In my days as a Chemical Engineer at a refinery, there was a saying that if you asked “why” at least 5 times, you would drill down to the root of any problem or failure. As such, I was frequently assigned “5-why” investigations as a response to incidents. One in particular stands out in memory: the investigation of employee H2S (Hydrogen Di-Sulfide) exposure during an unplanned unit trip. After asking “why” about 6 or 7 times, the cause was determined to be failed check valves and a lack energy isolation interlocks. The investigations and proposed solutions were agreed upon and planning began for implementation.
This 5-why methodology can be applied very broadly, to many different circumstances. In the software world, bugs can often reveal a much deeper problem than might appear on the surface if the developer just keeps asking “why”. Maybe it’s a simple fix, such as adding a logic check. Or maybe the “whys” reveals more bugs in earlier parts of the program, requiring more intensive work to fix, yet being a more comprehensive solution.
Several months ago, I was in a bit of an exercise rut. Going to the gym just didn’t seem that fun anymore, and it was always a struggle to make it there and have a good workout. Was it because my gym clothes weren’t cute enough, as my wife insisted? Was I not getting enough sleep? Taking potshots at potential problems was not working, so I started the 5-why process. After about 3 or 4 why’s, I realized it was because I was mentally bored of the same weight-lifting routines I always do. So I did some research and came up with a fresh routine with new exercises. It seemed to do the trick, and I’ve been consistently going since.
Leave a Reply