Fishbone (Ishikawa) Diagram Builder JointJS | AIAG

What Is a Fishbone (Ishikawa) Diagram?

A fishbone diagram, also known as an Ishikawa or cause-and-effect diagram, is a visual brainstorming tool used to identify, explore and display all possible causes of a specific problem or quality defect. Its structure resembles the skeleton of a fish:

• The "head" of the fish represents the problem or effect being analysed.
• The "spine" is a horizontal arrow pointing toward the head.
• The "bones" branch off the spine and represent the major cause categories (the 6Ms).
• Sub-causes and sub-sub-causes attach to the bones, creating a structured hierarchy of contributing factors.

Its main purpose is to structure a brainstorming session so that teams think through all possible reasons for an issue in a systematic way — rather than jumping directly to solutions.

History & Purpose

The diagram was created by Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa, a Japanese quality control expert, in the 1960s while working for Kawasaki's shipyards. It was first published in 1968 and quickly became one of the Seven Basic Tools of Quality, spreading globally as a cornerstone of problem-solving and continuous improvement.

Over the following decades it gained adoption across manufacturing, healthcare, software and many other industries. In the context of AIAG / IATF 16949 quality management systems, the Ishikawa diagram is a recommended tool for root cause analysis in 8D and APQP processes. This tool supports full revision history compliant with IATF 16949 §7.5.3.1.

The purpose of the diagram is not simply to list facts, but to surface the relationships between causes so that decision-makers can identify and address the true root causes of a problem — not just the symptoms.

Toolbar — Button Reference

The toolbar at the top of the page contains all the actions you need to manage your diagram:

• New   Clears all causes and the problem statement, and starts a blank diagram. Takes you directly to the Data Input tab.
• Load   Opens a previously saved .json file and restores all causes and revision history in read-only mode. Takes you directly to the Data Input tab.
• Load Example   Loads a pre-filled example diagram (cycles through Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Software examples) so you can explore the tool. Opens in read-only mode.
• Revise   Only available when a document is in read-only mode. Opens a dialog to register a new revision — date, description, author, and approver — then unlocks all fields for editing. Revision details appear in the exported PDF.
• Save   Downloads the complete diagram as a .json file, including all causes, sub-causes and the full revision history. Use this to reload or share the analysis later.
• Export PDF   Generates a fully formatted landscape PDF report containing: the diagram image, the problem statement, the cause hierarchy data, and the revision history.

How to Use This Tool — Step by Step

• Step 1 — Define the Problem: Go to the Data Input tab, then the Problem sub-tab. Type the problem or effect you want to analyse. This text appears as the fish head in the diagram.
• Step 2 — Add Causes by Category: Switch between the Manpower, Methods, Machines, Materials, Environment and Measurement sub-tabs. For each category, type a main cause and press the + button to add it.
• Step 3 — Add Sub-Causes: Click the icon next to any cause to add a more detailed sub-cause. Click it again on a sub-cause to add sub-sub-causes, creating a three-level hierarchy.
• Step 4 — Review the Diagram: Switch to the Diagram tab at any time — it auto-updates live as you type. Use the zoom and spacing controls to adjust the view.
• Step 5 — Save your work: Click Save to download a .json file you can reload at any time. The revision history is included.
• Step 6 — Export the report: Click Export PDF to download a complete, print-ready landscape PDF with the diagram image, cause data and revision notes.
• Step 7 — Manage Revisions: Load a saved file, then click Revise to register changes and maintain a traceable revision history inside both the JSON and the PDF — aligned with AIAG / IATF 16949 requirements.