Understand root cause analysis, its importance, different types and methods, and how you can conduct it. Learn how you can improve your RCA processes.
Root cause analysis (RCA) is the process of identifying the source of a problem and looking for a solution so that the problem is treated at the root level. This way, organizations and professionals can look beyond the symptoms of the problem and work on where the real cause exists.
Root cause analysis aims to gauge the challenges an organization should address to streamline its processes and achieve its goals. Hence, identifying the root causes of a problem helps in developing more effective strategies to overcome it.
Conducting a root cause analysis and implementing apt solutions help employers to significantly or completely prevent the same or similar issues and incidents from recurring. It’s also worth noting that when employers value prevention more than merely treating surface-level symptoms, public trust can be earned. Having an incident-free record may be more likely to attract and retain high-performing employees, further promoting a culture of safety.
3 basic types of root causes can have a potential impact on a problem, such as:
Physical causes: May arise due to problems with any physical component of a system, such as hardware failure and equipment malfunction
Human causes: May occur due to human error, caused by lack of skills and knowledge to perform a task
Organizational causes: May happen when organizations use a system or process that is faulty or insufficient, in situations like giving incomplete instructions, making wrong decisions, and mishandling staff and property
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Root cause analysis is not a one-size-fits-all methodology. In fact, there are many various tools, processes, and techniques used in conducting it. According to the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, most of the principles of root cause analysis are classified into 5 major categories:
Safety-based RCA: This process examines and identifies the root causes of any failure of safety observance, accident analysis, or other issues related to occupational safety and health.
Production-based RCA: This is often conducted in the field of quality control for manufacturing to investigate the root causes of why certain defects are present either within the manufacturing process or end product.
Process-based RCA: Serving as a follow-on to production-based RCA, this approach has been expanded to include business processes.
Failure-based RCA: This is rooted in the concept of failure analysis, which is typically used in engineering and maintenance.
Systems-based RCA: Combining two or more methods of RCA, this approach also takes ideas from fields such as change management, risk management, and systems analysis.
Going through each step in detail, here’s how you can perform root cause analysis:
The first goal of RCA is to identify problems or defects, which is best done by simply asking: “What’s the problem?” By being able to define the problem, the symptoms, and the possible outcomes, you’ll be pointed in the right direction on how the analysis should go.
This step is also crucial in crafting a specific problem statement. When writing a problem statement, make sure to keep these 3 things in mind:
how you would describe the problem;
what you see happening;
what the specific symptoms are.
Retrieve all relevant and available data about the incident—including the documentation files, initial issues found, preliminary actions taken, personnel or teams involved, and other key information that you think would be beneficial to identify the root cause.
A causal factor, as defined by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, is a major unplanned contributor to a negative event or undesirable situation. If eliminated, causal factors would have either prevented the incident from happening or reduced its risks and frequency.
This is where the heart of your analysis enters the picture. Start this step by reconstructing a timeline of events in a way that you’ll be able to pinpoint exactly what led to the problem and other issues that coexist with the one you’re dealing with.
This is where you choose which of the root cause analysis tools you should use to discover the root causes of each causal factor you’ll encounter. Refer to the next section for the 5 best ways to do root cause analysis.
Upon identifying the root cause, you can now recommend preventive measures to ensure that the problem won’t happen again. Further, develop a comprehensive timeline and plan on how you can implement the solution in such a way that all of the stakeholders involved are well-informed and trained toward proactive quality management.
Ideally, a combination of various tools and root cause analysis techniques should be used to conduct RCAs in your organization. These tools are grouped under the following general categories:
Brainstorming
Checklists
Logic/Event Trees
Timelines
Sequence Diagrams
Causal Factor Determination
As you look for root cause analysis techniques and root cause analysis examples, start by exploring these most commonly used methods and see if they are appropriate for the situation you’re aiming to address.
This is considered the simplest approach to RCA. All you need to do is start with a problem statement and then ask “Why?” 5 times, with each “Why?” leading you closer to the root cause.
What is an example of root cause analysis using The 5 Whys?
Problem statement: The electric water heater suddenly stopped working.
Why did it stop? It was found that the circuit breaker was tripped.
Why did the circuit breaker trip? The electric water heater was about to overheat.
Why was the electric water heater about to overheat? A buildup of sediment was found around the heating elements.
Why was the machine not checked and cleaned? There was a missed inspection and maintenance routine.
Download a free 5 Whys template.
As one of the most in-depth root cause analysis methods, the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis or FMEA process uses hypothetical “What if?” questions to prompt an understanding of the problem. This is best applied to establish cause-and-effect relationships that aim to describe why specific issues occur, including the one you’re dealing with.
Download a free FMEA template.
An acronym for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control, DMAIC is a data-driven strategy of an organization’s Six Sigma quality initiative used in process improvement. It is composed of relatively straightforward steps, with each step aiming to ensure the best results possible. As a cyclical process, DMAIC includes the following steps:
Define the project goals and customer deliverables
Measure the process to assess current performance and quantify the problem
Analyze and identify the root causes of defects
Improve the process by eliminating and preventing defects
Control future process performance to maintain improved strategies
Download a free DMAIC template.
Commonly known as 8D problem solving, this method is used in product and process improvement. The 8D model is usually utilized by quality engineers and professionals in the automotive, healthcare, retail, finance, and manufacturing industries. Though this methodology originally has 8 stages or disciplines, it can be further refined by adding a step that is alloted for planning at the beginning. Hence, the 8D problem-solving process looks like this:
D0: Plan
D1: Form a team
D2: Describe the problem
D3: Develop a containment plan
D4: Identify and confirm root causes and escape points
D5: Verify corrective actions and solutions before implementation
D6: Define and carry out corrective actions
D7: Map out preventive measures
D8: Recognize and congratulate the team
Download a free 8D report template or check out this collection of 8D report templates.
This method applies to cases where significant changes take place in the performance of a system or a process. It aims to explore changes made in people, equipment, assets, and data, among others, that have a relevant impact on the change in performance. Ultimately, this also helps in discovering strategies for risk identification and overall risk management.
As an example, you might find that this is the best root cause analysis option when you’re dealing with a large number of possible causes.
Listed below are sample questions team leaders can ask when performing root cause analysis:
Is my problem-solving team trained enough and aware of their respective functions?
Does our problem statement answer the 5 Ws and 2 Hs for greater clarity and accuracy?
Can these actions temporarily isolate the problem from our customers in the future?
Does the root cause reveal nonconformance or hidden flaws in the system?
Can these possible solutions change the product and/or process conditions to permanently solve the problem?
Were actions communicated to all stakeholders to mitigate the risk and to measure improvements?
Were similar products and/or processes reviewed and work procedures updated for problem prevention?
Have I provided relevant feedback and recognized both team and individual efforts?
Conducting root cause analysis training is needed for your organization to promote safety culture and a high standard of quality across sites and departments. With mobile tools like Training, you can create, test, and deploy mobile courses to guarantee that your teams are in the loop and comply with your standards in process improvement.
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