You may know fishbone diagrams by their other names: Ishikawa or cause-and-effect diagrams. These visualisations help teams break down problems and identify their root causes. You might come across them in healthcare, manufacturing, marketing, or business settings – anywhere where problem-solving and process improvement are needed.

In this guide we will explain what they are, how to build your own, and include a fishbone diagram example to show how it works in real life. You’ll also learn how Adobe Express UK can help you customise, present, and share your diagram with your teams.

What is a fishbone diagram?

A fishbone diagram is a visual chart that helps identify the potential causes of a specific problem (called the “effect”) by mapping them out across categories or “bones.” Each major bone coming off the spine of the fish represents a type of cause. For example, People, Process, Equipment, or Environment. The head of the fish shows the issue you're trying to solve.

These diagrams are often used in quality management, healthcare, and project planning to help teams break down complex issues into manageable, traceable parts, making it easier to identify root cause. They can be used as a standalone tool or as part of larger analyses like root cause workshops, Six Sigma, or audits.

Simple fishbone diagram examples.

How to fill out your fishbone diagram.

Creating a fishbone diagram works best when multiple team members collaborate to bring their different perspectives. Here's how to build one step-by-step.

1. Agree on the effect or problem.

Identify the issue you're trying to solve. Be specific, like “customer churn has increased” or “delayed delivery of medication.” This problem becomes the “head” of the fish. All other causes will link back to this root issue.

2. Create the “spine”.

Draw a horizontal line pointing to the right with the problem at the head. This forms the “spine” of your diagram. Then draw diagonal lines off the spine to represent key cause categories – these are your fish “bones”.

3. Decide on the main causes of the problem.

Common categories for a fishbone diagram template include People, Methods, Machines, Materials, Environment, and Measurement. These should be adapted for the sector you’re working in, so choose the most relevant 4-6 for your situation. Label each bone with the name of each cause.

4. Brainstorm contributing factors.

Add secondary “bones” to each category. These are specific causes or contributing factors. For example, under People, you might note “lack of training” or “short staffing.” Repeat this for each section.

5. Review and refine.

Check for overlaps, gaps, or unclear terms in your diagram. Clarify each factor and make sure that it ties back to the central problem. You can also add evidence, data, or colour coding to visualise high-priority issues.

Examples of organisations that use fishbone diagrams.

Many sectors use fishbone diagrams to explore problems and improve their outcomes. Here are a few specific examples.

Healthcare.

A fishbone diagram healthcare example might explore why a patient received the wrong medication. It would look at causes across training, process, environment, or communication to try and identify the root cause. It could also be used in nursing for risk analysis or workflow review.

Quality management.

In manufacturing or service industries, these diagrams help identify faults in production lines, delivery errors, or customer complaints. Each “bone” can represent a stage in the process or supplier input.

Project management.

An effective example of a fishbone diagram for new product development or event planning could be used to anticipate or respond to delays, budget overruns, or scope creep. This helps project teams from any business sector to map out dependencies and mitigate potential risks.

Free fishbone diagram templates for businesses.

How can Adobe Express help you build your fishbone diagram?

Adobe Express makes it easy to design, edit, and share your own fishbone diagram example. It's an easy way to support your problem-solving workshops, presentations, or internal reports with a visual chart to break down information.

1. Make the most of editable diagram templates.

Choose from pre-built layouts and Diagram templates to infographics, and simply drag, drop, and type to structure your analysis.

2. Customise your diagram with logos, fonts and more.

Add your brand colours, logo or headings for a personalised look, and highlight causes using AI text effects or icons.

3. Experiment with other charts and graphs.

Use bar graphs or pie charts to show which causes are most common or most urgent. This is great for summarising findings visually, especially if you are presenting your findings to others.

Add a fishbone diagram to your presentation with the AI presentation maker.

Once your diagram is complete, use the AI Presentation Maker to turn it into a polished deck. Just describe your topic and the tool will generate layouts and content suggestions for you. This is perfect for sharing fishbone diagram examples with explanations in meetings, audits, or workshops. You can easily add slides that break down your identified causes, highlight findings, or explain the next steps. You can also export your presentation or share it online all in a few clicks.

Try Adobe Express for free now

Good to know.

What are the 7 categories in a fishbone diagram?

The most common categories are People, Methods, Machines, Materials, Measurement, Environment, and Management. These can be adjusted depending on your industry or the focus of your diagram, for example, using Policy or Process in healthcare or IT.

What’s the difference between a fishbone diagram and an Ishikawa diagram?

There isn’t one, they’re the same thing. The name "Ishikawa" comes from Japanese professor Kaoru Ishikawa, who created the method in the 1960s for quality control analysis.

Does PowerPoint have a fishbone diagram?

No, PowerPoint doesn’t offer a built-in fishbone diagram example template. But you can create one with Adobe Express and download it as an image or PDF to insert into your slides or build the whole deck in Adobe Express.

Is Adobe Express free?

Yes, our free plan offers many core features including thousands of templates, photo editing and effects, animation, and 5 GB of storage. See our pricing page for details and to compare plans.