Where It Started
In the early 1900s, industrial incidents were common and they often resulted in severe injuries or even fatalities.
The traditional approach to handling these incidents was to treat the symptoms of the problem without really getting to the root cause.
Obviously, this approach proved to be ineffective in preventing the recurrence of similar incidents.
Recognising that this was a problem, companies began to adopt a new approach to problem-solving, one that focused on identifying and getting to the root cause of the issue.
Walter Shewhart
One of the pioneers of this approach was Walter A. Shewhart.
He was an American engineer widely regarded as the father of statistical quality control.
Shewhart developed a method of process control that involved identifying the sources of variation in a process and taking steps to eliminate them.
This method, which is now known as the Shewhart cycle or the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, formed the basis for modern-day RCA.
Kaoru Ishikawa
In the 1950s, the RCA approach gained further momentum with the introduction of the Ishikawa diagram.
Also known as the fishbone diagram or the cause-and-effect diagram, this tool was developed by Kaoru Ishikawa, a Japanese engineer and quality control expert.
It is used to identify the potential causes of a problem by categorising them into different groups.
The diagram resembles the skeleton of a fish, with the problem at the head and the causes branching out like fishbones.
Sakichi Toyoda
In the 1980s, the RCA approach was further refined with the introduction of the 5 Whys technique.
This method, which was developed by Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Industries, involves asking a series of “why” questions to identify the underlying cause of a problem.
The idea behind the 5 Whys technique is that by asking why a problem occurred, you can drill down to its root cause and take steps to prevent it from happening again.
RCA Today
Today, RCA is widely used in a variety of industries including healthcare, aviation, and manufacturing to improve processes, prevent incidents, and reduce costs.
Tools are even more sophisticated today and involve the use of cause effect structure trees, visual analysis tools of lean, and an extensive array of statistical analysis tools.
RCA is an essential element for quality management and continual improvement.
In Conclusion
The history of RCA is a story of innovation and ongoing improvement.
From its early beginnings in the early 20th century to its modern-day applications, RCA has evolved into a powerful approach to problem-solving and process improvement that is used by organisations worldwide to improve processes, prevent incidents, and drive continual improvement.
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