RCA Solving and Sustaining for Lasting Project Success
Welcome back to davelitten.com and the final part of our Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Masterclass! In Part 3, we’re wrapping up with the action-oriented steps to solve recurring issues in engineering projects and management workflows.
If you’ve followed Parts 1 and 2, you’ve defined your problem, gathered data, brainstormed causes, and pinpointed the root cause. Now, we’ll cover Steps 6 and 7 – developing and implementing solutions, then monitoring for long-term success – plus real-world examples to bring it all together.
This beginner-friendly guide explains what each step involves, why it’s critical, how to execute it, and when to apply it.
By the end, you’ll have a complete RCA toolkit to save your organization time and money, boost team morale, and deliver exceptional results to customers (internal or external). Let’s turn your insights into lasting wins and cement your reputation as a problem-solving leader!
Here is a quick reminder that Root Cause Analysis is normally carried out as part of a process or system improvement project:
Step 6: Develop and Implement Targeted Solutions
What Is It?
Create specific, measurable actions to address the verified root cause (from Step 5), then roll them out systematically to fix the problem for good.
Why It Matters
Targeted solutions eliminate recurring issues, saving your organization from costly rework or delays (e.g., $30K per project). They reduce team frustration by ending repetitive fixes and ensure customers receive reliable, high-quality deliverables.
For you, implementing effective solutions showcases your leadership and strategic impact.
How to Do It
Design SMART actions: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.
Specific: Clear scope (e.g., “Add peer reviews to coding process”).
Measurable: Trackable metrics (e.g., “Reduce bugs by 50%”).
Achievable: Feasible with available resources.
Relevant: Tied to the root cause and project goals.
Time-bound: Set deadlines (e.g., “Implement in 2 weeks”).
Assign owners (e.g., a lead engineer for training rollout).
Pilot solutions on a small scale to test feasibility.
Use tools like Trello, Asana, or MS Project to track tasks and deadlines.
Communicate the plan to the team and stakeholders via meetings or email updates.
When to Do It
After verifying the root cause, with implementation timelines of 1-4 weeks, depending on complexity. Pilots can start within days for simple fixes.
Example
In the software project from Part 2, the root cause of delayed releases was a missing peer review process.
We developed a SMART solution:
Specific: Mandatory peer reviews with a checklist for all code commits.
Measurable: Target 60% bug reduction in two sprints.
Achievable: Used existing Jira for tracking, 2-hour training for coders.
Relevant: Addressed root cause of code errors.
Time-bound: Rolled out in 1 week. We piloted with one team, then scaled. Bugs dropped 65%, saving $30,000 in overtime and speeding up client rollouts by a week.
Practical Tips
Break complex solutions into phases (e.g., pilot, then full rollout).
Budget for small investments if needed (e.g., training sessions, software licenses).
Document the plan in a shared doc (e.g., Google Docs) for transparency.
Get stakeholder buy-in before rollout to ensure support.
Benefits
Effective solutions streamline workflows, save organizational resources, and delight customers with consistent delivery. Your leadership shines as you drive tangible results.
Step 7: Monitor and Adjust for Long-Term Success
What Is It?
Track the solution’s impact over time using metrics and feedback, tweaking as needed to prevent the problem from returning.
Why It Matters
Monitoring ensures fixes remain effective, preventing your organization from backsliding into old issues (e.g., recurring delays).
It reduces team stress by maintaining smooth processes and keeps customers happy with reliable outcomes. For you, it demonstrates commitment to continuous improvement, a key leadership trait.
How to Do It
- Set KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) tied to the problem (e.g., defect rates, cycle times, approval delays).
- Track via dashboards in tools like Excel, Power BI, or project software (e.g., Jira).
- Schedule regular reviews (e.g., weekly for 1 month, then monthly).
- Gather team and customer feedback (e.g., via surveys or quick meetings) to spot new issues.
- Adjust solutions if KPIs slip (e.g., tweak a process, add training).
When to Do It
Start immediately after implementing solutions, with initial checks weekly, then monthly or quarterly for 3-6 months, depending on project scale.
