7 Tools for Root Cause Analysis

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is essential for identifying and addressing the underlying causes of problems to prevent recurrence.

Below are 7 powerful tools that every quality professional should master:

❶ Ishikawa Fishbone Diagram: Organize potential causes into categories for better visualization.

❷ Pareto Chart: Prioritize causes by focusing on the vital few rather than the trivial many.

❸ Five Why’s: Uncover the root cause by repeatedly asking “Why?” until the real issue emerges.

❹ Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA): Identify potential failures and their impacts to mitigate risks early.

❺ Scatter Diagram: Explore relationships between variables to pinpoint correlations.

❻ Affinity Diagram: Group ideas and causes into themes for clarity and organization.

❼ Fault Tree Analysis (FTA): Map out failure pathways systematically to understand how different factors contribute to an issue.

Read also:

• Deviation Management and Root Cause Analysis
• ALCOA+ | The Backbone of Data Integrity in Pharma Industry

Resource Person: Govind Tiwari,PhD