Want to get to the bottom of a problem quickly? The 5 Whys is a method developed within Toyota Motor Company, emphasizing that it takes five iterations of “whys” to get to the meat of any problem.
Of course, the uses extend across the spectrum. My kids use it. You could apply this for political questions, issues at work, why the house isn’t clean, why a particular stock is doing poorly, or why the Redskins will win the Super Bowl next year (quit laughing).
(h/t to kottke.org)