Example
In the logistics firm from Part 1, we fixed late reports (caused by clunky shared drives) with a cloud-based tool. We monitored:
KPI: Report submission time (target: 0 days late).
Tool: Excel dashboard tracking submission dates.
Reviews: Monthly team check-ins. After 2 months, delays crept up due to permission issues. Feedback led to a quick tweak in access settings, keeping reports on time and delighting executives (internal customers).
Practical Tips
- Use automated alerts in tools (e.g., Jira notifications) to flag KPI deviations.
- Celebrate small wins (e.g., “Zero delays this month!”) to maintain team momentum.
- Document lessons learned in a shared log for future RCAs.
- Involve customers in reviews (e.g., ask for feedback on delivery timeliness).
Benefits
Sustained improvements build organizational trust, reduce team stress, and ensure customer satisfaction. You’ll establish yourself as a leader who delivers lasting results.
Real-World Examples: RCA in Action
To bring RCA to life, here are two detailed examples from my experience, showing how the full process (Steps 1-7) delivers results.
Example 1: Engineering Project – Turbine Failures
Problem: A renewable energy project faced weekly turbine glitches, delaying testing by 12 days and costing $80,000 in rework. RCA Process:
Step 1 (Define): “Turbine failures delay testing by 12 days, costing $80K and pushing back client milestones.”
Step 2 (Data): Failure logs, assembly records, and engineer interviews showed issues post-assembly.
Step 3 (Brainstorm): Causes included rushed assembly, poor specs, untrained staff, no testing gates.
Step 4 (5 Whys): Why failures? No testing gates. Why? Rushed prototyping. Why? No iterative process.
Root Cause: Lack of iterative testing gates.
Step 5 (Verify): Piloted testing gates for one turbine; failures dropped 80%.
Step 6 (Implement): Rolled out phased testing gates with peer reviews across all turbines, completed in 3 weeks.
Step 7 (Monitor): Tracked failure rates weekly via Jira; sustained 90% reduction after 3 months. Outcome: Delays cut by 40%, saving $70,000 and meeting client timelines.
Benefits:
You: Demonstrated engineering leadership.
Team: Reduced rework stress, focused on innovation.
Organization: Saved budget, improved project efficiency.
Customers: Received reliable turbines on time, boosting trust.
Example 2: Management Workflow – Slow Approvals
Problem: Approval delays slowed internal customer (executive) reports by 5-7 days, hindering strategic decisions. RCA Process:
Step 1 (Define): “Approvals delay reports by 5-7 days monthly, frustrating executives.”
Step 2 (Data): Tracked approval times, found bottlenecks in email chains; staff reported unclear roles.
Step 3 (Brainstorm): Causes: unclear roles (Process), outdated email tools (Tools), overloaded managers (People).
Step 4 (Fishbone): Highlighted “Process” (no escalation path) and “Tools” (email overload). Root Cause: Lack of clear escalation process.
Step 5 (Verify): Piloted a new escalation path in one department; approvals sped up by 50%.
Step 6 (Implement): Implemented a Slack channel with decision trees across teams, rolled out in 2 weeks.
Step 7 (Monitor): Monitored approval times monthly via Excel; tweaked Slack permissions after feedback, maintaining 0 delays. Outcome: Approvals sped up by 60%, saving 20 hours monthly and boosting executive trust.
Benefits:
You: Showcased workflow optimization skills.
Team: Freed time for core tasks, improved morale.
Organization: Streamlined processes, saved resources.
Customers: Got faster insights, enhancing decision-making.
Your Path to RCA Mastery
Congratulations!
By mastering Steps 1-7 – defining problems, gathering data, brainstorming, using tools, verifying causes, implementing solutions, and monitoring results – you’re equipped to tackle recurring issues in engineering projects and management workflows.
You’ll save your organization time and money, empower your team, and deliver exceptional value to customers.
Hope you found these three Root Cause Analysis blog Steps informative and have helped you increase your knowledge and career!