Page 183 · Module 07, Operate with Precision · this screen continues that page
All 108 frameworks5 Whys - Root Cause Analysis
The prompt
Copy & paste readyLabelsReplace theseSwap the role below
Pro tip, from the book
The most valuable discipline in 5 Whys is stopping yourself from jumping to solutions before you reach Why 5. Every Why is a potential solution, but only the final Why addresses the root cause. Solutions applied at Why 2 or Why 3 create the illusion of progress while leaving the root cause intact and ready to resurface.
Who should run this prompt
Module role profileWho should audit and improve your operations? Operations problems hide in plain sight — in the handoffs nobody notices, the processes nobody has documented, and the decisions nobody has questioned. The roles on this page bring the discipline of people who have built systems that run without heroics. Use them to find what is broken before it breaks you, and to build what scales before you need it to.
Choose any role to drop it into the prompt above. Only the highlighted opening clause changes — the rest of the prompt stays exactly as printed.
◆◆◆◆◆ → ◆ seniority, board level down to specialist◈ outside the organisation
How to make any role sharper
- Add years of experience: "...with 15 years in enterprise SaaS" produces different depth than just the title.
- Add what they care most about: "You care most about [X]" shapes every word of the output.
- Add their communication style: "Be direct. Flag risks first. No jargon." changes the tone entirely.
How the framework works
From the printed pageStop fixing symptoms. Find what is actually causing the problem.
Where the framework comes from
Sakichi Toyoda, Toyota Industries, Japan, 1930s · Formalised in Toyota Production System
Pairs well with
As printed with this frameworkModule 07 — Operate with Precision
Build systems that run without you and improve without being told.
12 frameworks, printed on pages 160–183.
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