What is root cause analysis?

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a problem-solving process that aims to identify the underlying cause of an issue, rather than just addressing the symptoms. The Cause Mapping approach to root cause analysis emphasizes that the root cause is actually a system of causes, each (or any) of which can be addressed with effective solutions to prevent the problem from recurring.

Unlike many organizations that focus on finding a single root cause, Cause Mapping involves identifying the entire system of causes for a specific problem and then finding appropriate solutions for each cause.