Root Cause Analysis: Definition, Examples & Best Practices (2025)

How Root Cause Analysis Works

flowchart TD A[Documentation Problem Identified] --> B[Gather Evidence & Data] B --> C[Form Cross-functional Team] C --> D[Define Problem Statement] D --> E[Ask 'Why?' - Level 1] E --> F[Ask 'Why?' - Level 2] F --> G[Ask 'Why?' - Level 3] G --> H[Ask 'Why?' - Level 4] H --> I[Ask 'Why?' - Level 5] I --> J[Identify Root Cause(s)] J --> K[Develop Solutions] K --> L[Implement Changes] L --> M[Monitor Results] M --> N{Problem Resolved?} N -->|No| E N -->|Yes| O[Document Lessons Learned] O --> P[Update Documentation Processes]

Understanding Root Cause Analysis

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) in documentation context is a structured problem-solving methodology that helps technical writers and documentation teams identify the underlying causes of documentation failures, user complaints, or process inefficiencies. Instead of simply patching obvious issues, RCA requires teams to ask 'why' repeatedly until they reach the fundamental source of problems. For documentation professionals, RCA is crucial because surface-level fixes often mask deeper systemic issues. When users report confusion about a procedure, the root cause might not be unclear writing, but rather an outdated content review process, insufficient subject matter expert involvement, or misaligned user personas. By addressing root causes, documentation teams can prevent similar issues from recurring across their entire content ecosystem. Key principles include data-driven investigation, collaborative problem-solving, and systematic documentation of findings. The process typically involves problem identification, evidence gathering, cause mapping, solution development, and implementation monitoring. Teams must resist the urge to jump to conclusions and instead follow a methodical approach that considers multiple contributing factors. Common misconceptions include believing RCA is only for major failures, that it's too time-consuming for documentation work, or that individual writers should handle it alone. In reality, RCA is most effective when applied to recurring minor issues and conducted as a team effort. Another misconception is that RCA always reveals a single root cause, when documentation problems often stem from multiple interconnected factors requiring comprehensive solutions.

Documenting Root Cause Analysis: From Video Insights to Actionable Procedures

When your team conducts a Root Cause Analysis, they often record video sessions capturing the investigation process, team discussions, and findings. These videos preserve valuable insights about how failures occurred and what systemic issues need addressing.

However, relying solely on these recordings creates significant challenges. Critical Root Cause Analysis findings get buried in lengthy videos, making them difficult to reference, share, or implement consistently across teams. When the next similar incident occurs, team members waste time rewatching entire sessions instead of quickly accessing the established analysis methodology.

Converting these Root Cause Analysis videos into formal standard operating procedures transforms tribal knowledge into structured documentation. This conversion creates searchable, step-by-step guides that standardize your approach to problem investigation, clearly document identified root causes, and formalize corrective action plans. With proper documentation, your team can more effectively prevent recurring issues by ensuring everyone follows consistent analysis protocols.

For example, a manufacturing team that documents their Root Cause Analysis of equipment failures can quickly reference past investigations, established troubleshooting steps, and previously identified systemic issues—all without scrubbing through hours of video footage.

Learn how to transform your Root Cause Analysis videos into actionable SOPs that prevent recurring problems →

Real-World Documentation Use Cases

High Support Ticket Volume for Specific Feature

Problem

Customer support receives numerous tickets about users struggling with a particular software feature despite existing documentation

Solution

Apply RCA to investigate beyond the assumption that documentation is simply unclear or incomplete

Implementation

1. Analyze support ticket patterns and user feedback data 2. Interview support team and users experiencing issues 3. Review documentation creation process for this feature 4. Examine timing of feature releases vs documentation updates 5. Investigate user journey and context of when confusion occurs 6. Map contributing factors like inadequate SME review, rushed publication timeline, or missing user testing

Expected Outcome

Discovery that documentation was technically accurate but published before feature UI was finalized, leading to process changes requiring documentation review after final UI implementation

Inconsistent Information Across Documentation

Problem

Users report finding conflicting information about the same topic in different parts of the documentation

Solution

Use RCA to identify systemic causes of content inconsistency rather than just fixing individual instances

