Fishbone
Causes grouped by category
- PhaseFrame
- Group4 to 12 people
- Time40 minutes
- SettingRoom or remote
- ExecutivesBetter with a working team
What it is
A fishbone diagram, also called an Ishikawa diagram after Kaoru Ishikawa, groups the possible causes of a problem by category along the bones of a fish skeleton. For AI projects the categories include people and skills, process, data, technology, policy and risk, and the human role.
When to use it
When you need to explore many possible causes of one problem, from several angles, before choosing which to examine.
When to skip it
When the cause is a single known step.
How to run it
- 5 minWrite the problem at the head.
- 10 minAgree the categories. Use the AI-led ones on the canvas, or your own.
- 15 minSilent notes, then place each cause on the bone it belongs to.
- 10 minVote on the three causes most worth testing.
About 40 minutes of method time. Add ten to fifteen minutes to open and close the session.
What to watch for
A list of symptoms rather than causes. Stopping at the first cause that fits.
The AI lens
The canvas adds Data, Policy and risk, and Human role as standard categories, because these are the common causes in AI-led change.
What you leave with
A grouped list of possible causes, with three chosen to test.
An example
Customers keep correcting an automated summary. The fishbone shows causes spread across data quality, unclear policy wording and the way staff review the output, which tells the team to fix more than the model.
How it compares
A Fishbone works across many categories of cause. Five Whys digs deep into one chain.
Related methods
Questions
What is Fishbone?
A fishbone diagram, also called an Ishikawa diagram after Kaoru Ishikawa, groups the possible causes of a problem by category along the bones of a fish skeleton. For AI projects the categories include people and skills, process, data, technology, policy and risk, and the human role.
When should I use Fishbone?
When you need to explore many possible causes of one problem, from several angles, before choosing which to examine.
How long does Fishbone take and how many people do I need?
Fishbone takes about 40 minutes and suits 4 to 12 people, plus a facilitator. Add ten to fifteen minutes to open and close the session.
How is Fishbone different from other methods?
A Fishbone works across many categories of cause. Five Whys digs deep into one chain.
Can I run Fishbone remotely or with executives?
Yes. Fishbone works in the room or remotely. Remotely, put the canvas on a shared board in advance and write silently in the board, not in chat. Executives: Better with a working team.