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GullyHR

Free template

Structured problem-solving worksheet

A worksheet for finding the real cause of a problem before fixing it. Use it for repeat errors, rework, delays and complaints. Work through it as a team, in the order below, and keep it to one page where you can.

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An HR consultant and business owner reviewing employee records together

A3 one-page layout

Title of problem: ______________________________________

Owner: [Name] Team: [Team] Date opened: ____________ Target close date: ____________

Left side of the page: 1. Background, 2. Current condition, 3. Goal, 4. Root-cause analysis. Right side: 5. Countermeasures, 6. Action plan, 7. Follow-up and results.

1. Background: why does this matter?

Describe the problem in one or two lines, and who it affects.

______________________________________________________________

2. Current condition: what is happening now?

  • What exactly goes wrong? ____________________
  • Where and when does it happen? ____________________
  • How often, and how many times in the last [ ] weeks? ____________________
  • What evidence do we have (records, photos, complaints)? ____________________

3. Goal

By [date], [measure] will be [target]. Example form: rework on [item] will fall from [ ] to [ ] a week.

4a. The 5 Whys chain

StepQuestionAnswer
Why 1Why did the problem happen? 
Why 2Why did that happen? 
Why 3Why did that happen? 
Why 4Why did that happen? 
Why 5Why did that happen? 
Root causeWhich answer, if fixed, stops the problem coming back? 

4b. Fishbone categories

CategoryPossible causesVerified? (Y/N)
People (skills, training, workload)  
Method (steps, instructions, checks)  
Machine or equipment  
Material or input  
Measurement (data, targets, reporting)  
Environment (space, timing, communication)  

5. Countermeasures

  • Quick containment now (stops harm today): ____________________
  • Fix for the root cause: ____________________
  • Check that prevents it returning: ____________________

6. Action plan

No.ActionOwnerStart dateDue dateStatus
1     
2     
3     
4     

7. Follow-up

  • Result measured on: ____________
  • Did the measure reach the goal? Yes / Partly / No
  • What did we learn? ____________________
  • Do we need to change a procedure, checklist or training? ____________________

Sign-off

Problem owner: ______________________ Date: ____________

Reviewed by: ______________________ Date: ____________

A starting point, not legal advice. Check the final wording against your contracts and the rules of your state, and have a qualified professional review it before you issue it.

Performance improvement plans →HR process consulting →Near-miss and incident report form →

How to use this template

  1. Name one owner and agree a date to review before the team starts.
  2. Define the problem in facts: what, where, when and how often. Avoid naming a person as the cause.
  3. Run the 5 Whys and the fishbone together. Check each possible cause against real evidence.
  4. Choose the root cause that, if fixed, would stop the problem returning.
  5. Write the action plan with one owner and one date per action.
  6. Review on the follow-up date and close the worksheet only when the measure has improved.

A filled example (illustrative)

This example is invented for illustration. Replace every value with your own.

StepIllustrative entry
ProblemPacking errors on dispatch orders
Why 1Wrong item placed in the box
Why 2Pick list was hard to read
Why 3The list is printed in small type on a shared printer
Why 4No one owns the print format
Root causeNo owner for the pick-list layout
ActionName an owner and set a simple, larger format

Common mistakes

  • Stopping at the first answer and fixing a symptom, so the problem comes back.
  • Using the worksheet to find someone to blame instead of a cause in the process.
  • Writing causes from opinion without checking them against records or the shop floor.
  • Listing actions with no owner or date, so nothing moves.
  • Closing the worksheet without measuring whether the result improved.

Adapt it to your business

  • Factory or plant: add machine, shift and batch details, and photos of the defect.
  • Shop or retail: use it for stock mismatches, billing errors and customer complaints.
  • Clinic or hospital: use it for appointment delays and documentation gaps, with patient details kept out of the sheet.
  • Office or services firm: use it for missed deadlines, wrong invoices and repeated client queries.

Questions about this template

Five is a guide, not a rule. Stop when the answer is a cause in your process that you can change and that would stop the problem returning.

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