3 ms·

Why 5x? You should rather check when you reached the point that it will not happen again. Probably nobody is assigned to the task of installing filters in new

• venomsnake 11y ago
  because at 7 or 8 you are moving into "the supernova explosion created elements heavier than iron" category
• PeterisP 11y ago
  The subsequent "layers" of reasons are fundamentally different. For example, applying this to IT when analyzing the underlying causes of a particular downtime or security breach, usually, the first 2 layers of "why" are technical reasons that need to be adressed by the relevant specialists, the next 2 layers are failures of policy and procedures that need to be adressed by the managment chain, and around 5th "why" you get to weaknesses in the organization, company priorities and values which is slow to change but valuable info anyway. Beyond that you just get to acknowledgements about how life is not perfect that is not actionable, but the first 4-5 layers of 'why' generally do lead to something that can be fixed given proper authority and motivation.
• talideon 11y ago
  It's '5x' for two reasons: (a) that's a reasonable target for how many times you might have to ask it before you hit a root cause and (b) the 'five' is meant in a more metaphorical sense - you're meant to ask until you hit the root cause, but 'five' is catchier.