LOCAL FILES. REAL POSSIBILITIES.

Five whys analysis

Investigate an observed problem with an evidence-backed why chain and corrective actions.

Start with a specific observable problem. Build an evidence-backed why chain, then identify a corrective action.

A linear chain can miss multiple interacting causes. Stop at uncertainty, gather evidence and branch when needed; five answers do not prove a root cause. Up to 50 rows; 4,000 characters per section, 1,200 per table cell.

Open project

Project title

Observed problem Describe an event, place and time; avoid blaming a person.Why 1 Why did the event occur? Include supporting evidence.Why 2 Why did the previous condition occur?Why 3 Continue only when evidence supports the link.Why 4 Look for conditions in the process or system.Why 5 Five is a prompt, not a required proof of root cause.Corrective action and owner Specify action, owner, due date and verification.Alternative causes and missing evidence Record branches instead of forcing a single cause.

Evidence check details
Cause or link	Evidence	Disconfirming evidence	Next check	Remove
Cause or link 1	Evidence 1	Disconfirming evidence 1	Next check 1

Your work stays in this tab. Nothing is saved automatically. Save a readable, unencrypted project file before closing. Downloads remain wherever you save them.

Processed on your device. Your files are never uploaded by Justility.

How privacy works

How it works

Open five whys analysis, enter your own project details or load the labeled example, then complete the prompts and review the worksheet. Review the results and download your project to continue later.

Supported formats

Editable JSON project up to 1 MB; plain-text report and CSV rows. Up to 50 rows, 4,000 characters per section and 1,200 per cell.

Good to know

Multiple causes may require separate chains; do not force five answers.

Worked example

Before

A weekly report arrived one day late

After

A why chain points to a missing export owner, with alternative causes retained

Five prompts support investigation; a chain without evidence does not prove root cause.

Five whys analysis: interpret the result

Investigate an observed problem with an evidence-backed why chain and corrective actions. Multiple causes may require separate chains; do not force five answers. All project files are readable and unencrypted. Save and open them explicitly; there is no automatic browser persistence.

Pre-mortem planner

Troubleshooting

Must I fill in all five why answers?

No. Stop when evidence runs out, investigate missing information and record alternative causes. More or fewer steps may be appropriate.

Common questions

Can I use five whys analysis offline?

Prepare this tool using Offline help while online. After preparation, it runs locally with fresh input. Browser cache eviction remains possible; keep project downloads separately.

Can I use this without an internet connection?

Yes, after you prepare this tool from Offline help and the browser retains its assets. Installation is optional. All processing dependencies are bundled locally.