Root cause analysis
Perform a root cause analysis to attempt to identify the causes of the problem. Your goal here is to uncover the root cause of your problem. The root cause is the premise or the circumstance that caused your problem in the first place.
When performing the root cause analysis, concentrate on the potential root causes that are within your area of potential control. For example, finding that insufficient watering is making the leafs on a tree wilt potentially leads to an actionable plan. Finding that the root cause of the problem is global warming doesn't.
A great tool to help you find out potential root causes is the 5 Whys technique, developed by Toyota's founder Sakichi Toyoda, it is still an integral part of the "kaisen" philosophy of continuous improvement. For best results use this tool in a fishbone diagram as shown in the example.
Ensure you collect as much data on the problem as you can get your hands on. Examining this data will make causal relationships more apparent. Diagrams, scatter plots and other statistical tools show patterns that are not otherwise obvious. Causal effects are sometimes due to changes in multiple variables. For example a tree might be in poor health due to a combination of low temperatures and poor soil.
Once you have considered the potential root causes to your problem, examine the evidence to corroborate or substantiate which causes have an actual effect on the issue under consideration. A great way of finding out is to manipulate the prospect cause and observe what impact it has on your problem. It is important at this stage that you keep an open mind to disconfirming evidence.
When performing the root cause analysis, concentrate on the potential root causes that are within your area of potential control. For example, finding that insufficient watering is making the leafs on a tree wilt potentially leads to an actionable plan. Finding that the root cause of the problem is global warming doesn't.
A great tool to help you find out potential root causes is the 5 Whys technique, developed by Toyota's founder Sakichi Toyoda, it is still an integral part of the "kaisen" philosophy of continuous improvement. For best results use this tool in a fishbone diagram as shown in the example.
Ensure you collect as much data on the problem as you can get your hands on. Examining this data will make causal relationships more apparent. Diagrams, scatter plots and other statistical tools show patterns that are not otherwise obvious. Causal effects are sometimes due to changes in multiple variables. For example a tree might be in poor health due to a combination of low temperatures and poor soil.
Once you have considered the potential root causes to your problem, examine the evidence to corroborate or substantiate which causes have an actual effect on the issue under consideration. A great way of finding out is to manipulate the prospect cause and observe what impact it has on your problem. It is important at this stage that you keep an open mind to disconfirming evidence.