Implementation

1. Audit all instances of conflicting information 2. Map content creation workflows and approval processes 3. Identify all contributors and their review responsibilities 4. Examine version control and content update procedures 5. Analyze communication channels between teams 6. Review content governance and style guide adherence

Expected Outcome

Revealed lack of centralized content ownership and inadequate cross-team communication, leading to implementation of content governance framework and regular cross-functional reviews

Low User Engagement with New Documentation

Problem

Analytics show users aren't accessing or engaging with recently published documentation despite addressing requested topics

Solution

Apply RCA to understand why valuable content isn't reaching its intended audience

Implementation

1. Analyze user behavior data and access patterns 2. Survey target users about content discovery methods 3. Review information architecture and navigation structure 4. Examine content promotion and announcement strategies 5. Investigate search functionality and SEO optimization 6. Assess content format and presentation choices

Expected Outcome

Identified that content was published in wrong location within site hierarchy and lacked proper internal linking, leading to improved IA and content promotion strategies

Frequent Last-Minute Documentation Updates

Problem

Documentation team constantly scrambles to update content just before product releases, leading to quality issues and team burnout

Solution

Use RCA to identify why documentation consistently falls behind development cycles

Implementation

1. Map current documentation workflow against development timeline 2. Interview developers, product managers, and documentation team 3. Identify communication gaps and information flow bottlenecks 4. Examine planning processes and requirement gathering 5. Analyze resource allocation and capacity planning 6. Review tools and processes for tracking changes

Expected Outcome

Discovered lack of early involvement in product planning and inadequate change notification systems, resulting in new processes for documentation planning and automated change tracking

Best Practices

✓ Document Everything During RCA Process

Maintain detailed records of all findings, hypotheses, and decision points throughout the root cause analysis to ensure transparency and enable future reference

✓ Do: Create a shared document or workspace tracking all evidence, interviews, data points, and reasoning behind conclusions

✗ Don't: Rely on memory or informal discussions without written documentation of the investigation process

✓ Involve Cross-Functional Team Members

Include representatives from all teams that touch the documentation process to gain diverse perspectives and avoid blind spots in the analysis

✓ Do: Bring together writers, developers, product managers, support staff, and end users who can provide different viewpoints

✗ Don't: Limit RCA to only the documentation team or assume other teams don't have valuable insights into documentation problems

✓ Focus on Process Over People

Examine systems, workflows, and processes rather than assigning blame to individuals to create a safe environment for honest analysis

✓ Do: Ask what systemic factors enabled the problem to occur and how processes can be improved

✗ Don't: Point fingers at specific individuals or make the RCA feel like a performance review or disciplinary action

✓ Use Data to Guide Investigation

Base conclusions on quantitative evidence like analytics, metrics, and measurable outcomes rather than assumptions or anecdotal evidence

✓ Do: Gather concrete data from support tickets, user analytics, feedback surveys, and performance metrics before drawing conclusions

✗ Don't: Jump to solutions based on gut feelings or the loudest complaints without validating with comprehensive data

✓ Implement Solutions Systematically

Develop comprehensive solutions that address root causes and establish monitoring systems to verify effectiveness over time

✓ Do: Create implementation plans with clear ownership, timelines, and success metrics for measuring improvement

✗ Don't: Apply quick fixes without addressing underlying causes or fail to monitor whether solutions actually resolve the root problems

Root Cause Analysis

Quick Definition

How Root Cause Analysis Works

Understanding Root Cause Analysis

Documenting Root Cause Analysis: From Video Insights to Actionable Procedures

Real-World Documentation Use Cases

High Support Ticket Volume for Specific Feature

Problem

Solution

Implementation

Expected Outcome

Inconsistent Information Across Documentation

Problem

Solution

Implementation

Expected Outcome

Low User Engagement with New Documentation

Problem

Solution

Implementation

Expected Outcome

Frequent Last-Minute Documentation Updates

Problem

Solution

Implementation

Expected Outcome

Best Practices

✓ Document Everything During RCA Process

✓ Involve Cross-Functional Team Members

✓ Focus on Process Over People

✓ Use Data to Guide Investigation

✓ Implement Solutions Systematically

How Docsie Helps with Root Cause Analysis

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