Fishbone diagrams — also called Cause & Effect diagrams or Ishikawa diagrams — are simple yet powerful tools used in brainstorming and root cause analysis. They help teams visually map out potential causes of a specific problem, especially in quality control or process improvement.

Why Use a Fishbone Diagram?

  • Helps identify root causes, not just symptoms
  • Encourages team participation and clarity
  • Reveals relationships between potential causes
  • Guides deeper investigation into recurring issues

How to Create a Fishbone Diagram

Step 1: Define the Problem or Effect

Start by writing down the specific problem or undesirable outcome. Place this inside a box at the right side of the diagram — this becomes the "head" of the fish.

Step 2: Identify Major Cause Categories

Draw a horizontal line leading into the problem box. Then add four to six angled lines (like fish bones), each labeled with a major cause category. Common ones include:

  • Manpower: People involved 👥
  • Methods: Procedures or rules 📋
  • Machinery: Equipment or tools ⚙️
  • Materials: Inputs or supplies 📦

Step 3: Brainstorm Sub-Causes

For each major category, ask: “What could go wrong here?” or “What contributes to the issue from this angle?” Add smaller lines branching from the major causes to list sub-causes.

Tip: Use a large diagram visible to all team members to encourage group participation. If the diagram feels overloaded, revisit and refine the problem statement.

Using the Diagram Effectively

  • Encourage diverse perspectives when brainstorming causes
  • Circle the most likely or critical causes for deeper analysis
  • Draw arrows or links to show relationships between specific causes

Real-World Example

In a call center facing a spike in customer complaints, a manager used a Fishbone Diagram to explore potential causes. Under “Manpower,” high staff turnover was listed. Under “Methods,” inconsistent call scripts were flagged. This visual process helped the team focus on retraining and standardizing scripts — cutting complaints by 40% within two months.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Making the problem statement too broad
  • Filling the diagram with vague or assumed causes
  • Failing to revisit or act on identified root causes

For more insights, see our related article on Problem Solving and Decision Making.

Train Teams on Visual Problem Solving Tools

Explore our ready-to-deliver Creative Problem Solving & Decision Making training material package — it includes slides, facilitator guides, and worksheets to bring tools like Fishbone Diagrams to life.

 

cause and effect diagram

 

Here is an example to try to analyse and find the cause of a simple problem like arriving to work on time. Notice how we put the "problem" in a box on the Effect side (Right side), then we list all categories and all factors we can think of in the Cause side (Left side) and examin each cause carefully. Its a fact that if you analyse the problem visually using diagrams and you have all possible causes right there infornt of you, the chances are you wiill be able to find out the real cause much easier than just keeping it all in your head.

 

fishbone diagram

banking fish bone diagram

 

Here is another example for a more complex problem where a bank's senior staff is loosing customers and the senior staff are trying to figure out why

For more creativity and problem solving tools, check out our instant download training package: Creative Problem Solving & Decision Making

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