Do any of you out there who have children or work with children ever find yourself applying the principles an practices of C/A - P/A?

My 15 year old son, (who thinks he should be allowed to stay out until 1:00 am on weekends and Easter break, etc...) came home a half hour late on a weeknight, (curfew is 10:00 pm if homework is complete) and I found myself basically performing an 8D on him. This is a good kid, 4 A's, 2 B's last marking period, three sport athlete etc... (but you have to keep the foot halfway planted at all times to keep it that way).

When determining the root cause of why he was really late, (and didnt call) I found myself using the 5 why's during three different potential causes. Am I going goofy?

While reflecting on our discussion later that evening, I realized that I probably use this methodology in all of the sports I coach or have coached in the past. Although I do not write n/c's on football players or use fishbones etc... I do constantly use C/A - P/A to make improvements to mistakes.

Just curious if anyone else has considered how you may use this outside of the workplace?

I think if I applied such tools in my personal life all my loved ones would lynch me :lmao: but truly I don't apply these kinds of things to my personal relationships, I think it would inhibit my ability to maintain said relationships.

As for practical application, sure, I use all the tools available to me when it comes to things such as college classes, home improvement, finances...it's quite useful in these areas.

When determining the root cause of why he was really late, (and didnt call) I found myself using the 5 why's during three different potential causes. Am I going goofy?


Much of what we do professionally is just good ol' common sense dressed up in a cheap tuxedo. When faced with a problem, we can either panic, rage and stomp our feet, or rationally try to educe a solution. If the latter option is chosen, something like the "5 whys" will naturally happen in rational people--we just don't give it a condescending name. Many of the quality "gurus" (and people like Deming and Juran are notable exceptions) begin with the premise that most people are stupid and will do stupid things unless Smart People find ways to prevent them from doing so. I think you'll find that if you start out with the opposite premise--that most people are smart enough to solve their own problems, but must be allowed to do so--you'll find that people, in general will solve their own problems, and will be much happier in the long run.


When determining the root cause of why he was really late, (and didnt call) I found myself using the 5 why's during three different potential causes. Am I going goofy?


It's pretty simple, assuming that his tardiness was willful. He was late because whatever he was doing was pleasurable to the point that the consequences of being late were considered an acceptable tradeoff. See, it's a simple "risk/reward" analysis.:D

When determining the root cause of why he was really late, (and didnt call) I found myself using the 5 why's during three different potential causes. Am I going goofy?



Goofy - not at all. FWIW - I get nuts when people want to put a name - like "5 why" or "8 D" or CAPA (aka Jim's cheap tuxedo)- on what I considered to be "normal" problem solving. It is the working of my logical mind. The process is not limited to solving problems at work - but a way to solve many of lifes problems.

Just my :2cents: .

Yep, I end up realizing that I've followed my entire Supervisors' Contact and Consultation training:lmao:

sheesh, it's no wonder we are so dysfunctional.:notme:

Makes you wonder.... could a household be ISO 9001 certified?

The product is your children, there's plenty of processes that are clearly defined (each time a child non-conforms!), and continually measured and improved (one hopes)...

Or have I been taking work too seriously :tg:

I'm waiting for someone to send me a CA request for dates....LOL:lmao:

Makes you wonder.... could a household be ISO 9001 certified?

The product is your children, there's plenty of processes that are clearly defined (each time a child non-conforms!), and continually measured and improved (one hopes)...

Or have I been taking work too seriously :tg:

Sorry, the children are the customers, the service provided is provided in several stages:
1) getting them out of diapers and into school
2) getting them an education in values and in formal education
3) practical training in responsibility and ethics
4) graduation from High School
5) graduaton from College
6) coaching for real world, full time, permanent employment.
7) graduaton from our house (this is the measure of sucess...the real and final goal so to speak.)

Not all stages will happen sequentially as listed, nor should they necessarily, this is especially true of numbers 5, 6, and 7. :biglaugh: