Definition:
Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a systematic problem-solving approach used to identify the fundamental reason behind an issue rather than just addressing its symptoms. It helps organizations prevent recurrence by targeting the underlying cause.
For example, if a manufacturing plant experiences frequent machine breakdowns, RCA may reveal that inadequate maintenance schedules, rather than operator errors, are the root cause. Common RCA tools include the 5 Whys technique, Fishbone Diagram (Ishikawa), and Fault Tree Analysis.
