RCA Tips with Shon Isenhour

RCA is one of the most basic yet most important of the processes in a reliability program. RCA isn t just about solving a problem or fixing an error in your system. It is more than just finding a single root causes. When a problem occurs, there can be more than one reasons why that occurred in the first place. RCA helps us reduce the risk of that problem to a level that is acceptable to the organization. It is always a systemic and latent approach that takes time and should be done more often rather than just doing it when a problem has already occurred.

In this episode, we covered:

  • Why is RCA on of the most important processes in a reliability program?
  • What is the best way to solve any problem?
  • Why is note taking a vital part of RCA?
  • And much more!

The best way to solve any problem is to understand that problem first. Once you have done that, you can come up with a set of solutions and then, implement those solution in a planned way. Like every process, RCA needs a facilitator who will help put things together and then carry out the solution with the help of team or teams towards successful problem solving.  This facilitator will be a subject matter expert. The first thing the facilitator should do is gather a team or teams of experienced individuals who can get the results for him and the business itself.

Once he has gathered those teams, he should engage with those teams and have them present a set of solutions. It is very important to have multiple teams because it is good to have alternate solutions and varying strategies in place. It is very important for the facilitator to switch between multiple solutions whilst making the best use of available resources. The facilitator should be smart enough to change tactics when something isn t working and charismatic enough to convince everyone to try the alternatives for problem solving. He should always be thinking forward and supporting his team members in every way possible.

Notes taking and keeping record of what works and what doesn t always goes a long way when performing multiple RCAs every now and then. It is good to have software that can reduce some of your work but it is better to spend more time actually solving the problems rather than running simulations. Data collection and analysis can be done using CMMS but critical thinking and good mitigating strategies are valued above everything else in the RCA programs. It is also very important for the facilitator to keep an eye on what is being recorded because sometimes, duplication or ignoring a note can cause confusion down the road.

Any problem statement that needs refining after evidence data should be updated and the Scrum board should always be current in terms of scope and statements. You shouldn t be afraid to switch tools to get the results that you need or to have a better and deeper understanding of the problem.  The problem should be broken down to the lowest level possible to have an effective solution for future problems that occur in the same fashion. The organization should be thinking for long term solutions and the facilitator should perform more RCAs every month to develop a driven culture.

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