.theseoINSTITUTE FOR VISIBILITY
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5 Whys · IN SHORT

Keep asking why.Find the process.

Investigate one problem that keeps coming back. The skill builds a chain of whys, labels the evidence at each step and separates a quick fix from a structural measure.

Download the skill (English)Explore the example
5 WhysSKILL

Your brief

At a fictional agency, quotation requests regularly wait to be assigned. The log shows an unassigned queue. We do not know who should distribute the work. Investigate this bottleneck only.

Possible draft

Fictional example: enquiries waiting for an owner

Confirmed: requests wait in an unassigned queue. Hypothesis: triage has no fixed owner. Check that agreement first. Immediate action: assign the current queue. Structural proposal: define ownership and measure waiting time again.

Illustrative example
Illustrative example

01 / THE FOUNDATION

You bring the context.The skill adds structure.

What you provide

  • One problem, including where, when and how often it happens.
  • Available logs or measurements and fixes already attempted.
  • What you can change, with constraints and dependencies.

What you get back

A root cause analysis with certainty labels, two types of action, named owners and a way to check the effect.

02 / SEE HOW IT WORKS

From an idea to a draft.

Illustrative exampleFictional example: enquiries waiting for an ownerRead the example

Your brief

At a fictional agency, quotation requests regularly wait to be assigned. The log shows an unassigned queue. We do not know who should distribute the work. Investigate this bottleneck only.

Possible draft

Confirmed: requests wait in an unassigned queue. Hypothesis: triage has no fixed owner. Check that agreement first. Immediate action: assign the current queue. Structural proposal: define ownership and measure waiting time again.

This example shows the approach. It is not a client result or a guarantee of a particular outcome.

03 / GET STARTED

A repeatable approach.Your own context.

  1. Define the problem

    Write one measurable sentence. It determines which cause to investigate and what improvement would mean.

  2. Ask why and check

    Label each layer confirmed, plausible or hypothesis. Separate branches when several causes apply.

  3. Connect action to verification

    Keep the quick fix separate from the process change. Assign owners and deadlines, then agree what to measure.

04 / MAKE IT YOURS

Ready foryour work.

Take the instructions, add your own context and review the draft. You stay in control.

Full information

5 Whys

Download. Apply. Refine.

Download the skill (English)

File language: English

From download to use

  1. Save the ZIP file: ai-5-whys-analyst-skill-for-claude.zip.
  2. Using Claude? Follow the installation guide for your environment. Downloading alone does not activate the skill.
  3. Then provide your own brief and the context listed above. Review the output before using it.
Installation guide (Dutch)
Keep in mind
  • The analysis is not an emergency procedure for an incident still in progress.
  • Five layers are a guide. Stop at a cause you can influence, or go deeper if you still have a symptom.
  • A plausible story is not a proven cause. The skill identifies a process, not a person to blame.