By name: root-cause-analysis description: Uncover root causes through recursive Why questioning and consequence exploration. Use before acting on problems.
Root Cause Analysis
Uncover root causes and explore consequences through structured questioning.
When to Use
When you need to deeply understand a problem, decision, or situation before acting.
The Process
1. Recursive "Why" Questioning
Start with the initial question and ask "Why?" repeatedly:
- Ask "Why?" at least 5 times
- Go deeper until you reach fundamental causes
- If multiple reasons emerge, explore each branch
Example:
- Why did users churn? → Onboarding was confusing
- Why was it confusing? → Too many steps
- Why too many steps? → We added features without simplifying
- Why didn't we simplify? → No ownership of onboarding experience
- Why no ownership? → Org structure doesn't align to user journey
2. Consequence Exploration
After finding root causes, explore forward:
- 1st order: Immediate consequences
- 2nd order: What results from those?
- 3rd-5th order: Downstream effects
Consider both positive and negative outcomes.
3. First Principles Check
- What fundamental truths underlie this?
- What assumptions are we making?
- What alternative perspectives exist?
- Where are the gaps in logic?
Output Format
- Root causes (the "Why?" chain)
- Consequences (1st through 5th order)
- First principles (fundamental truths, assumptions)
- Conclusion (key insights)
When Not to Use
Do not use this skill when the request is unrelated, low-stakes, or better handled by a simpler direct response.