? Avoid jumping to conclusions or blaming external factors. Use data and evidence to support your gap definition.

3 Ask the right whys

Now, you can start asking why the gap exists. However, not all whys are created equal. To get to the root cause, you need to ask the right questions. Ask open-ended questions that encourage exploration and explanation, not yes or no answers. Ask one why at a time and listen carefully to the answer before asking the next one. Additionally, ask why from different perspectives and stakeholders, not just your own. For example, ask why from the customer's, the employee's, the competitor's, or the supplier's point of view. Keep going until you reach a logical and actionable root cause; don't stop at a dead end or a circular reasoning. For example, if you ask "Why did the customers stop buying?" and the answer is "Because they don't like our product", don't stop there. Ask "Why don't they like our product?" and keep digging deeper.

4 Validate your whys

Asking why is not enough. You also need to validate your whys with data and evidence. Don't rely on assumptions or opinions. Check if your answers are supported by facts and observations. If not, find out where the gaps in your knowledge are and how you can fill them. Use tools like surveys, interviews, experiments, or benchmarks to test your hypotheses and confirm your findings.

5 Take action on your whys

Finally, you need to take action on your whys. Once you have identified the root cause of your gap, you need to develop and implement a solution that will address it. Don't settle for quick fixes or band-aid solutions that will only mask the symptoms. Find out what changes or improvements are needed to close the gap and achieve your goal. Monitor and evaluate the results and adjust your actions as needed.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?