Do You Need Real Root Cause Analysis?

First, The Bad Root Cause Analysis Advice

I’ve seen or heard about several people giving BAD root cause analysis advice.

Here’s the advice I heard in very convincing sales presentations:

Root cause analysis doesn’t work.

What? Why do they say this?

First, they lump all root cause analysis together. Then they use poor techniques, such as 5-Whys, to tarnish root cause analysis’s reputation.

Second, they say that root cause analysis doesn’t work because it relies on linear cause-and-effect thinking and can’t provide effective corrective actions for complex incidents. They say this is especially true because conventional techniques can’t explain the problems. The problems are intractable (unsolvable) using conventional root cause analysis.

Third, they say the problems can only be solved by understanding how people cope with these highly complex, tightly coupled, failure-prone systems. We must promote strategies that work a majority of the time (rather than building a system that works all the time).

Fourth, human variability isn’t a problem; it is just the way things are. Error is normal. Errors might even be an advantage! We don’t want to see ways to reduce (or eliminate) errors. In fact, it’s impossible to say something is right or wrong because these complex problems aren’t bimodal (correct or incorrect). We have to learn to live with human variability by having resilient (error-tolerant) systems.

Fifth, they have a new solution to sell that is better than root cause analysis. They make you laugh and feel good. They tell stories about how they apply the new solution. They claim it is superior to root cause analysis (without any evidence). They say you can’t use root cause analysis and their new technique because root cause analysis is too blame-oriented.

Thus, they claim, root cause analysis is outdated and should be left behind. End of story.

Now for the Good News – Real Root Cause Analysis

Almost everything “they” claim mentioned above is incorrect IF you choose the right root cause analysis system.

First, not all root cause analysis is the same. You should evaluate different systems on their merits. Finding a bad example does not mean that all root cause analysis is bad.

Second, not all root cause analysis is linear or based on cause and effect. Here is a quote from an independent evaluation…

TapRooT Root Cause Analysis is a structured incident investigation and root cause analysis system used to determine why an event happened and what should change to prevent it from happening again. It is not just a generic “root cause analysis” label. TapRooT is a specific branded methodology with defined tools, decision logic, and investigation steps.

In practical terms, TapRooT helps a team move beyond superficial explanations such as “operator error,” “bad luck,” or “equipment failure.” It is designed to uncover the deeper human, procedural, design, training, communication, and management-system factors that allowed the event to occur. In many companies, a serious incident investigated with TapRooT becomes the starting point for broader operations work to reduce repeat failures.

The evaluation isn’t entirely accurate, but it is correct that TapRooT® Root Cause Analysis isn’t your typical RCA System. It can solve complex (as well as simple) problems that some would describe as intractable.

Third and fourth, you can understand these complex, tightly coupled systems, and you can find ways to improve human performance with a fully developed root cause analysis system that has expert human performance understanding built in (like the TapRooT® System). We don’t have to live with poor human performance. We can analyze what went wrong and develop effective corrective actions. And TapRooT® RCA promotes solutions without promoting blame.

Finally, when someone tells you that a thoroughly developed, proven performance improvement system (TapRooT® Root Cause Analysis) is outdated or ineffective, just stop listening. Industry-leading, high-reliability organizations worldwide are currently applying TapRooT® RCA to improve safety, quality, and equipment reliability. See more than two dozen success stories HERE.

Need more proof? Attend one of our root cause analysis courses. They come with this GUARANTEE:

Attend TapRooT® Training. Go back to work, and use what you have learned to analyze accidents, precursor incidents, equipment failures, operating issues, or quality problems. If you don’t find root causes that you previously would have overlooked and if you and your management don’t agree that the corrective actions that you recommend are much more effective, just return your course materials, and we will refund the entire course fee.

You can judge for yourself how effective TapRooT® Root Cause Analysis is at solving difficult-to-understand problems that cause incidents and accidents.

What’s Next?

If you are a TapRooT® User and someone is trying to sell your management a bill of goods that their system is superior to TapRooT® Root Cause Analysis, remind your management where you were and how far you have come. The progress you have made should be submitted as one of our success stories. Get your management to attend the upcoming Global TapRooT® Summit so they can network with other managers and TapRooT® Users and here about the effectiveness others have achieved in improving human performance and equipment reliability with real root cause analysis.

If you are NOT a TapRooT® User, you should attend a TapRooT® Root Cause Analysis Course. For the dates and locations of our public TapRooT® Training, see THIS LINK. Next, try the technique and see the results that you achieve when you apply real root cause analysis. Then, attend the Global TapRooT® Summit and learn even more best practices to take your root cause analysis to the next level.

We know you will be pleased by the results you achieve.