RCA: root cause analysis in real life

As a software developer, after every production issue or downtime you face, you are expected to write an RCA. A root cause analysis states the cause that resulted in the issue, the things that could have been done to avoid it, and the actions that can prevent it from happening again.

What a typical RCA contains

• The issue description, detailing what went wrong.
• The root cause, described in detail.
• The timeline: when it happened, when it was reported, and when it was resolved.
• The 5 whys, to drill deeper (why was the issue caused, why was it not caught in testing, and so on).
• Action items, the steps to prevent it in future.

How I started applying it in real life

Completely outside the software context, I have applied RCA to my own life. I have real weight-gain issues. If I eat properly three times a day, I start gaining weight, so I stopped eating dinner and lost weight. But at home or with friends I can't avoid dinner, the most social meal of the day, so I gain it back. This kept happening for almost eight years until I decided to apply RCA to it: find the root cause and ask the whys. It turned out my root cause was a messed-up metabolism. So I started working with a diet coach and began working out.

I wrote the GMAT three times. Every time I didn't get the marks I wanted, I analysed the root cause and listed the action items. This helped me score a little better each time.

Without finding the root cause of your issues, it is difficult to avoid them in future. You can make the same mistake again and again. As the saying goes, "I never make the same mistake twice." To live up to that, drill down and write RCAs for your failures. Believe me, it's useful.