{"id":142912,"date":"2023-01-25T09:00:31","date_gmt":"2023-01-25T13:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fiix.wpengine.com\/?p=7450"},"modified":"2023-01-25T10:42:35","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T14:42:35","slug":"fishbone-diagrams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fiixsoftware.com\/blog\/fishbone-diagrams\/","title":{"rendered":"Fishbone diagrams"},"content":{"rendered":"

A fishbone diagram, also known as an Ishikawa diagram or a cause-and-effect diagram, was developed by Kaoru Ishikawa in the 1960s. It is a visual representation of the causes of a problem or failure. The diagram is structured as a fish skeleton, with the problem or event being represented by the head of the fish, and the causes of the problem branching off the bones of the fish.<\/p>\n

Fishbone diagrams are used in maintenance to identify the root cause of a problem. They can also be used to identify patterns and trends, which can help prevent similar problems from occurring in the future. In this article, we will define what a fishbone diagram is and share a use-case example of how a fishbone diagram can be used.<\/p>\n

Download our free fishbone diagram template <\/i><\/a><\/p>\n

What is a fishbone diagram?<\/h2>\n

Fishbone diagrams are a visual tool that shows all the possible reasons a problem or event may have occurred, as well as their source. It can be useful if the maintenance team is coming up short when troubleshooting an issue. Every possible cause is categorized by its source. Causes are then reduced again and again until you can isolate the root cause of a problem or outcome. <\/p>\n

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How do fishbone diagrams work?<\/h2>\n

A fishbone diagram helps maintenance teamstrace the steps that could have led up to a problem, like a piece of equipment breaking down. Take an aircraft, for example. Let\u2019s say the ground crew engineer discovers that a compressor is malfunctioning. There are many possible causes of the malfunction, but by using a fishbone diagram, the crew can break the problem down into main categories. In this instance, you could isolate the issue in the following steps:<\/p>\n

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  1. Personal<\/strong>: List out anyone who may have been performing maintenance or repairs on the aircraft<\/li>\n
  2. Machinery<\/strong>: Define and outline the technology<\/li>\n
  3. Materials<\/strong>: List the raw parts used to construct the aircraft<\/li>\n
  4. Measurements<\/strong>: Detail the inspection and steps taken<\/li>\n
  5. Environment<\/strong>: Detail the climate, geographical, and other factors relating to the environment<\/li>\n
  6. Methods<\/strong>: List the processes<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In steps 1 and 2, you could break it down even further and into more detail. You know that some compressor parts were just replaced, and some new staff were working on the plane recently. You can now expand on the primary categories and see if you can identify the factor that caused the overall effect. For example:<\/p>\n

    Materials<\/h3>\n