Meanings
plural Ishikawa diagrams
- A diagram used in quality management to display a detailed list of causes and effects of a problem and thus to decipher the root cause of a problem.
The procedure for constructing an Ishikawa diagram relies on brainstorming for stimulating the QI team to think of reasons for the problem.
2000, Donald E. Lighter, Douglas C. Fair, Principles and Methods of Quality Management in Health Care, page 591 more example
The Ishikawa diagram is used extensively in what is termed root cause analysis, meaning the development of hypotheses of why an event occurred.
2001, Judy Hankins, Infusion Therapy in Clinical Practice, page 42Synonyms: fishbone diagram
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA diagram used in quality management to display a detailed list of causes and effects of a problem and thus to decipher the root cause of a problem.
Origin
Named after Kaoru Ishikawa, who first developed such diagrams as a management tool.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Czech diagram rybí kosti
- diagram rybí kostidisplay of causes and effects
Finnish kalanruotokaavio
- kalanruotokaaviodisplay of causes and effects
Polish diagram Ishikawy
- diagram Ishikawydisplay of causes and effects
Russian диагра́мма причинно-следственных связей
- диагра́мма причинно-следственных связей (diagrámma pričinno-sledstvennyx svjazej)display of causes and effects
Swedish fiskbensdiagram, Ishikawadiagram
- fiskbensdiagramdisplay of causes and effects
- Ishikawadiagramdisplay of causes and effects
- orsak-verkan-diagramdisplay of causes and effects
Cite this entry
Ishikawa diagram. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ishikawa%20diagram
“Ishikawa diagram.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ishikawa%20diagram. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Ishikawa diagram,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ishikawa%20diagram.
Source: Ishikawa diagram on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.