Root Cause Analysis: What It Is, How to Do It, and Examples That Work

When problems keep resurfacing—like missed deadlines, repeated bugs, and breakdowns in communication—it’s often because the sources of those issues haven’t been addressed. For teams trying to work efficiently and work well together, that can lead to frustration and unnecessary setbacks.

But there’s a way your team can ferret out why things keep going off the rails: root cause analysis. Root cause analysis (RCA) is a structured way to find and fix the source of recurring issues. Instead of reacting to symptoms, you identify what triggered the problem in the first place and then make changes.

And while it might sound highly technical, it’s a method that can be employed by almost anyone, and to great effect. Let’s take a closer look at RCA and how it can help your team.

What is root cause analysis?

Root cause analysis is a structured approach to help figure out why a problem happened. It breaks down complex issues into contributing factors and identifies the primary cause that triggered them. Once identified, the goal is to address that source directly so the problem doesn’t repeat.

RCA combines process thinking—looking at how the process functions as a whole—with practical techniques. These tools help teams map events, analyze contributing factors, and trace problems back to their origin.

When to use RCA

Use root cause analysis when a problem keeps happening or when a single failure reveals deeper risks. It helps you look at the bigger picture and fix the source before the issue spreads.

RCA can help with several common issues, such as:

• Recurring project issues: Missed deadlines, handoff problems, or unclear requirements
• Product defects: Bugs that reappear in multiple releases or repeated issues flagged by customers
• Process breakdowns: Gaps in workflows, delayed approvals, or missed tasks
• Team friction: Role confusion or communication gaps that hurt morale or slow progress
• Customer complaints: Feedback that points to problems in onboarding, support, or overall experience

By stepping back to identify the source, you can fix it once instead of fighting the same fires time and time again.

Benefits of a root cause analysis for teams

When you take time to find the real source of a problem, you get a lasting impact that streamlines future decision-making and reduces the chances of the same issue popping up again. These are some of the top benefits of doing a root cause analysis.

• Reduces repeat problems. Fixing the source keeps the same issues from coming back in the next sprint, release, or quarter.
• Strengthens collaboration. You bring in multiple perspectives to get a fuller picture. In Slack, that might mean starting a thread to gather context, share logs, or loop in a developer who flagged something upstream.
• Accelerates resolution. A shared view of the cause makes it easier to take targeted action.
• Strengthens alignment around solutions. You stay focused on fixing what matters most rather than reacting to what’s most visible.
• Improves long-term processes. RCA helps you spot friction in workflows, roles, or tools so you can make better decisions next time.
• Creates a culture of continual improvement. Over time, RCA builds habits of curiosity, accountability, and consistent follow-through.

 

Different methodologies for root cause analysis

You can approach RCA in different ways depending on the problem, timeline, and who’s involved. Some methods work well for quick checks. Others help you break down more complex issues. The techniques below are popular because they’re structured, simple to apply, and built for team collaboration.

The five whys method

This method starts with a simple question: Why did this happen? You keep asking “why” in response to each answer until you reach the root cause.

How to do a Five Whys analysis:

• Write down the problem clearly. Keep it short, specific, and based on what actually happened.
• Ask why it happened. Capture the answer without making assumptions or assigning blame.
• Take that answer and ask why again. Continue this pattern—each “why” digs a layer deeper.
• Repeat until you reach a cause you can act on. Usually, that takes five rounds of questioning, but stop when the answer points to something concrete your team can fix.
• Agree on next steps. Once you’ve identified the root cause, decide what needs to change to prevent it from happening again.

This method works well when the problem is straightforward and you can walk through the steps with others in real time. It’s also helpful when you don’t have a lot of extra data. In Slack, you might start a thread after an incident, use it to gather context, then organize your findings in a shared document. Tag teammates along the way to fill in gaps and agree on next steps. A quick Slack huddle to talk rather than type responses can also help the team focus, ask sharper questions, and avoid going in circles.

Fishbone diagram

A fishbone diagram, also known as an Ishikawa diagram or cause-and-effect diagram, helps you map out possible causes of a problem by category. It gets its name from its shape, which resembles the skeleton of a fish. It’s useful when the issue seems complex or involves multiple teams, tools, or workflows.

Here’s how this works:

• Write down the problem. This will be the head of your “fish.” This is the outcome you’re trying to understand.
• Draw branches or “fishbones” to the left for categories of overarching causes that might be contributing to the issue. Common categories include people, process, and environment.
• Add sub-branches for possible root causes under each category. These should be observations, not guesses.
• Discuss each branch with your team. Use real data or recent examples to support or eliminate ideas.
• Identify the most likely root cause. Then decide what to do about it.

This methodology is a good choice when you have a complicated issue and want to break it into categories like people, tools, or steps.

Fault tree analysis

Fault tree analysis helps you break down a single failure into all the possible events or conditions that could have caused it. It uses logic diagrams to map out how smaller problems stack up into bigger ones.

How to do a fault tree analysis:

• Start with the failure at the top of the diagram. This could be an outage, a missed launch, or any major breakdown.
• Branch downward with possible causes. Use “and/or” logic to show how multiple events may have combined to trigger the issue.
• Keep breaking down each cause into more specific contributing factors. Ask this important question: what had to happen for this to occur?
• Use data or system logs to validate each branch. Avoid guesswork or opinions.
• Work your way back. Go back to the lowest point that’s still within your control to fix.

