Five W's

What are the Five W's?

The "Five W's" (and one H) is a method of asking questions to gather information. The Five W's are Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How.

1. Who: who is the person or group of people involved in the situation or event
2. What: what is the situation or event that is being described.
3. When: when did the situation or event occur.
4. Where: where did the situation or event take place.
5. Why: why did the situation or event happen, or what is the reason for it.
6. How: how did the situation or event happen, or what is the process or method used.

This method of asking questions is commonly used in journalism, research, and investigation. It helps to gather comprehensive information about a topic, and ensure that no relevant information is missed. By asking these questions, you can have a clear understanding of the context, the reasons, and the processes behind an event or situation.

It is also a useful technique for businesses, for example, in developing products, services, or projects, it allows to clearly define the target audience, the goals, the resources, the timelines, and the processes to achieve them, with the goal of making more informed decisions.

The Five W's and one H (and one H) method is a simple yet powerful tool to gather information and understand the context, the reasons, and the processes behind an event, situation, or project. It can be applied in a variety of settings, including research, journalism, investigations, and business development.

See Also

• IT Strategy (Information Technology Strategy)
• IT Governance
• Enterprise Architecture
• Chief Information Officer (CIO)
• IT Sourcing (Information Technology Sourcing)
• IT Operations (Information Technology Operations)
• E-Strategy