"Fish Bones": an easy way to find a solution

Japanese method, developed in 1952, which will help you see the problem clearly and understand what to do next. Says Vladimir Malafeev.

Vladimir Malafeev

Certified business coach. He knows how to make out a very complex understandable for everyone. Connects theory and practice to solve business issues.

Anyone from time to time faced with obstacles and challenges along the way. Quite often people in response to a challenge to quickly start to do something, while not fully understanding the reasons for this situation. They are trying to get rid of the symptoms, rather than to find the cause of the disease and to correct it.

Someone will say in response: "If you're about to die, for reasons no time to think - we must be saved." Yes, it's true, but how often we are in critical circumstances for our business? Not so often. So, time for reasoning and assessment of the situation still is.

For example, the head of a small department of 10 people Staff turnover. Peace and quiet, therefore, especially the head and trying to figure out what is the reason for dismissal, and immediately hires a new employee to replace the old.

After some time, another employee retires. Now the head begins to look for the reasons, and it turns out that due to the third employee who still works in the department, the emotional climate in the team has deteriorated sharply.

As a result, the head of the tyrant fires and the situation is leveled, but by this time he had to lose two employees, besides, he has spent time and money to the company to find a replacement.

Add to this the adaptation of a new employee, which takes from 2 weeks to 2 months: during this period it would not be effective. Also worth considering irritation "senior" colleagues, who will have to teach new employees, thereby detracting from its direct activities.

As a result of a hasty decision without analyzing the situation has reduced the effectiveness of the department for a few months. If this happens during the low season for our business, it is not so critical. And if the high? In this case, we have created a situation where on the reasons have to think once.

There is a fairly large inventory of tools to assess the causes, but today we will talk about the chart, developed by a Japanese chemist Kaoru Ishikawa. The method was created in 1952, that is, this tool is used for a long time and is considered one of the most proven. In the basic version it is designed for group work, but nothing prevents you to use it individually - I'm doing just that.

Ishikawa Diagram (yet it is called a "fishbone") - is a graph that shows all the factors that could have influenced the emergence of the problem.

If you understand, then use this chart to identify the causes of problem situations can be anyone.

Step one. Clearly describe the problem

For example, the drop in sales in the store. Draw a square ( "fish head"), where we enter the problem.

Step Two. To identify the main factors

Determine the main factors ( "bone ridge"), which influenced the development of the problem: people, methods and technology (sales milestones), the external environment (competitors strangled dumping), item (sell consumer goods) and so Further. Typically, such factors are not more than six.

Step Three. Describe the main factors more

For each "bone ridge" makes clear what it is failing. For example, employees do not have enough skills to establish contact during the sale (it is desirable to paint, what specific skills).

Step Four. "Analyze This"

Evaluate the effect of each factor in the second level or percentage of the 10-point scale. Add up the figures in one of the main factors. "Bone" with the highest result is the main cause of the situation in which we find ourselves. Since it is necessary to work in the first place.

Time to start the development of measures to reduce the impact of this factor according to your priorities.

If you follow this simple method, make good decisions in adverse situations will be much easier: you will clearly understand what is the reason of the circumstances, and that must be corrected.