> open /techniques/5-whys --case=001
CASE #001 // THE MISSING SNACKS

5 WhysFollow the cause.

A simple technique for moving past the first explanation. Ask β€œwhy?” repeatedly until the symptom gives way to a cause worth acting on.

PURPOSEROOT CAUSE
DIFFICULTYEASY
TIME15–30 MIN
BEST FORCAUSE CHAINS
</>
STATUS: CONCERNED
PROBLEM_

Capybara's afternoon watermelon is missing.

The empty bowl is the symptom. We could blame the obvious suspect β€” or investigate.

↓ WHY?
πŸ₯£  βŒ  πŸ‰
CAPYBARA.EXE / INSPECTING SCENE
WHY #1

Why is there no watermelon?

Because somebody ate it.

↓ WHY?
🐦  β†’  πŸ‰
STATUS: SUSPECT LOCATED
WHY #2

Why was it eaten?

A bird got into the snack area and helped itself.

↓ WHY?
🐦 β†˜  πŸšͺ  πŸ”“
STATUS: NOTING SECURITY FLAW
WHY #3

Why could the bird get in?

The snack-area gate had been left open.

↓ WHY?
πŸ§‘  β†’  πŸšͺ  πŸ’­β“
STATUS: MEMORY IS NOT A CONTROL
WHY #4

Why was the gate left open?

Closing it depended on someone remembering after every visit.

↓ WHY?
πŸšͺ  οΌ‹  βš™οΈβŒ
ROOT CAUSE SIGNAL DETECTED
WHY #5

Why does it depend on memory?

There is no self-closing mechanism or other control in the process.

ROOT CAUSE FOUND_

The process relies on memory.

β€œThe bird ate it” explains what happened. A gate that can repeatedly be left open explains why the problem can keep happening.

πŸšͺ βš™οΈ βœ…   β˜•
</>
STATUS: VINDICATED
COUNTERMEASURE_

Make the gate self-closing.

Now the fix targets the repeatable system weakness rather than merely chasing birds.

REAL WORLD TRANSLATION_

Missing watermelon→Your incident
Bird→Immediate cause
Open gate→Process failure
No auto-close→Systemic cause

REMEMBER_

Five is not magic. Ask enough whys to reach something useful and evidence-based. Stop if the chain becomes speculation, branches into multiple causes, or you reach something outside the problem's scope.

> run /tools/5-whys --interactive

TRY IT YOURSELF_

Use the same logic on your own problem. Choose local auto-save or switch to a Private Session that does not save the investigation to localStorage.

> /investigations/pilot

INVESTIGATION_

Name this problem, save a local snapshot, or carry the complete 5 Whys workspace and Evidence Ledger as a portable .problemme file.

NEW INVESTIGATION
not saved yet
INVESTIGATION IDβ€”
CREATEDβ€”
LAST SNAPSHOTβ€”
PORTABLE FILE READY_

LOCAL-FIRST: Save stores one pilot investigation snapshot in this browser. Export creates a readable JSON-based .problemme file you own. Private Session blocks browser saving but still allows export/import.

5 WHYS WORKSPACE / LOCAL DRAFT AUTO-SAVE: ON
LOCAL SAVE ACTIVE_ Changes are auto-saved in this browser on this device.

CAPYBARA PRIVACY NOTE_ Keep passwords, API keys, access tokens and credentials out of the workspace. Private Session controls problem.me storage; it is not a secret vault. HOW PRIVACY WORKS β†’

CAUSE CHAIN_
CANDIDATE ACTION_
LOCAL ONLY_The draft is stored with localStorage. Clearing browser/site data will remove it.
DRAFT READY_
REASONING LAYER_

EVIDENCE LEDGER_

Separate what you know from what you think. Facts, assumptions, tests and results stay visible while the investigation evolves.

NO EVIDENCE LOGGED
LEDGER READY_
CAPYBARA.EXE: Claims are cheaper than evidence. Log what you actually know.