Root Cause Analysis

What is Root Cause?

The fundamental cause of the problem is
called Root Cause.
Any problem can be permanently
eliminated by removing its Root Cause.

Why - Why Method

Also called The Five Whys method :
Just keep asking Why ?
(Cause and Effect)

Even the most serious or complex

problems can be handled by using
the why-why method.

Direct Cause
Problem

DC

CC
CC
CC

RC

Direct Cause
The cause that directly attributed
to the problem.
The answer to first Why is the
Direct Cause of the problem.

Contributing Cause(s)
Problem
DC

CC
CC
CC

RC

Contributing Cause(s)
A cause that contributes
to a problem, but by itself
would not cause the problem.
There can be more than one
contributing causes.
Generally, The answer to 2nd,
3rd and 4th Why are the
Contributing Causes.

Root Cause
Problem
DC

CC
CC
CC

RC

Root Cause
The fundamental cause of
the problem is called the
Root Cause.
The answer to 5th Why is
generally the Root Cause
of the problem.
By eliminating the root
Cause, entire problem can
be permanently resolved.