Use this Tool to:   

get to the root of a problem quickly. The Three Whys strategy involves looking at any problem indicated in the data and drilling down by asking: "Why?" or "What caused this problem?"

Pre-Meeting Prep:   

 
  • Print copies of the template for each participant. 
  • Decide how you will group interview partners (groups of 2-3).
Suggested Timing:   

   15 minutes

Steps: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.Identify a problem you are wondering about. This could be something that has arisen from gathering data, values walks, focus groups, etc. With your interview participants, clearly define the component of the school development you want to delve into. 
 
2. Ask “why”. Begin the interview with the identified component and ask “ Why is this happening?” Remember that you are going for depth when asking why. 

3.Identify the root cause. Record the answer and use this response to form the next "why" question. Repeat this process iteratively, usually around 3 times, to  get closer to the root cause of the issue. Each "why" should be based on the answer to the previous question.

4. Now, you interview the other person.

Additional Notes:   

 

Learn more about this tool.
See a completed exemplar.