Create a fishbone diagram and find the causes of recurring faults

What is an Ishikawa diagram?

The Ishikawa diagram, also known as a fishbone diagram, is an established quality management method that is also firmly rooted in Lean Management. It makes the potential causes of a problem visible so the team can evaluate them together and derive the necessary corrective actions. The problem sits at the head of the diagram; the potential causes are assigned to categories.

What do I use the Ishikawa board for?

For disruptions, quality deviations, process issues, and recurring errors. An initially broad problem turns into a clear cause analysis, helping your team identify relationships more quickly and discuss potential root causes in a focused way.

Which categories does the Ishikawa board use?

The six classic categories Manpower, Machine, Material, Method, Measurement, and Environment. You assign each potential cause to one of them.

How do I create a new analysis?

You start a new diagram from the overview and describe the problem. Then you select a category, enter the cause, and add it. It appears right away on the matching branch of the diagram.

Can I continue working on an existing analysis later?

Yes. The overview shows all saved diagrams with date and problem statement. You select an analysis and add further causes step by step.

What happens after the cause analysis?

The board holds the potential causes; your team decides on the countermeasures. Who does what by when can be tracked in the shopfloor team meeting board, for example.

Where is the data stored?

That's your choice. In the template, problem statements and causes are stored in lists in the Peakboard Hub, which comes as an online and an on-premises edition. Other data sources such as SQL, Oracle, or ODBC can be connected just as well.

Can I customize the board myself, without IT?

Yes. You change categories, input fields, and layout by drag-and-drop in the Peakboard Designer, no coding skills required.