5 whys in problem management

[chaitalivar]

What are the 5 whys in RCA problem management? What are the technique in problem management?

[Dr Atul G- LNG]

Hi @chaitalivar 

It is ITIL concept mainly

https://kelvintopset.com/blog/the-five-whys-of-root-cause-analysis/

https://business.adobe.com/uk/blog/basics/5-whys-root-cause-analysis

n ServiceNow Problem Management context:

The 5 Whys is usually captured in the Problem Record as part of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to document:

• What happened?
• Why did it happen?
• What is the real root cause?
• What corrective/preventive actions are required?

It helps ensure the problem is permanently resolved rather than repeatedly handled through incident fixes.

[Dr Atul G- LNG]

As traditionally used in problem solving, the 5-Why’s approach is straightforward: start with the initial problem and ask “why” it exists, continuing to ask “why” until you reach a root cause.  For example:

• Why did the system crash? – because there was a bug in the software
• Why was there a bug in the software?  - because it didn’t get found during testing
• Why didn’t it get found during testing? – because the testing didn’t cover that feature
• Why didn’t the testing cover that feature?  - because the team was rushed
• Why was the team rushed during testing? - …

How does this apply to ServiceNow requirements? Often, a user’s initial feature request is based on their perception of what the solution should be but isn’t necessarily the best way to apply ServiceNow capabilities to the real underlying business need.

As a (simple) example:

• Why do you need a field added to the incident table?  - Because we want to track the status of closed incidents?
• Why do you need to track the status of closed incidents? – Because we want to track process steps we have after the incident is closed?
• What steps are you tracking? – We need to track the root cause analysis and follow up actions…

In the simple example above you’d guide the requester toward using the problem management module instead of extending incident management, but it’s not always that obvious.  For example, if a user requests a custom workflow, ask why they need it. Perhaps they’re experiencing a bottleneck in approval times. Asking “why” again might reveal that don’t understand the approval system, or that the delay stems from outdated routing rules or assignment group definitions.  A custom workflow may not be needed.

It’s not always “5” questions, but asking “Why?” (repeatedly) helps us find simpler, more effective solutions aligned with the system’s capabilities.  The goal is to have an open-ended discussion to understand the request’s background fully and determine the best solution.

The 5-Why’s is an easy-to-use (and free) tool that any ServiceNow analyst or developer can use, regardless of project scope. It fosters collaboration, encourages listening, and ultimately leads to better, more business relevant ServiceNow development.