# 5 Whys Method

## Purpose
Identify root causes by repeatedly asking "why" to move beyond symptoms to underlying problems.

## When to Use
- Identifying blind spots in problem understanding
- Validating whether you're solving the right problem
- When the idea seems reactive rather than strategic

## Process

1. **State the idea/problem clearly**
   - "We want to [idea/solution]"

2. **Ask Why #1**: Why do you want to do this?
   - Listen for the immediate reason

3. **Ask Why #2**: Why is [previous answer] important?
   - Dig one level deeper

4. **Ask Why #3**: Why does [previous answer] matter?
   - Move toward underlying needs

5. **Ask Why #4**: Why is [previous answer] critical?
   - Approach fundamental drivers

6. **Ask Why #5**: Why does [previous answer] create value?
   - Reach root cause/opportunity

7. **Synthesis**: Is the original idea still the best solution to address the root cause?

## Example

**Idea**: "We want to build an AI chatbot for customer support"

- **Why #1**: To reduce support ticket volume
- **Why #2**: Because our team is overwhelmed with repetitive questions
- **Why #3**: Because customers can't find answers in our documentation
- **Why #4**: Because our documentation is scattered across multiple platforms
- **Why #5**: Because we've never had a unified knowledge management strategy

**Insight**: The real opportunity isn't a chatbot—it's knowledge architecture. A chatbot might help, but fixing the root cause (knowledge management) could unlock multiple solutions.
