Root Cause Analysis: A Quick Guide

根本原因分析:快速指南

2021-06-17 06:00 project manager

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Issues arise in almost every project. But knowing there is an issue is one thing; figuring out how to resolve it is another. If you’re missing deadlines and the quality of your product or service is suffering, there’s a problem. To fix the issue, you need to use techniques that gives your team a space to be open and honest so that you can discuss ways of solving the problem. One way to do this is by using a root cause analysis. What Is Root Cause Analysis? As the name suggests, a root cause analysis is a problem-solving technique that offers teams an opportunity to identify issues that are causing the problem. Root cause analysis is used when there are problems with the project, especially those that negatively impact the client. This could range from a client complaining about some aspect of the project to teams being blocked and deliverables falling behind schedule. Of course, problems in a project are not the result of a single cause. That’s why a root cause analysis is set up to capture a variety of causes that are causing the problem you’re experiencing. Why Is a Root Cause Analysis Important? Issues are bad! They mess up your project schedule and cost money, and a root cause analysis helps resolve them. That should be enough of an incentive to have you apply this method. Root cause analyses also help prevent the issue from coming up again. Once you know what the issue is and how to stop it, you can prevent it from happening again. An Iterative Approach Another reason to use root cause analysis is that it’s a tool for continuous improvement, which is how to keep up the quality of your product or service. No project is successful if its quality doesn’t meet the expectations of the stakeholders. Documentation Projects are known for their documentation. There’s research, feasibility studies and much more. There’s even documentation when closing a project. But often the documentation of project issues and how they’ve been resolved is neglected. Root cause analysis is a way to document the process and apply it in future projects. Process Improvement Other things that the method can identify are deficiencies in the process that can be fixed, again adding future efficiencies, but also noting gaps in team training. Therefore, it can open up opportunities to bring your team up to snuff and make them more valuable resources. How to Perform a Root Cause Analysis When performing a root cause analysis it’s important to not get tied up in the symptoms. Remember, this is an analysis to uncover the root causes. Those are the places you want to place your focus and correct any project ills. Identify the problem: Without having a clearly defined problem, there’s no way to go back and look for causes in the process that resulted in it. This is the most important step: knowing the problem and defining its scope. Work backward: To uncover the potential causes for the problem you’ve identified, retrace steps. Again, there are likely more than one. Note as many as are relevant. Part of this process includes brainstorming with your team, using process mapping and a fishbone diagram to capture the various causes leading to your problem. Determine what the root cause is: There are other tools that can help, such as the five whys, which we’ll get to in a moment, a fault tree, cause and event tree and more. Come up with solutions: Again, brainstorming with the team is helpful. They’re the ones who are intimate with the project and its execution and will be your best resource to find a way to resolve the problem. Implement the solution: Remember, this isn’t a one-time thing, but must be sustainable and that the solution is in fact doing what it has been planned to do. This requires patience and follow-up, bringing anyone who is going to be impacted by the change. Monitor, track and report on the solution: Project management software can facilitate this step. ProjectManager is a cloud-based tool that collects real-time data to give you more accurate information to make insightful decisions. Monitor progress and performance on a high level with live dashboards and then use one-click filterable reports to share with stakeholders to keep them informed. The 5 Whys of