Which tool helps you make priorities visible by showing the frequency at which each cause occurs?

The tool that helps make priorities visible by showing the frequency at which each cause occurs is the Pareto diagram. This tool is based on the Pareto principle, often referred to as the 80/20 rule, which states that roughly 80% of effects come from 20% of the causes.

A Pareto diagram displays the causes of problems in a descending order of frequency or impact, allowing users to identify which issues should be prioritized for resolution. By visualizing this data, stakeholders can focus their efforts on addressing the most significant causes that contribute to the majority of the problems, thereby improving efficiency and effectiveness in problem-solving.

Other tools mentioned, like the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act), are more focused on cyclical improvement processes rather than presenting data on causes in a prioritized manner. The Fishbone diagram and the Ishikawa cause-and-effect diagram are useful for identifying potential causes of a problem, but they do not quantify the frequency of those causes, making it harder to determine which issues warrant immediate attention. Thus, the Pareto diagram stands out as the best choice for making priorities visible based on statistical data.