RootCauseAnalysis

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a structured problem-solving method aimed at identifying the underlying causes of faults, incidents, or problems. The goal is to address the fundamental factors that allow a problem to occur rather than merely treating symptoms, thereby preventing recurrence and improving system resilience.

RCA employs various techniques, including the 5 Whys (repeatedly asking why until a fundamental cause is revealed), Ishikawa or fishbone diagrams (mapping causes across categories such as people, processes, equipment, materials, and environment), fault tree analysis, and barrier or change analysis. Data collection and event timelines are typically used to reconstruct sequences of events and verify causal hypotheses.

A typical RCA process involves: defining the problem and scope, assembling a cross-functional team, gathering evidence, identifying potential causes, determining root causes through iterative analysis, validating findings with data, developing corrective actions that eliminate root causes, implementing changes, and monitoring results to confirm effectiveness. Documentation should capture causal chain, evidence, and action plans.

RCA is widely used in manufacturing, information technology, healthcare, safety-critical industries, and service sectors to reduce recurring defects, outages, or accidents. Benefits include permanent problem resolution and process improvement; limitations include potential bias, incomplete data, and the need for organizational commitment and time. When properly executed, RCA supports continuous improvement and risk reduction.