Articles

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by Sebastian Traeger

Updated: June 12, 2025

Using the 5 Whys Technique for Root Cause Analysis in Complex Environments

Reading Time: 4 minutes

In today’s fast-paced business world, identifying, and solving problems efficiently is key to maintaining operational success. One method that has stood the test of time in uncovering the root cause of issues is the 5 Whys technique. Straightforward yet extremely effective, it helps teams drill down to the core of a problem by asking “why” multiple times until the root

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by Sebastian Traeger

Updated: August 28, 2024

How to Perform Root Cause Investigations?

Reading Time: 6 minutes

When failures occur, they not only disrupt productivity but can also lead to significant costs and safety risks. To prevent these issues from recurring, it’s essential to identify the root cause of the problem. Root Cause Investigation (RCI) is a powerful tool that helps organizations get to the heart of failures, ensuring long-term reliability and operational excellence. The purpose of

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by Sebastian Traeger

Updated: July 22, 2024

Post-Incident Analysis for Enhanced Reliability

Reading Time: 5 minutes

With over two decades in business – spanning strategy consulting, tech startups and executive leadership – I am committed to helping your organization thrive. At Reliability, we’re on a mission to help enhance strategic decision-making and operational excellence through the power of Root Cause Analysis, and I hope this article will be helpful!  Our goal is to help you better

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by Sebastian Traeger

Updated: May 13, 2024

Ultimate Guide to Swiss Cheese Model and Its Applications

Reading Time: 7 minutes

With over two decades in business – spanning strategy consulting, tech startups, and executive leadership – I am committed to helping your organization thrive. At Reliability, we’re on a mission to help enhance strategic decision-making and operational excellence through the power of Root Cause Analysis, and I hope this article will be helpful!  Our goal is to help you better

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by Sebastian Traeger

Updated: April 23, 2024

5 Root Cause Analysis Examples That Shed Light on Complex Issues

Reading Time: 7 minutes

With over two decades in business – spanning strategy consulting, tech startups, and executive leadership – I am committed to helping your organization thrive. At Reliability, we’re on a mission to help enhance strategic decision-making and operational excellence through the power of Root Cause Analysis, and I hope this article will be helpful!  Our goal is to help you better

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by Sebastian Traeger

Updated: May 19, 2025

5 Whys Technique: Simple Steps to Find Real Problems (with examples and template)

Reading Time: 7 minutes

With over two decades in business – spanning strategy consulting, tech startups and executive leadership – I am committed to helping your organization thrive. At Reliability, we’re on a mission to help enhance strategic decision-making and operational excellence through the power of Root Cause Analysis, and I hope this article will be helpful!  Our goal is to help you better

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by Sebastian Traeger

Updated: April 25, 2025

Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) Guide: Process, Symbols & Examples

Reading Time: 7 minutes

With over two decades in business – spanning strategy consulting, tech startups and executive leadership – I am committed to helping your organization thrive. At Reliability, we’re on a mission to help enhance strategic decision-making and operational excellence through the power of Root Cause Analysis, and I hope this article will be helpful!  Our goal is to help you better

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by Sebastian Traeger

Updated: April 23, 2025

FMEA Guide: Failure Mode and Effects Analysis in Root Cause Analysis

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Dealing with potential failures and mitigating their impacts forms the core of reliability engineering. FMEA, also known as Failure Mode and Effects Analysis is a root cause analysis method that provides a path to improved reliability and enhanced performance. With over two decades in business – spanning strategy consulting, tech startups and executive leadership – I am committed to helping

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by Sebastian Traeger

Updated: April 22, 2025

7 Powerful Root Cause Analysis Techniques and Tools

Reading Time: 5 minutes

With over two decades in business – spanning strategy consulting, tech startups and executive leadership – I am committed to helping your organization thrive. At Reliability, we’re on a mission to help enhance strategic decision-making and operational excellence through the power of Root Cause Analysis, and I hope this article will be helpful!  Our goal is to help you better

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by Sebastian Traeger

Updated: April 23, 2024

Understanding Failure Mechanisms and Components

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Understanding failure mechanisms and components is a critical aspect of reliability engineering, manufacturing, and maintenance across various industries. Whether you’re dealing with machinery, electronic devices, or complex systems, the ability to identify and comprehend how and why failures occur can significantly impact performance, safety, and longevity.  This guide aims to delve into the intricacies of failure mechanisms and the components

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by Bob Latino

Updated: January 5, 2022

What’s Wrong With The Term “Root Causes”​?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

There is great variation when it comes to a common understanding of the term ‘Root Cause Analysis’ or RCA. In a previous, lengthy paper, I wrote an article entitled “The Stigma of RCA: What’s In a Name?“. It focused on common understandings (or misunderstandings) of what RCA means and then described the basic steps of any investigative occupation. I just

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by Bob Latino

Updated: January 5, 2022

The Stigma of RCA: What’s in a Name?

Reading Time: 4 minutes

The Stigma of ‘RCA’ Let’s start off with some honesty…the term ‘RCA’ (Root Cause Analysis) is quite vague, misleading and easily misinterpreted by those who are not immersed in its use. It is a useless and counter-productive term because there is no universally accepted, standard definition. Therefore, any process/tool someone is using to solve a problem is likely to be labelled as

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