How to Construct a Fish Bone Diagram
The Cause and Effect Diagram, often referred to as the Fish Bone Diagram, is used extensively to help identify the cause of various problems occurring throughout industry, organizations and corporate departments such as Information Technology and manufacturing. It is usually the focal point of brainstorming sessions. You can use this method to thoroughly exhaust all possible causes to a given problem.
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Instructions
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Analyze the problem. Determine in specific detail exactly what and where the problem appears to be. Use a pencil and a large sheet of paper to write the problem on the right side of the paper. Draw a box around the stated problem. This is called the effect. Draw a horizontal line extending from the center of the effect to the left side of the paper.
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List the possible categories that could have contributed to the problem. These categories are called the causes. For example, if an automobile will not start (the effect), the causes would include mechanical, electrical, fuel line and environment. Draw vertical lines above and below the horizontal line connecting each cause to the effect. Add a box to the end of each vertical line. Write the causes on the paper, each enclosed in a box.
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Add the possibilities for each cause, and list them on individual horizontal lines off the proper cause line. For example, when determining possibilities for the mechanical cause, include suggestions like "bad starter"; for electrical, write "battery"; for fuel line, include "out of gas"; and for environment, write "freezing cold." Name as many possibilities as you can.
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Look for areas in your diagram that are thin on detail, and try to fill in more answers. The drawing will vaguely resemble a fish skeleton, giving it the name Fish Bone Diagram.
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