What are the 6 investigation basics?

Asked by: Jeremie Fahey Sr.  |  Last update: February 5, 2026
Score: 4.1/5 (7 votes)

The 6 basics of an investigation typically involve a structured process: Immediate Action/Secure Scene, Plan the Investigation, Gather Information, Analyze Data, Determine/Implement Corrective Actions, and Report Findings, focusing on answering the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How to find root causes and prevent recurrence, especially in incident response.

What are the 6 steps of investigation?

The six steps in the incident investigation process are to secure the incident scene, plan the investigation, collect data, analyse the data, implement corrective actions, and document and report findings. Following these steps ensures a thorough and effective investigation.

What are the 6 parts of the investigation report?

6. What are the essential components of an investigation report? An investigation report should include an executive summary, case details, incident description, subject information, evidence, interviews, and a conclusion with recommendations.

What are the six methods of investigation?

An effective incident investigation involves six main steps, which are described in detail below:

  • Secure the Scene. ...
  • Plan the Investigation. ...
  • Collect All Relevant Information. ...
  • Analyze Collected Data to Find the Root Cause. ...
  • Implement Corrective Actions. ...
  • Document and Share the Results.

What are the basics of investigation?

Confidentiality, informed consent and safety and welfare are essential principles for all investigations. These three are focused on basic and essential protection. Confidentiality must be maintained at all times. Anonymity allows the complaints process to function.

Understanding Groundwater Contamination: Session 6 Subsurface Investigation Basics

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What are the 7 steps of investigation?

Find out how these steps apply to any investigation.

  • Identify Scene Dimensions. Locate the focal point of the scene. ...
  • Establish Security. Tape around the perimeter. ...
  • Create a Plan & Communicate. ...
  • Conduct Primary Survey. ...
  • Document and Process Scene. ...
  • Conduct Secondary Survey. ...
  • Record and Preserve Evidence.

What is the 5 why investigation process?

5 Whys is an iterative interrogative technique used to explore the cause-and-effect relationships underlying a problem. The goal is to determine the root cause of a problem by repeating the question “Why?”. Each answer forms the basis of the next question.

What are the six basic investigative questions?

Field notes are the shorthand written record made by a police officer from the time she or he arrives at the scene until the assignment is completed. What are the six basic investigative questions? They are what, when, where, who, how, and why.

What are the six W?

Understanding the 6W Method

At its core, the 6W Method is about asking basic questions to uncover the essential elements of a situation. The method's name comes from the six key questions it employs: Who, Why, What, When, Where, and How.

What are the pillars of investigation?

Even though investigators are familiar with this risk, they still face growing barriers to success. However, Investigators can overcome these challenges to build a defensible investigation by building off timeliness, thoroughness, and comprehensive reporting—the three pillars for a defensible investigation.

What are the six cardinal points of investigation?

In the performance of his duties, the investigator must seek to establish the six (6) cardinal points of investigation, namely: what specific offense has been committed; how the offense was committed; who committed it; where the offense was committed; when it was committed; and why it was committed.

What is an investigative model?

the investigative model is straight forward. Secure the crime scene, collect sources of evidence, examine those sources of evidence, analyse the evidence and then a reporting on the findings is. presented. The potential sources of evidence are taken to a specialist lab for analysis.

What are the five elements of investigation?

The five elements of investigations are the scope, investigation plan, investigative team, investigation process, and the final investigation report and recommendations.

What is the basic investigation process?

This document outlines the six phases of an investigation process: 1) Case Initiating which includes file preparation and identifying stakeholders, 2) Case Analysis involving on-site visits and data collection, 3) Inquiry Design such as developing questions, 4) Execution using tools like fishbone diagrams, 5) Results ...

What are the 5 P's of investigation?

The five P's stand for “parts, position, paper, people and paradigms.” While the data in this case was collected by software, the method is sound and can be used to get great results without software.

What are the six basic steps to take following an incident?

Discover the 6 essential accident investigation steps below:

  1. Immediate Response. ...
  2. Report the Incident. ...
  3. Find Out What Happened. ...
  4. Determine the Root Causes. ...
  5. Assess the Action Required. ...
  6. Take Action to Prevent Future Incidents.

What are the basic six questions a criminal investigator must address?

If you can answer: what, why, who, when, where and how; you will have a clear and fundamental knowledge of the whole situation. Within journalism and police investigation the Six W´s of Investigation are used to gather basic information. If all these questions are answered; you have the whole story.

What are the six s?

6S, a modification of the 5S methodology which includes "Safety" as the 6th S. It is a lean process improvement tool that stands for Sort, Set in Order (aka Straighten or Stabilize), Shine (aka Scrub or Sweep), Standardize, Sustain, Safety.

What are the 6W questions?

These six, one-word questions are an excellent way to help you evaluate an information source:

  • Who? Who wrote/created this information, and who are they in terms of this information and in this context? ...
  • What? What is the source? ...
  • When? When was this information gathered, posted, or published? ...
  • Where? ...
  • Why? ...
  • How?

What not to say during investigation?

Don't Express Personal Opinions or Judgments. The investigation is not about how you feel or what you think. Its purpose is to collect facts and make a decision based on those alone.

What are the six steps in a preliminary investigation?

The video outlines the six key steps in a preliminary investigation:

  • Attending to injured parties.
  • Observing the scene.
  • Determining if a crime was committed.
  • Securing the crime scene.
  • Interviewing witnesses.
  • Compiling a report.

What are the key techniques of investigation?

Investigation techniques could include:

  • Referring back to company policy throughout the investigation.
  • Ensuring a great level of documentation.
  • Developing the right interview questions.
  • Utilising both external and internal information.
  • Choosing the right individuals for each task.
  • Gathering evidence through a number of ways.

What are the seven basic steps of an investigation?

These are known as the 7 S's of crime scene investigation.

  • Secure the Scene.
  • Separate the Witnesses.
  • Scan the Scene.
  • See the Scene.
  • Sketch the Scene.
  • Search for Evidence.
  • Secure and Collect Evidence.

What is the 5 Whys checklist?

The Five Whys strategy involves looking at any problem and drilling down by asking: "Why?" or "What caused this problem?" While you want clear and concise answers, you want to avoid answers that are too simple and overlook important details.

What are the three rules of investigation?

The three rules you should apply to every incident investigation are: Don't Cause More Damage. Don't Destroy Evidence. Don't Make Up Your Mind Before You Start Investigating.