Root Cause Analysis One of the best techniques when performing a root cause analysis is called the “Five Whys.” This approach is simply asking “why?” over and over again. This exercise a deeper dive into the problem and its causes, rather than accepting the first answer, and brings you closer to what is actually causing the problem. The best way to understand this technique is through an example. Note that, while called the “Five Whys,” it can be only a few whys or dozens before you reach the root cause of your problem. Let’s say you’re building a bridge, but deadlines are being missed. Q: “Why is the deadline being missed?” A: The team couldn’t finish their task in time. Q: “Why couldn’t the team finish their task on time?” A: Materials were delayed. Q: “Why were materials delayed?” A: There was no follow-through with suppliers. Q: “Why was there no follow-through with suppliers?” A: Teams weren’t adequately trained. Q: “Why weren’t teams adequately trained?” A: The hybrid methodology has gaps… This question and answer exercise leads to the root cause of the missed deadlines problem. In this case, there are many issues, including lack of training, poor supplier relations and so on. The root cause is the methodology that has not properly managed the project. The Fishbone Diagram Root cause analysis is about cause and effect. To identify and document causes requires a diagram or document of some sort. The most commonly used one in the fishbone diagram, also called the Ishikawa diagram and herringbone diagram. A fishbone diagram is so called because it looks like a fish skeleton. There is a line down the middle from which spines sprout from the top and bottom, with each spine collecting the causes of the problem. They lead to where the fish head would be, which is the problem itself. ProjectManager offers dozens of free project management templates, including this root cause analysis template. Use the free template to spark brainstorming sessions with your team and figure out a solution that prevents your problems from coming up again. Change Analysis Another of the many techniques used in root cause analysis is called change analysis. Change analysis is used to identify and understand what might occur if a change is adopted, as well as what is needed to accomplish that change, how to design it and also any risks involved, including impact on resources, effort and schedule. This is a great way to get recommendations to successfully add your change. It can also be used to find the causes of the problem. Of course, for this technique to work, there must be a basis for comparison. It also will involve a lot of resources and the results are not always conclusive. Therefore, a lot of testing is required to back up your findings. Principles of Root Cause Analysis As noted above, the general principle of root cause analysis is to find what is creating a problem so that it can be corrected and change the processes that caused it. For this to work, however, the root cause analysis must be performed systematically. Another principle of root cause analysis is that there can be only one. Yes, there might be dozens of causes that are collected on a fishbone diagram, but the root cause is singular. That might mean you’re going to have to invest a lot of time to find it, but it’s always there. It’s important to continue your investigation until you find the culprit. For your investigation to work, you need to establish a timeline of events. This allows you to understand the relationship between the various causes and reach the root cause. By doing this, you’re not merely solving a problem, but changing a corporate culture from reactionary to proactive. This problem-solving style will reduce the problems you have to respond to over time. How ProjectManager.com Helps With Analysis Getting to the root cause of a problem creates greater efficiencies, which helps keep your project on track. ProjectManager is a project management software that helps you find issues and gives you tools to solve problems and work more effectively. Catching issues before they become problems is the best way to keep your project running smoothly. Because ProjectManager is a cloud-based tool, you’re getting live data that informs better decision-making. It also allows you to catch discrepancies faster, and act on them