By Daniel Croft
Struggling to tackle a problem when you’re not sure where to begin is completely normal. That’s exactly where the 5W1H Is/Is Not technique comes into play. By breaking your challenge down into six essential questions—Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How—you’ll gain a clearer, more thorough understanding of the issue before you jump into solutions. Paired with the Is/Is Not Problem Definition method, this approach helps you clearly identify what’s in scope and what falls outside of it, setting the stage for more focused and effective problem-solving.
The 5W1H Is/Is Not Problem Definition is a structured approach to problem-solving that aims to provide a clear understanding of a particular issue by exploring the issues from all angle. The acronym stands for “Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How.” In this method, you ask these questions to understand the boundaries of the problem for example:
By asking “Is” and “Is Not” for each of these categories, you’re setting the scope of the problem, making it easier to focus on what needs to be addressed. This method is particularly useful for complex issues where multiple factors could be at play.
Below is an example of a simple completed 5Wh1H Is/Is not table.
| Question | Is | Is Not |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Production team | Marketing team, Sales team |
| What | Faulty widgets from Machine A | Faulty widgets from Machine B, C |
| Where | Production Line 1 | Production Line 2, Warehouse |
| When | During the second shift | First shift, Weekends |
| Why | Calibration issue in Machine A | Operator error, Supply issues |
| How | Incorrect settings | Machine wear and tear |
While the method used to create a problem definition may not be important, the creation of an effective problem definition is to ensure you have the focus on the correct problem as it is easy to have the focus go beyond the scope. Using 5W1H and Is/Is not is a useful tool for achieving this and can provide multiple benefits such as:
Proving Clarity: A well defined problem statement using 5W1H helps in clearly defining the problem, eliminating any ambiguity. This is critical for stakeholders to gain a clear understanding.
Setting the Scope: By asking ‘Is Not’ questions, the method helps in setting the boundaries, ensuring that the team does not stray into unrelated issues, thereby conserving resources. One of the biggest risks to projects is scope creep leading to the project scope being too vast to address effectively.
Root Cause Analysis: The ‘Why’ and ‘How’ questions are particularly useful for understanding the problem and provide a useful first step in getting to the root cause of the problem.
Stakeholder Involvement: By identifying ‘Who’ is affected, you can ensure you involve the right people in the problem-solving process.
Get everyone who is impacted by or involved in solving the problem to be part of the team this can be those that work for the company as well as suppliers and customers where necessary to ensure a all angles are covered.
Using a 5W1H Is/Is Not template start with the first question of “What” and explain What the problem IS and what the problem IS Not and ensure that all the stakeholders agree before moving on to the next questions.
Now go through each of the remaining questions carefully answering the Is and the Is not for each.
For example:
Also, note down what each aspect is not. This sets boundaries.
Once you’ve answered all the questions, review them. Make sure they are specific and agreed upon by everyone. If they are not specific and agreed they should be reviewed and clarified by the team to ensure everyone is on the same page when moving forward with the project or solving the problem.
Now that you’ve clearly defined the problem, it’s time to solve it. Since you’ve also asked ‘How’ and ‘Why,’ you probably have some ideas for solutions.
For techniques around addressing problems can consult our comprehensive list of guides.
In Conclusion, the 5W1H Is/Is Not template is a useful tool for delving into a topic and gaining a better understanding of it. You can create a clear understanding of a topic and identify any misconceptions or areas of confusion by asking and answering the six questions. You can also clarify any misunderstandings and distinguish your topic from similar topics by addressing the “Is Not” section of the template.
A: The 5W1H Is/Is Not problem definition is a technique used to clearly define a problem by answering six fundamental questions: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.
A: The 5W1H Is/Is Not problem definition helps to eliminate ambiguity and ensure a thorough understanding of the problem at hand. It provides a structured approach to defining problems, which aids in effective problem-solving and decision-making.
A: The technique involves asking a series of questions: Who is involved? What is the problem? When does the problem occur? Where does it happen? Why is it happening? And how is it happening? Additionally, answering the corresponding “Is Not” questions helps to set boundaries and clarify what the problem is not.
Daniel Croft-Bednarski is a Continuous Improvement Manager with a passion for Lean Six Sigma and continuous improvement. With years of experience in developing operational excellence, Daniel specializes in simplifying complex concepts and engaging teams to drive impactful changes.
