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7.1 5 Whys

Purpose: Linear root cause analysis by iteratively asking “Why?” How to use:
  1. Start with a Problem Statement describing what happened
  2. Ask “Why did this happen?” and add the answer
  3. Continue asking “Why?” for each answer (up to 7 levels with AI)
  4. The final answer is typically the root cause
AI features:
  • Click “Start AI Analysis” to let AI generate an entire Why chain
  • Click “New AI Chain” to start a fresh AI-generated chain
  • AI caps at 7 levels of depth
Node types: Problem Statement, Why (Cause)

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7.2 Fishbone (Ishikawa) Diagram

Purpose: Categorize potential causes into 6M categories. Categories:
  • Man — human factors
  • Machine — equipment factors
  • Method — process/procedure factors
  • Material — material/substance factors
  • Environment — environmental factors
  • Management — organizational factors
How to use:
  1. Click “Generate Fishbone” for AI to populate initial causes
  2. Or manually add category headers and causes
  3. Add sub-causes under any cause (up to 2 levels deep)
  4. Use “Suggest Causes for [Category]” for AI suggestions
  5. Mark specific causes as root causes
Node types: Category Header, Cause

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7.3 Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)

Purpose: Top-down deductive analysis using Boolean logic gates. How to use:
  1. Start with a Top Event (the undesired event)
  2. Add Logic Gates (AND/OR) to connect events
  3. Add child events: Intermediate, Basic, Conditional, Undeveloped, External
  4. Use AI to “Generate Fault Tree” or “Drill Down” into specific events
  5. Mark basic events as root causes
Node types:
  • Top Event, Intermediate Event, Basic Event
  • Conditional Event, Undeveloped Event, External Event
  • AND Gate, OR Gate
Gate logic:
  • AND Gate: All child events must occur
  • OR Gate: Any child event can cause the parent

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7.4 Swiss Cheese Model

Purpose: Analyze how multiple defensive barriers failed simultaneously. How to use:
  1. Add Hazard nodes (sources of danger)
  2. Add Barrier nodes (defensive layers)
  3. Add Loss nodes (consequences)
  4. For each barrier, add Failure Points (the “holes” in the cheese)
  5. Use AI to “Generate Framework” for initial structure
  6. Explore hazards and consequences with AI
Node types:
  • Hazard — source of danger
  • Barrier — defensive layer (physical, administrative, PPE, warning)
  • Loss — potential consequence
Failure Points: Each barrier can have multiple holes representing weaknesses. Failure points can be marked as root causes.