root-cause-analysis

Vocabulary Word

Definition

'Root-cause-analysis' is a method to identify the primary reason causing a problem or issue. It's not just finding what caused a problem, but finding the main cause that, if removed, can prevent the problem from happening again.

Examples in Different Contexts

In IT troubleshooting, 'root-cause analysis' is critical for resolving system failures and bugs by identifying their origin. An IT specialist might say, 'Through root-cause analysis, we discovered the recent network outage was due to outdated firmware, which we then updated to resolve the issue.'

Practice Scenarios

Operations

Scenario:

Our delivery timeframes have consistently missed targets recently. Have we been able to identify any hindrances in the process?

Response:

A root-cause-analysis should help us identify the bottlenecks in our delivery process.

Tech

Scenario:

Several of our clients have reported glitches with the updated software. We need to investigate this further.

Response:

I'll perform a root-cause-analysis to pinpoint the source of the glitches in the updated software.