What is a fish bone diagram?

Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa discovered the fishbone diagram. Therefore, it can be also known as Ishikawa diagram.

The Fishbone diagram is an analysis diagram that provides a systematic way of looking at the effects and the causes which create or contribute to those effects. Because of the function of the fishbone diagram, it may be known to as a cause-and-effect diagram. The design of the diagram looks much like the skeleton of a fish. So, it is often referred to as the fishbone diagram.

The Fishbone diagram helps in categorizing potential causes of problems or issues in an orderly way and in identifying the root causes.

The Sample fish bone diagram below shows why a project dead line was not met. The middle arrow is the main problem the "Deadline not met". Then we start analyzing other problems which has led to this problem. For example there is a client problem -- as he is always changing the requirement -- this is caused as the company did not sign the SRS --- and this happened as proper project management procedures where not at place. So to solve this problem we either appoint a project manager or give training on project management to the senior team members.

Figure: -Sample fish bone diagram