Portfolio / Expertise / Root-Cause Analysis
Root-Cause Analysis
Fixing the symptom is a subscription; fixing the cause is an investment. I use RCA to find the systemic reason behind a failure — so it stops recurring instead of returning next month.
The Workflow — How I Approach It
Define the problem precisely
A fuzzy problem produces a fuzzy fix — state what, where, and how often.
Ask “why” repeatedly
Keep asking until the answer is a cause you can design out — not a person to blame.
Gather evidence, not opinions
Data and observed behavior — not the loudest voice in the room.
Identify the systemic cause
Find the process, tool, or control gap that let the failure happen.
Implement the fix
Change the system so the failure can’t recur — not just this instance.
Verify it doesn’t recur
Follow up after the fix — proof the cause is actually gone.
My Operating View — The 2 Cents
Most fixes fail because they address the trigger, not the system. My 2 cents: keep asking why until the answer is something you can design out. If the same problem recurs, the root cause was never addressed — only the symptom was.
What Worked & What Didn’t
What Worked
- Systemic fixes that stopped failures from recurring.
- Evidence-based analysis — decisions on data, not volume.
What Didn’t
- Blaming individuals — the system that let them fail went untouched.
- Fixing symptoms — a subscription, renewed every month.