Discussion on:

Use a Fishbone Diagram to help attack complex problems

I have seen this diagramming methodology before but never bothered spending anytime reviewing what it was for or what I could use it for. Great article but would be better if page two had diagram C to view.

The article was very interesting until the very end and the missing or confusing figure C. Should figure c have been a completely new figure D or an enhanced version of figure C, either way the last figure C is not visible or the intent was to refer the reader be to figure C. I have seen similar brainstorming diagrams; this one can be slightly more analytical in a structure fashion. Other versions use a circle and spider lags with tangents.

Moehill

would you mind sharing th eother mthodology you talked about?
I'm interested in deeping this subject.

Tx!

Luca

Page 2 is the same as the bottom of page 1. Obviously, TechRepublic goofed and added an extra page when it wasn't needed. I would imagine that there is no figure that wasn't already shown, especially since it was labelled "figure C", which was on page 1.

I think this was a terrific article. Although I'd seen these diagrams before, someone finally clearly explained how they are derived. Thanks, Tom.

Yup! Same thing here from where I sit. Aside from the glitches the comments to date have mentioned, my browser's display of page 2 also had a weird alignment -- everything was centered. Even the list of readers' comments was centered!

I'm just waiting for TechRepublic to notice this error, apologize, and post the corrections

But so far, great article Tom!

Karen,

Your welcome.

Tom

I like the article....wish I could see page 2's diagram as well. I have seen this before though, seems like another twist to mind mapping techniques.

I use FreeMind from SourceForge to provide complex analysis of various projects and initiatives. Although "fishbone diagramming" was the method used some years ago, I found that any problem or process or issue needing "brain storming" by myself or within a "team", is much better drawn, analysed and shared using mind mapping.

http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Screenshots

As already pointed out by Karen MAC: Just read the article and you will find out that there is nothing missing here, page one is all you need. Well written.
Thanks

I do not know what everyone is complaining about the article was well written and the graphics are fully visible to those that need to see them, or should I say understand them.
As for a D graphic, you are way off, it only takes three at most two if you lead a good session and explain the process correctly and weed out the erroneous and non applicable content as the team brainstorms.
As a great Japanese leader once told me, only follow what you have to lead, not what you lead.
That means learn as you go, do not look back, learn quickly from your mistakes and be master of all.

This is actually part of the ITIL Problem Management process and is typically the result of a brainstorming session in which members of a group offer ideas on how to improve a product, process or service. The OGC website has more information:

http://www.itil.co.uk/

and

http://www.itsmwatch.com/

Great article!

As in the past, I've tried to find information on the ITIL site, and failed. Either I'm missing some fundamentals of navigating the site, or I'm not a member and can't get basic information from the site.

Since my interest in this diagram is related to Six Sigma, I found some more references at:
http://www.isixsigma.com/tt/cause_and_effect/

I had seen this process, and received training in it a long time ago. The timing of the article as a refresher and catalyst to "stick with the basics" to get the job done was ideal.

I am faced with a project that has numerous interrelated but not necessarily interdependent factors that needed to be charactrized for management in a relatively simple and straight forward way. I've rediscoverd the tool - and its already paying off. Thanks for bringing this (back) to light!

Now I can only hope that management likes fish.

I haven't used a Fishbone Diagram in several years almost ten to be specific. BUT when I did use it, it was very helpful. At one company, we were having problems with a specific application. The company that we purchased the application from could not find a problem or replicate the problem so the VP of Opperations and myself sat down and he introduced me to the Fishbone diagram and after reviewing everything. We forward our results to the company and they found the problem and were able to fix the code that was causing the problem. The company spot lighted us in their customer magazine and also provided us with one year of free technical support on our service contract.

pwerful tool for solving problem. Need more use cases.

Very useful Tool and I want start using it immediately.

However, once you are done brainstorming and you want to express and explore the links between items in the fishbone in more detail and with a more expressive notation consider a "Fault tree" diagram.

I is highly useful in our routine life also. I am lot of thankful of Mr. Kaptain.

Just FYI, if anyone would like to use it.

Posted at: http://www.pptmagic.com/projectmgm.htm

I've been trying to think of a way to do this for awhile and this article helped clarify for me how to do it.

It's listed under Ishikawa Diagram (under the Analysis Section) and I have the author's "blessing".

Thanks,
Glenna Shaw

SORRY but I disagree with the comments and how the author has used this tool. It is to FIND THE ROOT CAUSE!!! the idea is to ASK WHY UNTIL YOU FIND A ROOT. And yes I have used this tool, facilitated it's use and taught it. I find 80-90% of the people who claim knowledge of root-cause analysis - don't use this toll to fullest benefit - and the books and publications continue to promote it wrong. It has great power with such a simple mechanism. I was taught by a real quality guru and we always said - ASK Y 5 TIMES! When you find the root causes and you address them - you WILL address the initial topic with a real response/solution/change/whatever.

You want to collect creative ideas - then use Affinity Diagramming - a terrific Brainstorming exercise. If you want to to the root cause - use Fishboning/Ishakawa - THE RIGHT WAY!

Very well written and a neat example.

yes..there are instances we used it to come up with effective and workable solutions..really cool!!

Fishbone diagram is good to start, but not good to follow-up the whole process

Identify problems
Research root causes
Implement solutions
Measure them
Evaluate the measures

So do not quit in the middle so you will not solve your problems!

Last 5 paras are a repeat...

Find out when and how to make a very good Fishbone Diagram, here

http://www.modernprojectguide.com/problem-solving/11-problem-solving/95-problem-solving-by-fishbone-diagram.html

Find out when and how to make a very good Fishbone Diagram, here

http://www.innovativeprojectguide.com/problem-solving/11/95-problem-solving-by-fishbone-diagram.html