Fishbone Diagrams

This example was created on the base of the figure from the website of the Iowa State University Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching.
"Fishbone.
What: The fishbone technique uses a visual organizer to identify the possible causes of a problem.
Benefits: This technique discourages partial or premature solutions and demonstrates the relative importance of, and interactions between, different parts of a problem.
How: On a broad sheet of paper, draw a long arrow horizontally across the middle of the page pointing to the right. Label the arrowhead with the title of the issue to be explained. This is the "backbone" of the "fish." Draw "spurs" from this "backbone" at about 45 degrees, one for every likely cause of the problem that the group can think of; and label each. Sub-spurs can represent subsidiary causes. The group considers each spur/ sub-spur, taking the simplest first, partly for clarity but also because a simple explanation may make more complex ones unnecessary. Ideally, the fishbone is redrawn so that position along the backbone reflects the relative importance of the different parts of the problem, with the most important at the head." [celt.iastate.edu/ creativity/ techniques.html]
The fishbone diagram example "Inability to meet project deadlines" was created using the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software extended with the Fishbone Diagrams solution from the Management area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.

This example was created on the base of the figure from the website of Minnesota Department of Health. [health.state.mn.us/ divs/ opi/ qi/ images/ fishbone_ ex.png]
"Minnesota’s Health Alert Network (HAN) enables public health staff, tribal governments, health care providers, emergency workers, and others working to protect the public to exchange information during a disease outbreak, environmental threat, natural disaster, or act of terrorism." [health.state.mn.us/ han/ ]
The fishbone diagram example "HAN project" was created using the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software extended with the Fishbone Diagrams solution from the Management area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.

This cause-and-effect diagram example was redesigned from the Wikimedia Commons file: Ishikawa Fishbone Diagram.svg. [commons.wikimedia.org/ wiki/ File:Ishikawa_ Fishbone_ Diagram.svg]
"Ishikawa diagrams (also called fishbone diagrams, herringbone diagrams, cause-and-effect diagrams, or Fishikawa) are causal diagrams created by Kaoru Ishikawa (1968) that show the causes of a specific event. Common uses of the Ishikawa diagram are product design and quality defect prevention to identify potential factors causing an overall effect. Each cause or reason for imperfection is a source of variation. Causes are usually grouped into major categories to identify these sources of variation. The categories typically include
- People: Anyone involved with the process
- Methods: How the process is performed and the specific requirements for doing it, such as policies, procedures, rules, regulations and laws
- Machines: Any equipment, computers, tools, etc. required to accomplish the job
- Materials: Raw materials, parts, pens, paper, etc. used to produce the final product
- Measurements: Data generated from the process that are used to evaluate its quality
- Environment: The conditions, such as location, time, temperature, and culture in which the process operates" [Ishikawa diagram. Wikipedia]
The example "Ishikawa fishbone diagram" was created using the ConceptDraw PRO software extended with the Seven Basic Tools of Quality solution from the Quality area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.