Root Cause Analysis

Introduction & Workshop Objectives

• Overview of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and its importance in business problem-solving.
• Workshop goals and expected outcomes.
• Brief introduction to the tools and methods covered.

Identifying the Problem/Opportunity

• Defining business problems vs. opportunities.
• Techniques for uncovering sources of business needs (e.g., stakeholder interviews, data analysis).
• Writing clear business requirements (SMART criteria).
• Crafting a concise situation statement.

Assessing the Current State

• Introduction to root cause and opportunity analysis.
• Using Pareto diagrams to prioritize issues (explaining the 80/20 rule).
• Applying the Five Whys technique (step-by-step process, common pitfalls).
• Constructing Fishbone (Ishikawa) diagrams to visualize cause-effect relationships.
• Creating Interrelationship diagrams to map complex problem factors.
• Supporting customer-centric problem analysis within the 5 Whys framework.

Activities:

• Facilitated Activity: Instructor-led demonstration of a 5 Whys analysis.
• Breakout Session: Participants conduct a 5 Whys analysis on a work-related issue, present findings, and receive feedback.
• Group Exercise: Build a Pareto diagram using provided data.
• Group Exercise: Use a Fishbone diagram to analyze a selected problem.
• Group Exercise: Apply an Interrelationship diagram to a complex scenario.

Determining the Future State

• Conducting a gap analysis (current vs. desired state).
• Building and interpreting a capability table to identify required changes.
• Group Exercise: Use a capability table to summarize root cause findings and define improvement targets.

Determining Viable Options & Making Recommendations

• Conducting feasibility studies (criteria, data sources, risk assessment).
• Using weighted ranking to compare solution options (criteria selection, scoring).
• Performing cost-benefit analysis and valuation techniques (basic financial modeling).
• Group Exercise: Apply weighted ranking to select the most viable solution from alternatives.

Action Planning & Next Steps

• Translating recommendations into actionable plans.
• Assigning responsibilities and timelines.
• Monitoring and measuring success.

Q&A and Wrap-Up

• Open discussion, addressing participant questions.
• Recap of key concepts and tools.
• Resources for further learning.