- By: Áine Byrne
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Problem solving made easy with root cause analysis
If you have a problem and got no one else to call, you might be tempted to call the A-Team. But in business you’d be better off with Root Cause Analysis (RCA). Although thinking about it, the A-Team might be probably pretty awesome at it too.
Problems are a pain. But, what do you do when you come across one? For example, if we have a company that isn’t performing up to the standards we would expect, how do we go about solving this problem? .
What RCA does, is provide you with a framework when issues and problems occur for you to effectively deal with them. If you happen to Google it, there are countless websites will break it down into 5 steps, others 6 steps, or even 7. But they are all a variation on the same principle, which is to:
Through this, RCA allows you to identify the fundamental reasons why the issue occurred. Understanding and addressing the root cause then gives you the power to implement solutions to prevent the issue from reoccurring. Let’s break it down and the example above to help show how it would work.
Identifying the cause or problem
If you are going to solve the problem, you need to know what the cause of the problem is. A good place to start is to collect relevant data and information related to the problem. Depending upon what it is, it can include examining documents, conducting interviews, analysing records, and reviewing processes.
Bringing all this information together will allow you to build a complete picture of the factors that have contributed to the problem in the first case. They can include:
- Human errors
- System Failures
- Process deficiencies
- External influences
- Other
Example:
We already know that the company is performing poorly, and performance is suffering due to it. In this example we can put the root cause down to our employees having to perform too many manual activities and processes, taking their attention away from their core job and responsibilities.
Understanding the cause or problem
There are several different methods to understanding the problem and its cause, our favourite is the Fishbone method. Also known as the Ishikawa Diagram or Cause-and-Effect Diagram it is a tool to help identify, explore, and display the possible causes of a specific problem. We like it so much because “a picture paints a thousand words”. It’s called the Fishbone method because it looks like a fish skeleton.
The diagram provides the structure to draw in all the necessary information surrounding the problem. You then have the framework to systematically analyse and understand the various factors contributing to the problem.
Example:
By using the Fishbone approach, we can ask “better” questions. It is through these better questions we discover the root cause of the problem is completely different from what we originally thought.
By digging deeper, we uncover that our employees do not fully understand how to engage with the solutions and software in place. This lack of understanding means they cannot work more efficiently and the business processes suffer as a result.
Fixing the problem
Now that you know the cause(s) of why the problem is there and what needs to be done to fix it, you can get down to business. You will need to develop effective solutions or establish new ways of working, to address each cause. As a whole, and when developed correctly, these solutions will prevent the problem from reoccurring and improve your overall internal processes.
It’s important to highlight that implementing the solution is a critical step. You need to ensure it is done correctly. Even if it is a simple system upgrade, your team may still need training or, at the very least, notification. If you fail to implement your solution fully, you may find yourself back at the beginning.
Example:
Now that we know the root cause is a lack of understanding of the solutions and software the company has implemented, we can solve it through knowledge sharing and employee training. This will empower our employees to optimise their time and get productivity back on track.
Mitigating against the reoccurrence of the problem
Once your solution has been implemented, don’t think your work is done. You’ll need to continuously monitor the situation to ensure your solution is effective and has the desired effect. Make sure to evaluate the results to understand if the problem has been solved, or if it needs to be adjusted.
Finally, make sure you document the entire process. A lessons-learned document can be invaluable. Because your business is in a constant state of change, being able to refer to your process, and revisit what you did, may help should you encounter a similar problem further down the line. In short, you are future-proofing against a similar problem further down the line.
Example:
For our imaginary company, training our employees once will solve the problem in the here and now but we run the risk of encountering the same problem again further down the line. What’s needed, to mitigate against a reoccurrence, is ongoing training to help refresh how to use the solutions and software and also to cover any new features. But also implement training for new hires.
We can then ensure our employees maintain their skills, remain fully armed, and help the company to go on to further success.
Putting it into practice
For the A-Team, it was all very simple. The problem would be a biker gang terrorising a small town, the solution would be to kick them out of town. It’s doubtful they ever used the Fishbone method.
In business, the process isn’t usually that straightforward. Getting to the root cause of a problem and finding out the best way to solve it to ensure it doesn’t come back, will take time. But careful implementation of RCA when these issues occur, will give you the confidence you need to act, ensuring it is in the best interest of your business.
In the end, RCA boils down to putting a plan together to solve an issue and increase efficiency. And you know what Hannibal would say about a plan coming together.
If you would like to know more, get in touch.