FIVE WS

The five Ws are who, what, when, where, and why. You can use the five Ws to find information when conducting research. For instance, you can use it to obtain information regarding an undocumented procedure or an event that has occurred. All procedures and events involve people, occur at a certain time and place, have a reason for existence, and accomplish something. Answering the five Ws helps you acquire that information.

You can obtain information that answers the five Ws in several ways. You can conduct interviews, develop questionnaires, or review documentation. Or you can combine one or more of the three methods. Armed with answers to the five Ws, you have sufficient information to make decisions or conduct further inquiry.

for Defining the Five Ws

• Describe a situation, process, and so on, in one simple sentence.
• On a sheet of paper or using computer software, list the five Ws: who, what, when, where, and why. Be sure to leave enough space between each one to record information.
• For each W, record what you know and even what you do not know.
• For the latter, conduct follow-up questions to obtain the answers you need.