Are You Solving the Right Problem?

The 5 Whys

A Government Twist on Root Cause Analysis

In local government, there’s never a shortage of problems to solve—backlogs, manual processes, disconnected systems, and frustrated staff or constituents. But sometimes, the real problem isn’t what it appears on the surface.

Here at CPS, we’ve seen it repeatedly: a city calls us to help streamline its permitting process or reduce paper in HR onboarding. But when we sit down with stakeholders and start asking questions, we often find something more profound—something upstream that’s quietly creating the chaos.

We advocate using the '5 Whys' technique during discovery sessions. This simplified version of root cause analysis has proven to be a powerful tool in our work.

The Power of Asking "Why?"

Here’s how it works: you start with the problem you think you’re trying to solve and then ask “Why?” five times (or as many as it takes) to get to the root cause. However, it's important to note that the 5 Whys technique may not always lead to a single root cause, and in some cases, it may uncover multiple contributing factors.

Let’s take a real-world example:

Problem: “Our building permit turnaround times are too long.

”Why? “Because reviews are getting stuck in certain departments.

”Why? “Because they don’t always know when it’s their turn to review.

”Why? “Because there’s no automated notification system in place.

”Why? “Because the intake process is still happening over email.

”Why? “Because we haven’t digitized the application submission process yet.”

Suddenly, you realize the issue isn’t about long review times—it’s about the lack of structured intake and automated routing.

Tech That Follows the Why

When clients work with CPS, we help bring these insights to life using transformative tools like Laserfiche forms and workflows. Once the real problem is identified, it’s easier to design a process that fixes the issue at its root, not just cosmetically.

In the example above, Laserfiche could be used to create a smart, online intake form that routes applications to the correct departments, logs timestamps, and triggers automated alerts. That one upstream change creates downstream improvements that no amount of nagging or staff re-training could solve alone.

Avoid the Shiny Object Trap

Many well-meaning departments fall into the shiny object trap: buying a new tool or app to fix a symptom, without pausing to uncover the cause. This often leads to a cycle of patching problems without addressing the underlying issues. But great tech partners don’t just deliver features—they help you ask better questions and guide you towards a more strategic approach to problem-solving.

The CPS team brings that outside perspective, combining process consulting with decades of government tech experience. We love seeing our clients have that “a-ha!” moment—the one where the real solution clicks into place.

Ready to Find Your Root Cause?

If you’ve been patching problems and still seeing the same results, it might be time to step back and ask: Are we solving the right problem?

Let CPS help you find out. We’ll bring the questions. You get the sticky notes.