Much of what we know as Lean have origins from other places than Toyota. It is no secret that Toyota was heavily inspired and brought in tools from other companies and refined them to their own purposes. The same can be said about 5W1H, a common tool in problem solving.

Below is an excerpt from Rudyard Kiplings 1902 publication “Just So Stories”

“I keep six honest serving-men,
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When,
And How and Where and Who.”

Rudyard Kipling, 1902 from “Just So Stories”