Business

Human Resources: Root Cause Analysis Training

Root cause analysis training can be integral for companies trying to solve any number of problems. When it comes down to it, learning how to find a root cause is a simple process of backtracking. This is something that many people forget to do when trying to solve a problem, but it turns out that it is the ultimate way to securely solve the effects of a problem for good.

When a chain of events is traced backward, the source of those events can be discovered. Stamping out problems at the source ensures that those problems will not arise again. Otherwise, the potential will always be there for problems resulting from a source to occur again.

The Toyota Theory
There is a very accessible way to explain root cause analysis that was popularized years ago by the powerhouse company Toyota. This system of backtracking can prove crucial to resolving several offshoot problems from one main source. It is a simplified version of the training that can be accessed through a number of companies that will show how to get at the heart of pertinent problems in a business.

The system is termed the Five Whys and proves a valuable way to link events backward. In the Toyota Company, assembly line workers were trained to keep asking why until the root of the problem was discovered. For example, a bolt falls off during production. Asking why could lead to a chain of events and solve the problem at the source. Why did the bolt fall off? Its threads were stripped. Why? It was not lined up right with the screw. Why? The aligning machine needs to be adjusted. Problem solved.