Fishbone diagram: definition and example
A fishbone diagram is a cause-and-effect diagram that puts a problem at the head of a fish skeleton and groups its possible causes on bones branching from a central spine.
What it means
The diagram is built from one problem and a list of cause categories. The categories are chosen to fit the case; common sets are used in manufacturing, service and project work, but you can pick your own.
When to use one
Use it to look for causes before you decide on a fix. It is a way to list possible causes, not to prove which one is true, so check the likely ones against data afterwards.
How it differs from nearby terms
A mind map spreads out from the centre with no rule about what branches mean. A fishbone fixes the meaning: the head is the effect, the bones are cause groups. A matrix diagram compares things in rows and columns.
In MindmapPal
The MindmapPal app for iPhone and iPad has fishbone as one of its structures, with the head facing left or right. The root cause analysis template opens in the web editor as a fishbone.
Example
The head says "Late deliveries". Bones are labelled People, Process, Equipment and Suppliers, and each carries causes such as "No handover notes" or "Single carrier".
Related terms
- Mind map: A mind map is a diagram that puts one idea in the centre and arranges related ideas around it as branches, with the details of each branch nested under it.
- Matrix diagram: A matrix diagram is a table-like diagram that arranges topics in rows and columns, so each cell holds the item that sits where a row and a column meet.
- Relationship line: A relationship line is a line, often with arrowheads and a label, drawn between any two topics in a mind map to show a connection that is not part of the branch structure.
- Brainstorming: Brainstorming is a technique for producing a large number of ideas on a topic, alone or in a group, before any of them is judged or chosen.
See it in a template
Root cause analysis mind map template