JS Tip 617: Root Cause Analysis Part One

From the Leadership Workshops: Root Cause Analysis Part I: The Five Whys

Root cause analysis (often shortened to “RCA”) is finding problems and fixing them for good. For good. 

We promised a short series on root cause analysis, and here it is. Three parts. Each part discussing an RCA tool.  

The Prep

Sure. You’ve got some stuff to do before you use the tools. 

First, you define the problem. What happened? For our discussion, in the simplest sense, let’s suppose your six-year old daughter Lucy says she hates school and doesn’t want to go back. That’s a problem. 

Second, you gather all the information you can. You can’t fix the problem without knowing the details. 

You talk to the teacher. She says Lucy is an excellent student. She answers questions. She engages with the others. She does her assignments.

You talk to Lucy. She just says she hates school and breaks into tears.  

The First Tool We’ll Discuss: The Five Whys

Developed by Sakichi Toyoda in the 1930s, you ask “Why” until you find the root cause (suggested five times, but plus-or-minus). 

“Why do you hate school?” “Because I’m scared.” 

“Why are you scared?” “Because I’m afraid I’ll get lost.” 

“Why are you afraid you’ll get lost?” “Because I don’t know where my class is.” 

“Why don’t you know where your class is? “Because it’s confusing. Big long halls. Lots of doors.” 

So.

Lucy hates school because she’s scared she’ll get lost because there are big long halls and lots of doors.

You suggest you play a game. The two of you go to the school, find Lucy’s class, make a map, follow the map from the schoolbus door to the class, laminate the map, and tuck it in Lucy’s backpack. 

“How are you feeling now, sweetheart?” “I like this.” 

The first tool: Ask “Why?” five (plus-or-minus) times.       

We love this stuff.