After more than 50 years of root cause analysis (RCA), you might expect problem solving to be a clear and straightforward process. It’s not. You can find yourself caught in unproductive debates. “Is that a contributing factor, or a causal factor?” “That’s a primary cause, but it’s not the main cause.” The result is frustration, inefficiency, and solutions that allow a repeat of the same problems.

A better approach to RCA is one built on evidence-based cause-and-effect relationships. The steps are simple: define the problem, explain why it happened, and identify solutions to reduce risk. Its focus is on having more reliable work processes, learning, and improving, which helps engage the frontline and minimize blame.

This session will explain the pitfalls of drifting from scientific problem solving and features a case study demonstrating how first-principles RCA leads to tangible improvements in reliability and human performance.

Participants will learn:

• Four common errors that arise when explaining why an incident occurred


• The biggest misconception about RCA


• Why effective RCA does not require any proprietary techniques, terminology, or software


• How RCA can be scaled for low-risk incidents and expanded as needed for higher-impact events.


• How to reduce “human error” by involving those who perform the work

Moderator:
Bill Clark, Phillips 66

Speakers:
Bill Clark, Phillips 66
Mark Galley, ThinkReliability