This method shows how different mistakes or failures can combine to cause a big problem. It’s useful in situations where safety is a concern, like in hospitals or engineering, and you need to look at things logically and in detail.

Pareto chart

A Pareto chart helps you prioritize which problems to address first by showing which causes have the biggest impact. It’s based on the 80/20 principle—the idea that just a few causes often lead to the majority of problems.

How to make a Pareto chart:

• List the different problems or causes you’ve observed. Group similar ones together.
• Count how often each one occurs. Use data where possible—ticket volume, error frequency, number of complaints, and so on.
• Sort them from highest to lowest frequency.

• Create a bar chart with causes on the X-axis and counts on the Y-axis. Add a line graph showing the cumulative total as you move across the categories.
• Focus on the causes at the front of the chart. These are your highest-impact problems.

This chart helps you see which problems happen most often or have the biggest impact. That will help you focus on fixing the few causes that matter most.

Scatter diagram or control charts

These tools help you spot patterns and outliers in your data—especially when you’re trying to figure out whether a problem is random or part of a larger trend. Scatter diagrams show the relationship between two variables. You might compare bugs per release to team size or call volume to response time. Control charts track a process over time and help you see whether variations fall within expected limits, or if something has gone off course.

How to use them:

• Pick the variables you want to compare. Make sure you have enough data points to see a pattern.
• Plot the data. Use a spreadsheet or analytics tool to generate the chart.
• Look for clusters, gaps, or outliers. These tell you whether your process is stable or if something needs attention.
• Use your findings to ask better questions. If a spike happens, look at what changed. If a process drifts, figure out why.

These charts help you see if two things are related or if your process is working the way it should over time.

Note that none of these methodologies will find the problem and solution for you, but they help you ask smarter questions. You can post charts in Slack to guide the next team discussion or flag something early before it escalates.

How to conduct a root cause analysis

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to walk through a root cause analysis:

1. Define the problem clearly

Write a specific problem statement. Focus on what happened, where, and when. Don’t start by assuming you know the cause.

2. Collect data and evidence

Gather any data that helps you see what led to the issue. If you use Slack, search past messages, pull related threads, or check integrated tools for supporting details.

3. Identify contributing factors

List anything that may have played a role—unclear instructions, missed handoffs, tool outages, workload changes. You can use a fishbone diagram or Five Whys here to break things down further.

4. Determine the root cause(s)

Look for the one factor that triggered the rest. Ask whether fixing this would have prevented the issue. If you can’t act on it directly, keep digging.

5. Develop and implement solutions

Once the cause is clear, decide how to fix it. That could mean updating a process, shifting responsibilities, improving documentation, or changing how tools are used.

6. Monitor results and prevent recurrence

Watch what happens after the fix. Does the issue return? Has something new cropped up? Set a date to review progress and keep the feedback loop open so changes stick.

A root cause analysis example

To give you a better idea of how this works in practice, here’s a common situation where you might want to use a root cause analysis:

Say your team keeps missing client report deadlines. At first, the reasons seem varied—someone’s out sick, a dataset arrives late, or last-minute edits take longer than expected. But after the third delay in a row, it’s time to look closer.

You gather the team, walk through the workflow, and apply the Five Whys. It turns out no one owns the final delivery step. Tasks are assigned, but there’s no single point of accountability once everything is assembled. Now that you’ve identified the root cause of the problem, you can fix it.

• Before: Each delay feels like a one-off, and no one sees the pattern.
• After: You assign a report lead to own the delivery. Reports start going out on time, and preventable issues get caught earlier.

 

Tools to assist your root cause analysis

The right tools can make the process faster, more organized, and easier to share. For visual methods like fishbone diagrams or fault trees, use a diagramming tool that lets your team build and comment in real time. For written methods like the Five Whys or Pareto charts, a simple document or spreadsheet is enough to track findings and decisions.

What matters most is that your tools support collaboration, and that’s where Slack comes in.

You can create a dedicated channel or thread for the RCA, keep context in one place, and bring in the right people as you go. Use Workflow Builder to standardize how you collect data after an incident or trigger follow-up steps automatically. If you use project trackers or issue management tools, integrate them into Slack so documentation and resolution steps stay visible.

Tips for effective root cause analysis

As you conduct a root cause analysis, keep these best practices in mind:

• Visualize the problem. Use diagrams, flow charts, or even sticky notes to map out the problem and pinpoint any friction points.
• Stay focused on facts, not blame. Opting for language like “the process failed here” instead of “someone messed up” can keep everyone on track and prevent people from pointing fingers, which isn’t effective in reaching a solution.
• Record your findings and solutions. Have a shared space or central log to document your process. Even noting things that seem obvious can help prevent the same issue from being misdiagnosed in the future.
• Revisit regularly to prevent recurrence. Follow up on the issue after implementation. Has the issue resurfaced? How was it handled differently? Automated check-ins can help ensure continuous improvements.

 

Turning insights into action

Root cause analysis helps you move past quick fixes and focus on long-term progress. When you take time to understand what’s really causing delays, breakdowns, or missed expectations, your team becomes more efficient, accountable, and better aligned. The process doesn’t have to be formal or complicated; what matters is consistency.

Slack can help you keep the process on track. Create dedicated channels for RCA, use Workflow Builder to standardize data collection, and connect the tools you already use so your team can stay focused without switching context. RCA works best when it’s built into how you already work. Start small and make solving the root problem a team-wide habit.