Cause Analysis

Cause Analysis

Cause analysis is "the process of determining the root cause(s) of past, present, and future performance gaps.(Rothwell, 2000). The cause analysis takes place after the performance analysis and focuses on determining the origin of the performance gap and the reason that it occurred. There are many factors that can be found to be effecting the performance gap, but only the main problems can be addressed. The figure below describes the concept in a visual form.

The cause analysis is composed of four steps to determine the root cause.

1. Collect Data
2. Identify Possible Causal Factors
3. Identify the Root Cause(s)
4. Recommend and Implement Solutions

The performance analysis establishes the gap which is the problem that needs to be solved. The first step is collecting data on the problem and how it occurred. There are different tools and techniques that can be used to collect data such as fishbone diagram or 5 whys. The second step is laying out casual factors that can be seen as problems but aren't the main ones. The third step is identifying the root causes similar to the second step, but the root causes will be the reason behind the casual factors and have bigger impact. Once the root causes have been determined they should be mapped out to make sure there are no other root causes that have been over looked. The fourth step is recommending and implementing a solution to the root cause.

References:

• Rothwell, W., Hohne, C., King,S.(2007). Human Performance Improvement. New York, NY: Routledge.
• Mind Tools Content Team. Root Cause Analysis. Retrieved from: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_80.htm
• The Basics of Root Cause Analysis. Retrieved from : https://www.thinkreliability.com/cause-mapping/what-is-root-cause-analysis/