Root cause analysis (RCA) is one of the most popular problem-solving methods in the manufacturing sector. The tool is used in the healthcare industry to study the causes of accidents. It is a reactive quality management method and relies on analyzing the events leading up to the problem. One study conducted in Enbridge Pipelines from 2006 generated $16 million worth of savings by investing only $1 million in RCA.
No matter what profession you are in, RCA training can help you analyze the problems in your operations. Understanding the cause can help you devise a solution to the long-lasting, efficient problem and saves costs in the long term.
A small investment in the training now can yield significant benefits in the future because you can ensure that the mistake does not get repeated.
Here are five crucial factors to consider when planning to get the training in RCA.
- On-Site Training
While there are pros and cons, the decision largely depends on your organization’s needs. An on-site RCA training can be cost-effective if a large group attends it. Offers benefits such as cost-effectiveness, reduced downtime, based on employee roster, offers confidentiality, promotes team bonding, and gets everyone trained at once. When you have many employees, you can also customize the program according to your needs.
- Virtual Sessions
If you are a professional or run a small business and want to get trained on root cause analysis yourself, a virtual program can save you tons of money. You can get one-on-one sessions with the trainer and complete the program at your pace. You also get to save on the travel costs and get trained from the comfort of your home.
- Assessments
Most training programs come with an assessment, which evaluates the takeaway of each participant. It allows the program coordinators to gauge the preparedness of the employee to conduct an RCA independently.
- Get Access to Specialized Software
With software to assist you, the root cause analysis is bound to provide in-depth details of the issue and help you devise an appropriate solution. Companies that offer training also give you access to specialized software that assists you in carrying out the analysis. It can be an annual subscription or pay as you go deal where you can use the software when you need it.
- Industry Expertise
You also get access to industry gurus who know how to deal with problems with a training program. You can revert to them when you have a complex issue, and their multi-industry experience will ensure that you get the best advice at all times.
With experts to back you up, you can be confident about identifying the problem, its cause, the timeline that led to the issue, and charting it. Once this is done, you can start finding a solution to your situation and ensure it does not repeat.
Root cause analysis is a highly versatile quality mechanism that helps solve real-life problems and help avoid reoccurrence. It enables you to solve problems related to any process or product. Therefore, it would be best to get RCA training no matter what profession or industry you work in.