Participatory Methods

Root Cause Analysis

Root Cause Analysis is a participatory activity designed to identify and analyze the underlying causes of a problem or potential risk. Using the fishbone diagram (or Ishikawa diagram), participants work together to break down contributing factors into specific categories. This allows teams to visualize connections and prioritize solutions effectively.

Preparation

  1. Define the purpose:
    • Establish the objective: Identify the causes of an existing problem? Prevent potential risks in a project?
  2. Prepare materials:
    • Physical format:
      • Large paper or whiteboards to draw the fishbone diagram.
      • Colored markers to differentiate categories.
      • Sticky notes for recording ideas.
    • Digital format:
      • Tools to design collaborative online diagrams.
  3. Define key categories:
    • Select relevant categories for the problem. Examples:
      • People
      • Processes
      • Materials
      • Equipment
      • Environment
  4. Organize the space:
    • In-person: Arrange workstations or a shared space where everyone can contribute to the diagram.
    • Virtual: Set up a shared digital board for collaboration.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Introduce the purpose
    • Explain that the goal is to identify the primary causes of a problem or risk using a collaborative fishbone diagram.
    • Present the central problem or risk and ensure everyone understands it.
  2. Draw the base diagram
    • Draw a horizontal line to represent the main problem or risk.
    • Add diagonal lines extending from the main line for the predefined categories.
  3. Brainstorm within categories
    • Divide participants into small groups and assign each group a category.
    • Ask them to generate possible causes within their category and record them on sticky notes or a digital board.
  4. Build the diagram
    • Each group presents their ideas and places them on the fishbone diagram under the relevant category.
    • Facilitate a discussion to adjust or reorganize ideas if needed.
  5. Analyze key causes
    • Evaluate the identified causes to determine which are the most relevant or impactful.
    • Use techniques like voting, consensus, or impact assessment to prioritize.
  6. Define solutions or preventive actions
    • For the priority causes, work with participants to propose solutions or mitigation strategies.
  7. Closing and reflection
    • Summarize the key causes and proposed actions.
    • Reflect on how this analysis will help prevent or solve the problem.
Recommendations
  • Clearly define the problem: Ensure all participants fully understand the central problem or risk.
  • Encourage collaboration: Foster dialogue and active participation during the brainstorming session.
  • Document the results: Take photos or save the digital diagram for use in solution implementation.
  • Prioritize causes: Focus on the most relevant or high-impact causes for further analysis.
Inspiration

Examples:

Materials
  • Large paper or whiteboards to draw the diagram.
  • Sticky notes or index cards to record ideas.
  • Markers or pens for writing.
Online platforms
Purpose

The purpose of Root Cause Analysis is to break down and visualize the underlying causes of a problem or risk, promoting reflection and strategic action to resolve or mitigate it.

Type of activity
Participatory Action ResearchParticipatory MonitoringParticipatory Planning
Level of participation
Collaboration, Collaborative assessment, Knowledge generation
Target audience
Educators, Facilitators, Students, Community leaders, NGOs and social collectives, Business teams, Government, Creative designers, Researchers
Fields of application
Education and training, Community development, Organizational and business management, Urban and rural planning, Health and social well-being, Art, culture, and creativity, Sustainability and environment, Public policies and governance, Innovation and design, Research and evaluation, Conflict resolution, Technology and digital environments, Citizen and social participation
Estimated duration
From 30 to 120 minutes, depending on the complexity of the problem, group size, and format.
Ideal number of participants
From 6 to 15 people, although it can be adapted for larger groups by dividing them into smaller teams.
Topics related to this activity
Causes and EffectsCollaborative AnalysisCollaborative ReflectionCollaborative VisualizationsCollective AnalysisGroup AnalysisImpact AnalysisMonitoring ToolParticipatory AnalysisProblem SolvingProject MonitoringRisk AnticipationRisk IdentificationRisk ManagementStrategic PlanningVisual DiagnosisVisual DocumentationVisual MethodologyVisual ReflectionVisual Tool
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