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Project Management & Agile · Foundational

Fishbone Diagram

A cause-and-effect diagram that organizes potential causes of a problem into categories.

Definition

Also called an Ishikawa diagram. Manufacturing categories are often the 6 Ms (man/people, machine, method, material, measurement, mother nature/environment); services may use the 4 Ps.

Example

The effect 'late releases' traced to causes under people, process, tools, and environment.

Exam tip

Fishbone identifies potential root causes; it does not prove them.

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