3. Identify possible causes
For each of the factors you considered in stage 2,
brainstorm possible causes of the problem that may be
related to the factor. Show these as smaller lines coming
off the 'bones' of the fish. Where a cause is large or
complex, then it may be best to break it down into sub-causes. Show these as lines coming off each cause line.
4 Analyze your diagram
By this stage you should have a diagram showing all the
possible causes of your problem. Depending on the
complexity and importance of the problem, you can now
investigate the most likely causes further. This may
involve setting up investigations, carrying out surveys, etc.
These will be designed to test whether your assessments
are correct.