Definitionv1DF-465
Five Whys
a root cause analysis technique that involves asking 'why' five times in succession to trace past surface-level causal explanations to structural conditions that can be changed
Why This Is a Definition
This defines 'Five Whys' as a specific technique with clear operational characteristics: asking 'why' iteratively to reach structural causes rather than symptoms. It establishes both the method (five iterations) and the purpose (finding changeable structural conditions), distinguishing it from other causal analysis methods.