Root Cause Analysis (use Cause and Effect) Agree on the problem statement (also referred to as the effect). Be as clear and specific as you can about the problem. Beware of defining the problem in terms of a solution Note that the “five-whys” technique is often used in conjunction with the fishbone diagram – keep asking why until you get to the root cause. Agree on the major categories of causes of the problem e.g. equipment or supply factors, environmental factors, rules/policy/procedure factors, and people/staff factors (6M Man, Machine, MotherNature (environMent), Material, Method, Measurement) *