29.9.42 Cause-and-Effect Diagram

1 Data Requirements
2 Creating the Graph
- 2.1 The plot_causeeffect Dialog Box
3 Template
4 Notes
5 Version Information

Data Requirements

Select at least two text columns to create a Cause-and-Effect Diagram (also known as a Fishbone or Ishikawa Diagram).

Creating the Graph

Select required data.

From the menu, select Plot > Statistical: Cause-and-Effect Diagram to open the plot_causeeffect dialog

The plot_causeeffect Dialog Box

Data Form	There are two data structures supoorted for this graph: Parent Child Columns:The relationship of causes and sub-causes has been saved as two columns "Perent" and "Child". Each Causes in Separate Column:The relationship of each cause has been saved in separate columns.
Parent	Select a column as Parent causes when Data Form is set to Parent Child Columns.
Child	Select a column as Child causes when Data Form is set to Parent Child Columns.
Causes	Select all causes columns as Causes when Data Form is set to Each Causes in Separate Column.
Effect	Enter the label for the effect or problem that you are trying to solve optionally.
Template	By default, the built-in template "CauseEffect" has been selected. You can uncheck Auto box to choose a user-defined template.
Output Plot Data	Specify where to output the plot data. The plot data is arranged as Parent-Child columns.

Template

CauseEffect.OTPU(installed to the Origin program folder).

Notes

A Cause-and-Effect diagram is a visual tool that helps identify and organize potential causes of an issue or effect. It is also known as a fishbone diagram or Ishikawa diagram. Pepole uses it widely in many industries to identify the root causes of issues.

The diagram resembles a fish skeleton: The "head" is the specific problem or effect you want to solve; The "spine" is a central horizontal line pointing to the problem; The "ribs" are major categories of potential causes that branch off the spine; The smaller bones are the specific causes and sub-causes branching off the category ribs.

The categories can vary based on the context and nature of the problem. For example:

In manufacturing, the categories may include people, machines, materials, methods, and the environment.
In healthcare, the categories may include patients, processes, equipment, environment, and staff.

To customize the diagram, you can go to the below tabs in Plot Details dialog.

Version Information

Minimum Version: Origin 2026