In support of the six core principles of improvement, we’re delighted to share several fishbone diagram tools from High Tech High Graduate School of Education (HTH GSE). Like medical students in a teaching hospital, HTH GSE students take courses and conduct research while engaging daily in the real world of effective, innovative schools. HTH GSE’s fishbone generation protocol is a useful starting point for any improvement team wishing to develop a fishbone diagrams. Fishbones are vital for unpacking root causes of problems, the first step in any quality improvement effort. Here’s an example of a completed fishbone diagram, created by HTH’s Equitable Groupwork Team to understand factors that make it hard for students to engage in group work equitably. HTH GSE recommends printing this example on the back of the protocol so that improvement team members have an example to use when creating their own. Lastly, here’s a a fishbone diagram template for those who wish to use it. More protocols and tools for supporting improvement science can be found here, courtesy of HTH GSE.