In the Five Whys missed-deadline example, what was the initial symptom presented?

• A. The client requested changes last minute
• B. The file version was incorrect
• C. The slides were missing a key component
• D. The team was still editing slides the night before

Answer: (D)

In a Five Whys analysis, you begin with an observable symptom that signals a problem, not the root cause. In the missed-deadline example, the first sign you notice is that the team is still editing the slides the night before. This is a concrete, time-stamped observation that the project is at risk and work is incomplete as the deadline nears. From this symptom you would start asking, “Why are they still editing?” to uncover deeper reasons like late feedback, unclear requirements, or poor time estimates. The other scenarios describe possible triggers or errors, but they aren’t the immediate sign that the deadline is slipping; the last-minute editing is the direct, observable symptom prompting the analysis.