The Ishikawa diagram is a tool that helps to find and visualize the causes of problems. It is actively used in business, although initially the diagram was very popular in the manufacturing industry. Today, the diagram is created to analyze various complexities, including management and financial issues. Cause and effect diagram is another name for Ishikawa diagram. It shows how different factors interact and lead to certain results.

When analyzing a problem

The question is asked: what caused this situation? Often, several factors influence the result at once. The Ishikawa diagram allows you to take into account and country email list analyze all these factors. The shape of the diagram resembles a fish skeleton, where the ribs symbolize the various causes that lead to the main problem. The Ishikawa diagram got its name from its founder. It was developed by Kaoru Ishikawa, a Japanese scientist. He was part of a group of specialists who studied quality management. Ishikawa introduced the ideas of clear and lean production management into his works. Toyota was the first company to use the Ishikawa diagram. Many other famous brands followed suit. Some people call the diagram a "fishbone" because its outline resembles the skeleton of a fish.

The Ishikawa diagram helps companies:

  1. Analyze problems and determine their roots.
  2. Look for ways to resolve difficult situations and eliminate their consequences.
  3. Prevent repetition of mistakes.
  4. Improve business processes.
The Ishikawa diagram allows the manager to see the although these are minimally complex topic problem in the context of business processes. This way, he better understands how various aspects of work are connected. The diagram shows not only employees and processes, but also materials, any external factors. Thus, the manager has a complete picture of the business.

Example of a potential problem: 

A new product is planned to be launched, but there is a risk that trust review it will not generate profits during the first few months. The manager is looking for options to prevent this scenario. After the problem is formulated, it is written into the fish's "head". This is an important stage, since without understanding the problem, further analysis is meaningless. Next, you need to assemble a working group. It is worth including people from several departments to look at the problem from different angles. For example, sales, marketing and logistics specialists.