Root cause analysis

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a problem-solving method which is used to pinpoint the exact cause of a problem or event. RCA is a corrective (i.e. reactive) measure. A root cause analysis starts with an anomaly analysis based on the registered anomalies and production disruptions. The result is insight into the origin of anomalies and production disruptions.

The following questions are answered during this analysis:

• Where are important anomalies found, where do these anomalies have their origins and where should they have been found?
• What is the (root) cause of these anomalies?
• What are the most important improvements that can be achieved in the short term and in the longer term?

There are several techniques available on the internet with which you could perform an RCA (e.g. the five whys and the fishbone diagram technique).