Why the same problems keep coming back: a guide to root cause analysis
If a problem keeps returning, the fix probably addressed the symptom. Root cause analysis helps teams find the real cause.
A delivery is late, so the team works overtime to catch up. A month later, another delivery is late. The problem was handled, but not solved.
Root cause analysis is a structured way to find out why a problem happened, so you can stop it happening again.
Step 1: define the problem clearly
Write one sentence that describes what happened, where and when. "Orders from the Karachi warehouse were dispatched late on 12 of 30 days in June" is better than "dispatch is slow".
Step 2: ask why, more than once
The 5 Whys method asks "why?" repeatedly until you reach a cause you can act on.
The problem was handled, but not solved.
Step 3: look at all the causes
A fishbone diagram groups possible causes into categories such as people, process, equipment, materials and environment. It helps teams avoid blaming one person when the cause is in the system.
Step 4: act and check
Choose an action that addresses the root cause, assign an owner and a date, and agree how you will know it worked. Check the data again after a few weeks.
Common mistakes
Step 2: ask why, more than once
- Why were orders late? Picking took too long.
- Why? Staff had to search for stock.
- Why? Locations in the system were out of date.
- Why? Nobody updates them when stock is moved.
- Why? It is not part of anyone's role.
Common mistakes
- Stopping at the first answer
- Looking for someone to blame
- Choosing actions nobody owns
- Not checking whether the fix worked
Key points
- Define the problem in one specific sentence.
- Use the 5 Whys and a fishbone diagram to find causes in the system.
- Assign an owner to each action and check the result.
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