Fishbone diagrams

Fishbone diagrams break down complex problems into clear, analyzable categories. Here’s how to use them:

1. Draw the main problem. Place the key issue at the "fish head," for example, "High user drop-off rate on sign-up page."
2. Create major category bones — branch out main causes like "UI," "Technical issues," and "Content."
3. Add detailed causes. On each major bone, attach smaller bones with specific issues. Under "User interface," list items like "form fields too small" or "unclear error messages."
4. Analyze connections. Look for causes that appear in multiple categories or connect to each other. For example, "slow load time" might affect both technical and user experience categories.
5. Identify key issues. Focus on causes that appear frequently or have strong evidence of impact on the main problem.