Use MindManager to create fishbone diagrams, also called ‘Ishikawa’ or ’cause and effect’ diagrams. These maps let you proactively look into the future and develop plans to mitigate potential issues before they occur. Created by Kaoru Ishikawa in the 1960s in the Kawasaki shipyards in Japan, these diagrams are considered one of the seven basic tools of quality management, along with the Affinity Diagrams.
Today, you have an opportunity to prevent problems! All you have to do is imagine that they have happened in the future, figure out why they would have happened, then do what it takes (in software, or organizationally) to prevent them. Here are three MindManager templates to help you get started.
Types of fishbone diagrams
The 6 M’s: Traditionally used by manufacturers, the 6 M’s are: Machine, Method, Materials, Maintenance, Man and Mother Nature (Environment). You can use these, or adjust your map (as seen below) to a more modern selection, which would be: Equipment, Process, People, Materials, Environment, and Management.
The 8 P’s: Used in administration, HR, and service industries, the 8 P’s are: Price, Promotion, People, Processes, Place/Plant, Policies, Procedures, and Product (or Service).
The 4 S’s: Another alternative for the service industry are the 4 S’s: Surroundings, Suppliers, Systems, and Skills.
Use MindManager to build fishbone diagrams
Did you know that MindManager has pre-built fishbone diagram templates to help get you started? If you haven’t gotten you hands on MindManager yet, you may be interested in a free, 30-day trial. Click through to the Problem Solving tab in the Templates library to find the ready-to-use Ishikawa diagram templates.
Or, you can read our step-by-step guide about how to create fishbone diagrams for problem solving using MindManager.
