Root Cause Analysis for dummies: Part 1 - Introduction

Introduction

The first time I learned Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is from a training class in a chemical company 15 years ago. They put safety in the first of the first priority. Since if there is any major safety incident, the plant manager can be fired or even the whole plant will be closed. For this reason, they introduced Root Cause Analysis to every employee for part of continuous improvement to avoid occurrence of the same incident, big or small.

I picked it up and kept it in my arsenal to use it daily to resolve IT problems. It became my arm and leg just embedding in part of my mind. The merit of this tool is: once the root cause is identified and being resolved. The similar problem or issue will be disappeared forever. 

When surfing the Web, there are a lot of website talking about RCA. Most of them embrace tons of methodologies combining with unnecessary problem solving skills and steps. If I first learned it from them, I'll be intimidated that RCA is belongs to the intellectual or at least a Master degree person could have a grab of it. e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_cause_analysis. This is totally untrue.

So, I tried to share my own simple version of Root Cause Analysis. To let all the layman like me, pick it up and become part of themselves. 

Let's go to: Part 2  the definition of Root Cause. 

Pretty much if you define the Root Cause well, in 50% you can identify the root cause right away.