Tool 216: WhyHow Charting

Tool 216: Why/How Charting

AKA

N/A

Classification

Planning/Presenting (PP)

Tool description

The why/how charting is a sorting tool that clusters ideas regarding why particular actions would be supportive of company objectives. Action items necessary to reach objectives were derived by asking how they could be accomplished. The information gained is used to determine what next steps need to be taken.

Typical application

• To reach a common understanding of the objectives and action items necessary in a problem-solving effort.

• To explore different alternatives in an action-planning process.

Problem-solving phase

→	Select and define problem or opportunity
→	Identify and analyze causes or potential change
→	Develop and plan possible solutions or change
	Implement and evaluate solution or change
	Measure and report solution or change results
	Recognize and reward team efforts

Typically used by

	Research/statistics
1	Creativity/innovation
	Engineering
	Project management
	Manufacturing
	Marketing/sales
	Administration/documentation
2	Servicing/support
	Customer/quality metrics
3	Change management

links to other tools

before

• Five Whys

• Brainstorming

• Mind Flow

• 6-3-5 Method

• Buzz Group

after

• Actions Plan

• Consensus Decision Making

• Cost-Benefit Analysis

• Information Needs Analysis

• Presentation

Notes and key points

• Optional: Draw lines between objectives or action items to show linkages or interrelationships.

• Or, assign numbers to show sequence or priorities of objectives or action items.

Step-by-step procedure

• STEP 1 The team facilitator reviews the why/how charting process with the team.

• STEP 2 Next, the team agrees on a problem or activity to be charted. See example Why Not Purchase TQM Video Tapes?

• STEP 3 The facilitator places the problem in the center of a whiteboard and asks the participants to respond to why this problem should be addressed and to discover why certain actions will enable the team to reach the implied objectives.

• STEP 4 Next, participants are asked how these actions can be taken. Alternative actions that also have the potential of solving this problem are listed on the whiteboard.

• STEP 5 The team visually sorts the information and some linkages; the interrelationships are pointed out to the facilitator, who draws some arrows of directionality.

• STEP 6 Finally, the chart is checked and dated. This document is checked to provide input into the action-planning process.

Example of tool application