Is Ishikawa Diagram the Problem-Solving Tool for You?

Ishikawa Diagram, also known as the Fishbone Diagram, is a problem-solving tool used in organizational environments. It was conceptualized in 1982 by Japanese organizational theorist Kaoru Ishikawa. It allows employees to identify the causes of a problem through a visual diagram. Here is an example of a fishbone diagram, along with an overview of the pros and cons of Ishikawa’s Fishbone Diagram:

1. Strengths of the Fishbone diagram:

• The multicausal approach of the diagram allows you to identify newer, unknown causes of the problem. 
• Provides opportunities for visualizing the problem, increasing creative thinking. 
• It is simple to learn, understand and use for all employees, so it requires no additional technical training or knowledge.
• Allows you to classify the causes into different categories, encouraging relevant solution approaches to specific types of causes.
• Allows you to enter sub-causes for each category so you can understand the full extent of the causes.
• Enables group discussions and brainstorming sessions to identify several causes. 

2. Weaknesses of the Fishbone Diagrams:

• Adding several causes and sub-causes can make the problem seem overwhelming and unsolvable. 
• Possible to get stuck in the loop of finding more and more causes of the problem instead of prioritizing the leading causes and finding appropriate solutions.  
• Only one problem can be addressed at a time with the diagram, leading to excess time and energy investment in one issue. 
• The simple outline may not be sufficient for complex problems. 
• It relies on opinions over hard facts in bringing up causes. 

Ready to learn more about Quality Management and Lean Operations? Begin your journey with UniAthena’s Essentials of Quality Management and Lean Operations . 

Sources:

• Shikawa, Kaoru (1968). Guide to Quality Control. Tokyo: JUSE.
• Ishikawa, Kaoru (1976). Guide to Quality Control. Asian Productivity Organization. ISBN 92-833-1036-5.
• https://www.ionos.com/startupguide/productivity/fishbone-diagram/
• https://frescopad.com/fishbone-diagram-advantages-and-disadvantages/
• https://www.reliableplant.com/fishbone-diagram-31877