Creating a Fishbone Diagram Exercise Purpose This exercise will help you (and/or a team) create a diagram that depicts the underlying causes of the problem you are addressing. As a result, you (and/or your team) will have a visual depiction of the problem and its major causes. The fishbone diagram, or cause/effect diagram, allows you and/or your team members to better understand, visually assess, and target interventions to address the factors that are causing their problems. Exercise Instructions please be sure to complete 2a-e and 3 for full credit consideration. 1. Think of a major problem or issue you are facing. 2. Create a fishbone diagram: a) List the problem/issue to be studied on the "head of the fish. b) Label each bone of the fish. The major categories typically utilized are: The 4 Ms: Methods, Machines, Materials, Manpower The 4 Ps: Place, Procedure, People, Policies The 4 Ss: Surroundings, Suppliers, Systems, Skills c) Brainstorm a list of the factors within each category that may be affecting the problem or issue you are addressing. As possible causes are identified, determine where to place them on the fishbone diagram. It is possible that a causal factor will be listed under more than one category. As you work, determine what the sufficient amount of detail should be provided for each major category. d) When finished, review all of the ideas and circle the ones that are the most likely causes of the problem. Pay special attention to those items that appear in more than one category. e) For those items identified as the most likely or influential causes of the identified problem, list those items in priority order with the first item being the most probable or influential cause. 3. Develop a plan to address those cause(s) that will lead to resolution of your problem.