What is
RCA? Separating the Tools from the Methodologies
by Robert J. Latino, Reliability Center, Inc.
Abstract: If we have heard it once, we have heard it a
million times – “let’s do a RCA on that failure.” The
problem is that phrase will mean something different to
everyone that says it. What is a RCA? That is a question
that even the notable experts cannot agree on. With all
of this “chaos”, how do we make any progress?
What is RCA?
Think about whenever you hear the mention of the term
Root Cause Analysis (RCA.) What is a RCA? Is it a tool
or is it a process? Is all RCA the same? These are very
legitimate questions and there are no consensus answers
unfortunately.
As an RCA provider, we participate with our peers on
various discussion forums. We discuss such questions and
issues that cause frustration to the RCA users. I would
like to say that we make more progress than we do,
however I would not be telling the truth. RCA providers,
like any other type of vendor, have their business
interests to protect. Sometimes trying to obtain a
consensus on those questions may have an adverse impact
on such business interests.
However, I have a different view. RCA, I believe, is a
process, a public domain process. RCA is a term that
cannot be trademarked because of its generic use in the
public domain (some have tried!) When you hear about the
various RCA types on the market such as Reliability
Center, Inc.’s PROACT® or Apollo® or Kepner-Tregoe®,
these are all merely different brands of RCA. Each one
has their own merits and each go about solving a problem
differently. However, they are all considered RCA from
the perspective of the public.
Are There Common Elements to an Investigative
Process?
I believe that there are common elements to the basic
investigative process, where common elements are
required in order for such processes to be called RCA.
Think about any investigative occupation, be it an NTSB
investigator, a police detective or a doctor, their
thought processes are essentially the same.
-
Preserve data associated with the event being
analyzed.
-
Organize a team with diverse backgrounds to be able to
help review the data.
-
Analyze the data with the team to try and reconstruct
the cause-an-effect relationships leading up to what
happened.
-
Communicate the findings and recommendations to
interested parties to obtain approvals for
recommendations (or convictions in the detective’s
case.)
-
Track or monitor specific metrics to see if the
recommendations are working.
Do these reflect more than what the term RCA usually
connotes? Most likely yes. RCA to most would be the
simple expression of cause-and-effect relationships.
This usually takes the form of a logic tree, fault tree,
fishbone diagram, event and causal factor diagram and/or
a comparative time line. Most do not consider the other
items in my list to be the responsibility of the RCA
analyst. In some cases, neither do I.
However, what we must realize is that all the elements
must be successfully completed if we are to see an
improvement based on our work. Just because we complete
a magnificent RCA and identify causes, does not mean
that the problem at hand goes away. We could make
recommendations that may not work. We could make good
recommendations that do not get approved. We could make
recommendations that get approved but do not get
implemented. You get the point. I do not care if you
call it RCA or not, as long as the work gets done.
What is an “RCA Method”?
RCA methodologies like the brands I mentioned earlier
represent the various approaches on the market to
conducting RCA. Remember, RCA is merely a thought
process. It is a way of thinking through why things go
wrong. It is applicable anywhere and under any
circumstances. It does not matter if you are trying to
figure out why Crude Unit catches fire or why packages
are delivered late to the customer.
Each RCA brand has their own method. These methods have
various rules embedded in their approaches. These rules
provide the discipline for following their RCA
methodology. Following these rules provides guidance for
the user to adhere to the discipline of the method in
the hopes for a successful outcome.
What are “RCA Tools”?
Many users associate the RCA tools as BEING the RCA
method. That is not the case. The tools are merely
vehicles to express the method. These tools, be it
manual (paper-based) or electronic (software-based),
embed the rules from the different methodologies.
Without proper training and experience in the method,
the tools are usually a bunch of screens. I often use
the analogy that Microsoft Word has a ton of
capabilities, but if you do not know proper English (or
whatever language) and grammar, it does not help you
much.
Many who look to RCA tools are looking for what I call:
“Auto-RCA” solutions. In other words, the easy way out.
They are looking for something to give them the answer
so they do not have to think for themselves. Do such
tools exist? Sure. Do such tools have all the answers?
No. Do the users think these tools have all the answers?
Yes. There lies the danger. People do “RCA by the
numbers” by picking from a list and say they have done a
RCA. In actuality, they may have missed some key
contributing factors, which should cause a safety
concern, as the risk of recurrence is greater.
Tools without methodology training is a waste of money
to me. A car is a transportation tool. If you do not
know how to drive, should you be behind the wheel? Do
you want to be on the road with a person who does not
know how to drive?
Author
Bio:
Robert J. Latino is Senior Vice-president of Strategic
Development and a Senior Consultant for Reliability
Center, Inc. Mr. Latino is a practitioner of root cause
analysis in the field with his clientele as well as an
educator. Mr. Latino is an author of RCI's Root Cause
Analysis Methods© training and co-author of Problem
Solving Methods© training. Mr. Latino has been published
in numerous trade magazines on the topic of root cause
analysis as well as a frequent speaker on the topic at
trade shows and conferences. His most recent publication
is titled "Root Cause Analysis - Improving Performance
for Bottom Line Results" He can be contacted at
804/458-0645 or
blatino@reliability.com.
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