# Write a root cause analysis report: checklist

Turn your rough notes on a problem that happened into a root cause analysis report that separates what happened from direct causes, contributing factors and possible root causes, with each cause tied to evidence in your notes and a fix for each possible root cause.

## Before you start

- [ ] Have ready: Your notes on the problem
  Paste what you know, in any order, with times or dates where you have them. Include what happened, what you were told, and what has been tried. Paste only what your organization lets you put into an AI tool.

## Step 1: List what happened in order

- [ ] Pick out each event from the notes, quoted word for word, so the analysis starts from fixed facts.
- [ ] You have: A numbered table of events in order, each quoted from your notes.
- [ ] Check: Each quote in the Event (quote) column appears in the your notes on the problem, with shortened fragments in the same order.
  A plain rule you can check by eye. If not: Run the step once more, and add what was wrong to the end of the prompt. If it still does not pass, fix it by hand and make a note of it.

## Step 2: Sort each possible cause by how well the notes support it

- [ ] Find each reason the notes give for the problem and mark it as a direct cause, a contributing factor, a possible root cause, or unproven, and show what in the notes supports it.
- [ ] You have: A table of reasons sorted by level, each with the support the notes give.
- [ ] Check: Every row of the table has one of "direct cause", "contributing factor", "possible root cause", "unproven" or "none" in the Level column.
  A plain rule you can check by eye. If not: Run the step once more, and add what was wrong to the end of the prompt. If it still does not pass, fix it by hand and make a note of it.

## Step 3: Draft the report

- [ ] Write the report from the events and the sorted reasons only, with a fix for each possible root cause.
- [ ] You have: A root cause analysis report with the direct cause, contributing factors, possible root causes, fixes and what is not yet known.
- [ ] Check: Every number in the answer also appears somewhere in at least one of "your notes on the problem"; this does not check what each number means.
  A plain rule you can check by eye. If not: Run the step once more, and add what was wrong to the end of the prompt. If it still does not pass, fix it by hand and make a note of it.

## Step 4: Add the count and the reminder

- [ ] Add a count of the reasons at each level and keep the reminder as the last line, changing nothing else.
- [ ] You have: The report with a count line and the reminder.
- [ ] Check: The answer contains the text fragment "Check this report with the people who were there before you share it." (including inside a longer word).
  A plain rule you can check by eye. If not: Run the step once more, and add what was wrong to the end of the prompt. If it still does not pass, fix it by hand and make a note of it.

## Final checks

- [ ] Check: Read the report. Does any line name a person, or say a person should have known or tried harder, as a cause? Answer FAIL and quote each place where one does. Wording about a role, a form, a rule or a tool is fine.
  Checked by a second AI prompt. If not: Run the step once more, and add what was wrong to the end of the prompt. If it still does not pass, fix it by hand and make a note of it.
- [ ] Check: Look at the rows below marked possible root cause. Does each one have a real quote in the Support column, not none in the notes? Answer FAIL and quote each one that has no support.
  Checked by a second AI prompt. If not: Run the step once more, and add what was wrong to the end of the prompt. If it still does not pass, fix it by hand and make a note of it.
- [ ] Check: Count the possible root causes in the report and the fixes under Fixes. Is there one fix for each? Answer FAIL and quote each possible root cause that has no fix.
  Checked by a second AI prompt. If not: Run the step once more, and add what was wrong to the end of the prompt. If it still does not pass, fix it by hand and make a note of it.
- [ ] Check: Ask someone who was there to read the report and say whether the events match what they remember. Check that every possible root cause is one you could test, and that no fix is promised that your team has not agreed to. If it goes outside your organization, have your manager or legal lead read it first. A root cause is only confirmed when people have checked it.
  Checked by you. If not: Carry on, but write down the problem so whoever uses the result knows about it.

## You end up with

- [ ] A root cause analysis report with the events, the direct cause, contributing factors, possible root causes, fixes and what is not yet known.
- [ ] A table that sorts each reason by level and shows the support the notes give.

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From Logic Lab (logiclabhq.com). Free to use and adapt, with credit.