5 Whys
Note: This topic was mentioned during the call but not discussed in depth.
The 5 Whys is a technique from lean manufacturing and systems thinking for getting to root causes by asking "why" five times in succession.
How It Works
- Start with a problem or observation
- Ask "Why?" and answer
- Take that answer and ask "Why?" again
- Repeat five times (or until you reach the root cause)
- This moves from symptoms to systemic issues
Shared by Jerry
Jerry Michalski shared: 5 Whys Wikipedia entry
John Kelly's Insight
John Kelly (via Pete Kaminski) shared an important caveat:
"I found that if you created a context in which there's a social reason for participating and pursuing a question like the five whys, they'll participate for the social reason, and then down the road, they'll get the benefit in terms of the enrichment of the conversation and the possibility of realizing, 'Oh—we actually discovered something we weren't even looking for.'"
Key Points
- Social motivation can bootstrap genuine curiosity
- People participate first for social reasons, discover value later
- The game or container matters more than direct instruction
- Indirect discovery is more powerful than being told what you'll find
- If you told them upfront, "they probably wouldn't have" engaged
"How" vs "Why"
John Kelly also noted:
"How is a more neutral version of why"
This suggests "5 Hows" might work better in contexts where "why" feels:
- Accusatory
- Judgmental
- Too personal
- Threatening