Explanation
A cause-and-effect diagram, also known as an Ishikawa diagram or a fishbone diagram, is a graphical tool that visualizes the result of a root cause analysis study. It helps to identify, sort, and display the possible causes of a specific problem or quality issue. It can also be used to explore the root causes of a problem or a desired outcome. The diagram looks like the skeleton of a fish, hence the name fishbone diagram. The effect or problem is shown as the fish's head, and the causes are shown as the bones along the spine. The diagram helps to organize the causes into categories, such as people, processes, equipment, materials, environment, etc. The diagram can be created by brainstorming the causes and grouping them into major categories. The diagram can then be analyzed to identify the most likely or significant causes of the problem or outcome. References:
Root Cause Analysis: Definition, Examples & Methods | Tableau, under Approaches to Root Cause Analysis Root Cause Analysis, Ishikawa Diagrams and the 5 Whys - isixsigma.com, paragraph 1 Root Cause Analysis - Practical Action, paragraph 1