Root Cause Analysis: A Five Whys Approach

Solving problems effectively is not just about addressing the immediate issues but uncovering the root causes to prevent future setbacks. The "Five Whys" method empowers professionals to dive deep beneath the surface of problems to understand the underlying causes. This simple yet powerful approach involves asking "Why?" five times, or as many times as needed, to move past symptoms and reach the core issue.


The "Five Whys" method is particularly effective in:

  • Enhancing Problem-Solving Skills: Gain clarity and prevent the recurrence of issues by understanding their origin.
  • Improving Processes: Identify and correct errors and inefficiencies that cause repeated problems.
  • Boosting Productivity: Address root causes to reduce time spent fixing recurring issues, leading to a more efficient team.


Mastering the “Five Whys” approach provides you with a pragmatic and straightforward method to enhance your analytical capabilities and strengthen your decision-making process.

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Who It’s For?

This approach is indispensable for:

  • Product Managers and Team Leaders who are juggling multiple projects and need to streamline processes and enhance efficiency.
  • Innovation Catalysts seeking to drive change and continuous improvement in their organizations.
  • Team Members who witness and likely are responsible for addressing recurring symptoms. Those looking for effective tools to cut through complexity and drive operational efficiency, ensuring projects are executed smoothly.

How It Works

Our experienced coach guides you through each step, giving you direct feedback on your work and helping you develop innovation as a core competency. You will use your own projects to ensure that the theory is immediately applied to real-world scenarios.

Real Projects

Get individual feedback on your real projects.

Focused Guidance

Develop new skills with a small cohort and direct coaching.

Interactive Sessions

Run live exercises with an expert coach during our weekly sessions.

Materials & Frameworks

Get self-study learning materials and frameworks.

What You Learn

By embracing the “Five Whys” technique, you'll learn to:

  • Identify root causes of problems rather than just addressing superficial symptoms.
  • Implement effective solutions that prevent future issues, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
  • Apply a proven method across various scenarios, from day-to-day issues to strategic challenges, ensuring your interventions are well-founded and effective.
  • Communicate findings and propose solutions clearly and persuasively, ensuring buy-in from stakeholders across the board.


Key takeaways include:

  • A robust understanding of the “Five Whys” methodology.
  • Practical application tips for immediate use in real-world scenarios.
  • Strategies to foster a culture of insightful, diplomatic inquiry within your team or organization.

Designed by Successful Entrepreneurs and Experts

Tristan Kromer

Tristan Kromer works with innovation teams and leaders to create amazing products and build startup ecosystems. He has worked with companies from early stage startups with zero revenue to enterprise companies with >$1B USD revenue (Unilever, Swisscom, Salesforce, Fujitsu, LinkedIn).

Megan Wilder

Megan is an Innovation Coach and Process Designer. She brings ten years of experience in project management and consulting - analyzing data, solving problems, and communicating with stakeholders. Her key strengths lie in providing design solutions that balance both the business and user needs.

Testimonials

Kromatic’s hands-on introduction to Lean Startup and its guiding principles was a complete wake-up call for my startup, forcing us to launch our MVP and learn fast.

Ryan Bruels, Vice President of Engineering, Knock

Kromatic’s workshop was incredibly engaging and interactive. Every detail was carefully thought out, from the design-thinking approach to clear and visually engaging material.

Kathryn Haydon, Innovation Strategist, Sparkitivity

It helped to think through a new lens on how to measure the middle space between initial vanity metrics and long-term revenue/product results.

Kyle Smith, Senior Manager, American Family Insurance

Rigorous is a great word to describe Kromatic. The pace is fast and intense. It’s part of their ethos that you need to learn and fail quickly.

Brendan Sheehan, Chief Financial Officer, CBUSA

Our coach helped us to identify the most important steps to take, and we always had a clear objective and action plan at the end of a conversation.

James Bryce Smith, Founder, Magnetize

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Customizable Curriculum

Each workshop is a component of the greater innovation library. Programs can be curated to include all the workshops you need to make real progress and show impactful results. Whether you are part of an innovation team, you are coaching teams, or leading a business unit as an innovation leader, our library will give you the tools and skills to succeed.

Send us a message below if you are interested in creating your own curriculum.

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