Cause & Effect

In this step, the team lead will discuss the goal of the session listed in the Session Goals / Instructions. The team lead may add additional information or links to websites/documents for the team to review before beginning.

The team lead will also provide information about the topic.

Brainstorm and identify the core problem affecting the project/challenge or topic. If you are identifying two major problems. You will create a separate problem tree analysis.

Tip: Use the 'Link note to another' feature to draw links between notes.

Causes will act as the "roots" of the problem - extending themselves downward into the "ground". There are varying levels of causes, which cascade from one another. These are known as first, and second-order (sometimes third, fourth etc). These are problems that are created from each other. The point of this is to drill down into the base level problem that is causing the identified problem at the center. Note: You might notice on deeper level causes you will get to a base reason that may not have a reason or cause but is simply "the way it is". These may be key insights into societal norms that have been accepted simply because of the status quo.

Add effects that the problem generates. Notice there are first order and second order effects. Add the effects that directly result from the problem you are examining, and add effects that are caused by those first order effects.

Review the causes that created the problem. Which of these have a direct relationship with the problem? Add the direct ones closer in the tree to the core problem. Which are more indirect? Add the indirect ones further from the "core problem" as a secondary cause.

Review the effects that the problem creates: Which of these are most serious? Which are caused the fastest? Which has the highest impact? Add notes to the board and organize the tree by adding the most relevant (according to the questions above) closer to the core of the problem and further or sub-effects further away.