Page 62 - 100 Great Business Ideas: From Leading Companies Around the World (100 Great Ideas)

be added it Branches can ht. placed on each stem

for further breakdowns of each cause. The causes should be

listed with the least complicated nearest the head of the fish

and the most complicated at the tail, with those in between

listed on a continuum from least to most complicated.

The fishbone diagram can be brainstormed over more than
one session. Ishikawa describes the process as one in which
"you write your problem down on the head of the fish and
then let it cook overnight." If the technique is employed over
two or more sessions, new ideas may arise from three main
effects: (1) There is time for the subconscious to work on the
problem; (2) participants are likely to be less inhibited as the
authorship of particular contributions will be forgotten; and
(3) people may become more immersed in the problem if
they think about it day and night.

When the diagram is completed, the individual or group
begins to analyze the stems and the branches to determine
the real problem or problems that need to be solved. If sim-
pler problems are examined first, they can he removed from
consideration before more complicated problems are tack-
led. If the problem solver(s) decide that certain causes are
more significant than others, these will be given more atten-
tion in the alternative generation stage of CPS.

The fishbone diagram is extremely useful for identifying
problems for several reasons:

1. It encourages problem solvers to study all parts of a prob- 101
lem before making a decision. CREATIVE
PROBLEM
2. It helps show the relationships between causes and the SOLVING
relative importance of those causes. TECHNIQUES

3. It helps start the creative process because it focuses the 47
problem solver(s) on the problem.

4. It helps start a logical sequence for solving a problem.

5. It helps problem solvers see the total problem as opposed
to focusing on a narrow part of it.

6. It offers a way to reduce the scope of the problem and
solve less complex issues rather than more complex ones.

7. It helps keep people focused on the real problem rather
than going off on tangents.