Understanding Root Cause Analysis (BA10)

About This Course

Most of the problems organizations deal with every day are symptoms, not root causes. When teams fix the symptom, the problem comes back, often costing more time and money each time it does. Root Cause Analysis is a structured, team-based approach that helps you dig beneath the surface and fix what’s really broken.

Course Objectives:

• Explain what a root cause is and why identifying root causes is important

• Distinguish between the symptoms of a problem and its root causes

• Develop and refine a clear problem statement and problem specification

• Initiate a root cause analysis and gather data for investigating process and non-process incidents

• Collect data effectively through interviews and analysis

• Apply root cause identification techniques, including process diagrams, fishbone diagrams, statistical sampling, surveys, checklists, and charts

• Determine which analysis technique is most appropriate for a given problem

• Evaluate solution options using brainstorming and weighted evaluation, and select the best fit

• Develop recommendations that address root causes at various levels to prevent future incidents

• Design and implement a root cause analysis program within your organization

Audience:

• Business analysts and systems analysts

• Project managers and program managers

• Executives, managers, and team leads

• Process improvement and quality assurance professionals

• IT service management and operations staff responsible for incident and problem management

• Operations and production professionals

• Anyone responsible for investigating recurring problems or improving processes in their organization

Prerequisites:

• There are no prerequisites for this course. It’s designed for beginners, and no prior experience with root cause analysis is required. A general understanding of your organization’s processes and the problems your team faces will help you get the most from the case study exercises.