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The repeated and persistent use of the simple question “Why?” is a powerful analytical tool, often used by children who refuse to accept glib answers offered by parents.

Suppose, for example, that you are a sales manager concerned about slowly declining sales. Preferably working with a small group, you examine the problem statement: “What is wrong is that sales are falling” by asking “Why?”, then go around the group and record the several reasons suggested for the fall in sales – thus creating a first layer of possible causes, perhaps recording them on separate pages of a note pad.

You then return to the first reason -- which might have been: “Most of the sales force are not very effective” or “Sales personnel don’t use their time very well” -- and again ask “Why?”. Thus the participants are pushed to probe the reasons behind their opinions.

Going around the group again, the several further reasons suggested might include: “They have not been trained properly”, “They are poor at closing sales”, “They waste too much time on poor prospects”, “The lack motivation”, etc.

By processing each of the reasons in the first layer in this manner, a second layer of root causes emerges. When each of these dozens of reasons is then interrogated in the same way, a third layer begins to emerge, as shown below:

SALES ARE SLOWLY DECLINING:
Most of the sales force are not very effective.
They have not been trained properly.
We don’t have a training manager.
No budget for one.
We only hire experienced people.
No training, too expensive.
No structured training programme.
Etc.
They never attend conferences.
Etc.
They lack product knowledge.
Etc.
They are poor at closing sales.
Etc.
They waste time on poor prospects.
Etc.
They lack motivation.
Etc.

Sales personnel don’t manage their time very well.
Not been trained in time-management techniques.
Etc.
No have individual desk spaces or filing system.
Etc.
Too many product lines.

When this root system is scanned, one or more repeated “hot spot” reasons will usually emerge as being key causes of the unsatisfactory situation – in this case, perhaps, the need for some kind of well-planned and effective training programme, including the development of better product knowledge.