sooner, to avoid delaying the project or going over budget. Get a high-level view of your progress and performance with our real-time dashboard. It’s already set up for you, unlike other apps, and automatically calculates project variance, workload, time, tasks and more, which are displayed in easy-to-read graphs and charts. It’s like having an instant status report without having to do anything. Your stakeholders are invested in the project and will want to stay updated on any changes that might impact their bottom line. Our reporting features make it easy to create a report with just one click, and can be shared in a variety of ways to match how your stakeholders prefer their communication. Better still, each of our reports can be filtered to show just the data you want to share. ProjectManager.com is award-winning software that organizes tasks, teams and projects to create greater productivity. Real-time data means you can find issues faster and avoid them turning into problems. Use live dashboards and dynamic reporting to analyze and solve problems today by signing up for free today. Project Controls: A Quick Guide Critical Chain in Project Management: A Quick Guide How to Use Microsoft Project - A Quick Guide Requirements Gathering: A Quick Guide
几乎每个项目都会出现问题。但是,知道有问题是一回事;弄清楚如何解决它是另一回事。如果你错过了最后期限,你的产品或服务的质量受到影响,那就是有问题了。 为了解决这个问题,你需要使用一些技术,给你的团队一个开放和诚实的空间,以便你可以讨论解决问题的方法。做到这一点的一个方法是使用根本原因分析。 什么是根本原因分析? 顾名思义,根本原因分析是一种解决问题的技术,为团队提供了识别导致问题的机会。 根源分析是在项目出现问题时使用的,特别是那些对客户产生负面影响的问题。这可能包括从客户抱怨项目的某些方面到团队受阻和交付物落后于计划。 当然,项目中的问题不是单一原因造成的。这就是为什么根本原因分析的设置是为了捕捉导致你所遇到的问题的各种原因。 为什么根本原因分析很重要? 问题很糟糕! 它们扰乱了你的项目进度并花费金钱,而根本原因分析有助于解决这些问题。这应该足以激励你应用这种方法。根源分析还有助于防止问题再次出现。一旦你知道问题是什么以及如何阻止它,你就可以防止它再次发生。 迭代法 使用根本原因分析的另一个原因是,它是一个持续改进的工具,也就是如何保持你的产品或服务的质量。如果项目的质量不能满足利益相关者的期望,任何项目都不会成功。 文件编制 项目以其文件而闻名。有研究,有可行性研究,还有更多。甚至在结束一个项目时也有文件。但是,项目问题的记录以及它们是如何被解决的往往被忽视。根源分析是记录过程的一种方式,并将其应用于未来的项目。 工艺改进 该方法可以确定的其他事情是流程中可以修复的缺陷,再次增加未来的效率,但也注意到团队培训的差距。因此,它可以开辟机会,使你的团队达到最佳状态,使他们成为更有价值的资源。 如何进行根本原因分析? 在进行根本原因分析时,重要的是不要被症状所束缚。记住,这是一个揭示根本原因的分析。这些是你想把重点放在的地方,并纠正任何项目的弊病。 识别问题:如果没有明确定义的问题,就没有办法回头寻找导致问题的过程中的原因。这是最重要的一步:了解问题并确定其范围。 向后工作。为了发现你所确定的问题的潜在原因,回溯步骤。同样,可能不止一个。尽可能多地记下相关的原因。这个过程的一部分包括与你的团队进行头脑风暴,使用流程图和鱼骨图来捕捉导致你问题的各种原因。 确定根本原因是什么。还有其他一些工具可以提供帮助,比如我们稍后会讲到的五个为什么,故障树、原因和事件树等等。- 想出解决方案。同样,与团队进行头脑风暴是有帮助的。他们是与项目及其执行密切相关的人,将是你找到解决问题方法的最佳资源。 实施解决方案。记住,这不是一次性的事情,而必须是可持续的,而且解决方案事实上是在做它计划要做的事情。这需要耐心和跟进,让任何会受变化影响的人都参与进来。 监控,跟踪和报告解决方案:项目管理软件可以促进这一步骤。 ProjectManager是一个基于云的工具,收集实时数据,为您提供更准确的信息,以做出有洞察力的决策。通过实时仪表板高度监控进度和绩效,然后使用一键式可过滤报告与利益相关者分享,使他们了解情况。 根源分析的五个原因 在进行根本原因分析时,最好的技术之一被称为 "五个为什么"。这种方法是简单地一遍又一遍地问 "为什么"。这种做法是对问题及其原因进行更深入的探讨,而不是接受第一个答案,使你更接近导致问题的实际原因。 理解这一技巧的最好方法是通过一个例子。请注意,虽然被称为 "五个为什么",但在你找到问题的根本原因之前,可能只有几个或几十个为什么。 比方说,你正在建造一座桥,但最后期限被错过了。 问:"为什么会错过最后期限?" 答:该团队无法及时完成任务。 问:"为什么团队不能按时完成任务?" 答:材料被拖延了。 问:"为什么材料被推迟了?" 答:没有对供应商进行跟踪。 问:"为什么没有对供应商进行跟踪?" 答:团队没有得到充分的培训。 问:"为什么团队没有得到充分的培训?" 答:混合方法有差距... 这个问答练习引出了错过最后期限问题的根本原因。在这种情况下,有很多问题,包括缺乏培训、供应商关系不佳等等。根本原因是没有正确管理项目的方法。 鱼骨图 根源分析是关于原因和结果的。要确定和记录原因,需要某种图表或文件。最常用的是鱼骨图,也叫石川图和人字形图。 鱼骨图之所以被称为鱼骨图,是因为它看起来像一个鱼的骨架。中间有一条线,从上面和下面长出刺,每条刺都收集了问题的原因。它们通向鱼头的位置,也就是问题本身。 ProjectManager提供了几十个免费的项目管理模板,包括这个根本原因分析模板。使用这个免费的模板来激发你的团队的头脑风暴,并找出一个解决方案,防止你的问题再次出现。 变化分析 在根本原因分析中使用的许多技术中的另一种技术被称为变化分析。变更分析是用来识别和了解如果采用一个变更可能会发生什么,以及完成该变更需要什么,如何设计,还有涉及的任何风险,包括对资源、工作和进度的影响。 这是一个获得建议的好方法,可以成功地增加你的变化。它也可以用来寻找问题的原因。当然,要使这种技术发挥作用,必须有一个比较的基础。它也会涉及大量的资源,而且结果不一定是结论性的。因此,需要大量的测试来支持你的发现。 根源分析的原则 如上所述,根本原因分析的一般原则是找到造成问题的原因,以便纠正和改变造成问题的过程。然而,要使其发挥作用,必须系统地进行根本原因分析。 根本原因分析的另一个原则是,只能有一个。是的,在鱼骨图上可能有几十个原因,但根本原因是单一的。这可能意味着你必须投入大量的时间来找到它,但它总是存在的。重要的是继续调查,直到你找到罪魁祸首。 为了使你的调查发挥作用,你需要建立一个事件的时间线。这使你能够了解各种原因之间的关系,并达到根本原因。通过这样做,你不仅仅是在解决一个问题,而是将企业文化从反应式变为主动式。这种解决问题的方式将减少你在一段时间内必须应对的问题。 ProjectManager.com是如何帮助分析的 找到问题的根本原因可以创造更高的效率,这有助于保持你的项目正常运行。ProjectManager是一个项目管理软件,可以帮助你发现问题,并为你提供解决问题和更有效工作的工具。 在问题变成问题之前抓住它们是保持你的项目顺利运行的最好方法。因为ProjectManager是一个基于云的工具,你可以获得实时数据,为更好的决策提供依据。它还能让你更快地发现差异,并尽早采取行动,以避免延误项目或超出预算。 通过我们的实时仪表板,可以高瞻远瞩地了解你的进展和业绩。与其他应用程序不同,它已经为你设置好了,并自动计算项目差异、工作量、时间、任务等,并以易于阅读的图形和图表形式显示。这就像拥有一份即时状态报告,而无需做任何事情。 你的利益相关者对项目进行了投资,并希望随时了解任何可能影响他们底线的变化。我们的报告功能使您只需点击一下就能轻松创建报告,并能以各种方式分享,以配合您的利益相关者喜欢的沟通方式。更好的是,我们的每份报告都可以进行过滤,只显示你想分享的数据。 ProjectManager.com是获奖的软件,可以组织任务、团队和项目,以创造更大的生产力。实时数据意味着你可以更快地发现问题,避免它们变成问题。今天就免费注册,使用实时仪表板和动态报告来分析和解决问题。 项目控制:快速指南 项目管理中的关键链:快速指南 如何使用微软项目 - 快速指南 需求收集:快速指南

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