Selecting Cause Mapping - Effective Root Cause Analysis
The ThinkReliability approach consists of thoroughly investigating complex problems and making specific improvements to prevent the problem from occurring. The problems we work are the problems our clients don’t have the time, resources or specific facilitation skills to address. ThinkReliability leads and assists investigations, delivers problem solving workshops on-site and helps establish problem solving processes within our client’s operations. For a list of clients that have selected ThinkReliability
see our client list.
1. Simple
No acronyms, no new terminology, no buzzwords. Cause Mapping is based on fundamental cause-and-effect analysis and focuses on the organization’s overall goals.
2. Easy to Understand
Cause Mapping provides an easy to understand visual map of the analysis for any type of problem. It improves the way individuals and groups capture and share information within an organization.
3. Effective
The Cause Mapping process is based on fundamental principles of systems-thinking, cause-and-effect and visual communication.
4. Clear Documentation
A Cause Map can be created by using pen and paper, Post-it Notes on flipchart paper or a whiteboard, or by using Microsoft Excel or other applications.
5. No Software to Purchase
ThinkReliability shows clients how to use software that they already own to document, share, store and track incidents. Software templates for building Cause Maps and Process Maps in Microsoft Excel are free - there is no software or user licenses to buy.
6. Works on Major and Minor Issues
The Cause Mapping process can be used on day-to-day issues and major investigations.
7. Better Communication
Cause Mapping focuses on causes, which improves the way people communicate problems. Individuals regularly confuse a “problem” and a “cause” which creates significant communication barriers.
8. Practical - From the Field
The Cause Mapping method was developed in the field from experimenting with and applying many different approaches of root cause analysis, problem solving, incident investigation and process improvement.
9. Bias for Work Process
Clearly defined work processes are required for any and all activities that the organization considers important to meet its overall goals. Cause Mapping connects solutions to improved work processes.
10. Prevention Culture
Focusing on prevention, not blame is fundamental to the ThinkReliability approach and it’s one of the easiest concepts to immediately get buy-in from the people in the field.
11. People Closest to the Work
Those people closest to the work play an active role in what works well and what needs to be improved in the organizations work processes. The people closest to the work are an integral part of the ThinkReliability approach.
12. Aligns with other Methods
The principles that make Cause Mapping effective are also part of RCM, FMEA, TPM, TQM, Reliability, Continuous Improvement, Six-Sigma, Kaizen and Quality initiatives.