Your privacy matters to us. This page explains what data we collect (very little), what we don’t collect (almost everything), and how third-party services work on this site.

The short version

What data stays on your device

When you use the 5 Whys analysis tool, all of your data — your problem statement, each “Why” answer, and your root cause — is stored in your browser’s localStorage. This is a storage mechanism built into your browser that keeps data on your device only.

This data never leaves your browser. We cannot see it, access it, or recover it. There is no server-side database, no cloud sync, and no backup. If you clear your browser data or switch devices, your analyses are gone permanently.

You are in full control. You can delete your stored data at any time by clearing your browser’s site data for 5xwhys.com.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics 4 (property ID: G-1Y0YSP6Y8V) to understand how people use this site — things like which pages are visited most, where traffic comes from, and what devices people use. This helps us improve the tool and create better content.

Where you are decides the default. If your device is set to a United States time zone, Google Analytics runs by default and the banner lets you opt out. Everywhere else, including the EU, the UK and Switzerland, Google Analytics does not load at all until you click “Allow analytics”, and no request is sent to Google Analytics before that. To tell the two apart we read only your device’s time zone setting, in your browser; we do not look up your IP address or location. If your browser sends a Global Privacy Control signal, we treat it as an opt-out and ask before loading analytics, wherever you are.

When analytics runs, it sets analytics cookies and measures your visits. Advertising storage stays switched off either way: ad_storage, ad_user_data and ad_personalization are always denied.

You can change your choice at any time with the Analytics preferences link at the bottom of every page. Choosing “Opt out” or “No thanks” stops measurement and deletes the analytics cookies.

You can learn more about how Google handles data in the Google Privacy Policy. You can also opt out of Google Analytics entirely by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Workshop Kit waitlist

The Workshop Kit page offers an optional waitlist. If you enter your email there, we use it for a single purpose: to send you one notification when the kit becomes available for purchase. That is the only email you will receive from the waitlist.

We do not add you to a newsletter, we do not share or sell the address, and there is no marketing sequence. The form is processed on our own server, which emails the submission to our inbox. As a backup, the same submission is also sent through Web3Forms, which forwards it to our inbox and does not retain a mailing list. You can ask us to delete your address at any time by emailing hello@5xwhys.com.

Links to books

We link to Amazon.com for book references, particularly on our Books page. These are plain links. We are not part of the Amazon Associates programme, the links carry no affiliate tag, and we receive nothing if you buy.

Amazon’s handling of your data is governed by the Amazon Privacy Notice.

Cookies

First-party cookies

We do not set any first-party cookies. None. The 5 Whys tool uses localStorage (not cookies) to store your analysis data locally.

Third-party cookies

Google Analytics sets cookies only when analytics runs: by default in the United States unless you opt out, and everywhere else only after you click “Allow analytics”.

When analytics runs, the following cookies are set:

You can manage or block cookies through your browser settings at any time.

Third-party services

Here is a complete list of every third-party service used on this site:

That’s it. We do not use social media trackers, remarketing pixels, customer data platforms, or any other third-party tracking services.

Children’s privacy

5xWhys.com is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect any personal information from children. If you believe a child has somehow provided personal data through this site, please contact us and we will take steps to address it.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have certain rights regarding your personal data under laws like the GDPR (Europe) or CCPA (California). These rights typically include the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data.

Here’s the good news: we collect virtually no personal data by default. There are no user accounts, no email addresses, no profiles. Your analysis data lives in your browser and is fully under your control.

That said, you always have the right to:

If you have any questions or believe we hold any data about you, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time — for example, when we add new features or integrate additional services. The “last updated” date at the top of this page will always reflect the most recent revision.

We encourage you to check back occasionally. Continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how your data is handled, you can reach us at hello@5xWhys.com.

We’re a small team and we genuinely care about doing the right thing with your data — which is why we designed the site to collect as little of it as possible.