When a quality event occurs, which technique asks 'why' five times to explore underlying causes?

• A. The Five Whys
• B. Root Cause Analysis
• C. Failure Mode and Effects Analysis
• D. Fishbone Diagram

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is a focused problem‑solving technique that digs into root causes by repeatedly asking why something happened. When a quality event occurs, this approach helps move beyond surface symptoms to uncover the underlying process or system issue that allowed the defect or failure to occur. This iterative questioning—often framed as asking why five times—aims to reveal a fundamental cause that corrective actions can address to prevent recurrence. It’s quick, practical, and especially useful for straightforward problems where a single chain of causes is apparent. That’s why this option fits best: it explicitly centers on the practice of asking why multiple times to trace back to a root cause. Other tools serve related purposes but don’t embody this specific iterative questioning sequence: broader Root Cause Analysis encompasses multiple methods, not just the five-why line of questioning; Failure Mode and Effects Analysis looks at potential failures and their risks rather than pursuing a why-at-a-time investigation; a Fishbone Diagram helps organize possible causes but doesn’t itself entail the five-why method.