The fish bone diagram is a technique that can be used either help solve problems or to analyze a problem further expanding it to find the possible causes.

To explain this technique, with regard to solving problems, we refer to the following scenario:

A well-known company has become aware of declining profits during the recent year. Because it is a company that is very dependent on personnel, it was the first aspect that came under the spotlight. It appears that the personnel were increasingly absent, which in turn led to loss of productivity and ultimately profits.

After reading the scenario you must identify the problem statement for example:

In which way might management increase profit?

The problem statement forms the head of the fish bone diagram in the form of a gaol or what you want to achieve.

The bones will describe possible solutions to get to the gaol set from the problem statement.  For instance: productivity, packaging, creativity and marketing.

It might be necessary to expand some of the bones to find a way to get to the suggested solution.  This can be done by asking questions like:

·         What is needed to do this?

o   What is needed to be creative?  Creative environment and resources

·         How can this be done?

o   How can you be more productive?  Improve moral and make workers feel important

These depicted as “Sub-bones” to the primary fish bones.

Sometimes a sub-bone can be expanded by giving options on how to better execute the already predefined solution.

How do you make workers feel important?

·         Giving them a formal title

·         Rewarding work and creativity

It can be depicted as sub-sub-bones.

Similarly the fish bone diagram is used as a cause and effect diagram.  We will describe this using the same scenario.

A well-known company has become aware of declining profits during the recent year. Because it is a company that is very dependent on personnel, it was the first aspect that came under the spotlight. It appears that the personnel were increasingly absent, which in turn led to loss of productivity and ultimately profits.

After reading the scenario you must identify the problem statement for example:

In which way might management increase profit?

The head of the fish bone diagram is formulated as the effect not the gaol, for example: Decline in profit.

The primary fish bones depict the possible causes of the effect shown in the head.  For example: absenteeism, lack of productivity, lack of creativeness, bad marketing.

There can be certain things that can cause these causes.  To identify the cause of a cause one can ask the question: What is the cause?

·         What is the cause of absenteeism?  Employees may feel unimportant.  The work may be repetitive or boring.

·         What is the cause of the lack of creativity?  There is no creative environment.  Personnel do not know how to be creative.

These answers are drawn as sub-bones to the primary bones.

 

Sometimes a sub-bone can be expanded by further analyzing the already predefined cause.

Why is knowledge a problem?

·         There is a lack of training

It can be depicted as sub-sub-bones.

The fish bone diagram consists of a horizontal line that represents the "spine".  45º lines represent "primary bones" for causes of the problem or effect, when using the diagram as the cause and effect diagram, stated at the head of the fish bone.  . The primary bones branches out with lines that represent the causes of the causes and can be branched out even more if necessary.

When using the fish bone diagram as a problem solving technique, the goal is set in the head and possible ways to achieve the goal is shown as the primary bones.  Branching out the primary bones will provide ways to get to the solutions.