One of the many ISO tools used to continually improve a company’s processes is ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS. Why is root cause analysis and systemic corrective action so important in management system standards, such as ISO 9001?

When problem solving, it’s important to find the cause of the problem first in order to develop a solution. Sometimes, the most obvious cause is not the right one. This is why ISO 9000 stresses the importance of finding the root cause(s) of a problem. There may be multiple, subtle reasons why a process isn’t working correctly, and finding the actual root causes will lead a company one step closer to a solution and implementation of corrective actions.

The goal of finding root causes is to improve the way problems are managed. Becoming adept in recognizing the root causes of a problem will lead to a reduced impact, a containment of error, and the prevention of recurrence. Identifying and correcting root causes will also lead to the reduction of unnecessary efforts which in turn will lower the cost in maintaining quality. As more and more corrective actions are taken, processes will become more stable, and continual improvement will face less interruptions.