The Smell of Dysfunction and Corrective Action

When we hear about some dysfunction in our work, a product, a system - Root Cause Analysis can provide the corrective action needed to remove the dysfunction and most importantly prevent the dysfunction from returning.

There are Eight Questions needed to gain insight into the source of the problem, before conjecturing any fix. In the Appollo Root Cause Analysis method, we have both Events (Actions) and Conditions, so these Eight need to be restated

1. What was the harm from the event or the condition that created the primary effect?
2. What was the significance of this effect? How is this measured? 
3. What was the set-up for the event or the condition? In Apollo, the cause and the effect are the same things in an infinite chain.  My cause is your effect, which creates a  new cause for a new effect.
4. What triggered the event? Either an Action or a Condition. Find out, write that down, record the source of the observation and the connection in the chain of cause and effect.
5. What made the harm as severe as it was? Assess - an after action report - what damage was done. 
6. What kept the harm from being a lot worse? Look for preventative measures that are already in place.
7. What should be learned from the event? This is the basis of another method, the Phoenix method of Root Cause Analysis, where Lessons Learned are captured and used to prevent or correct future problems.
8. What should be done about the event? This is the Corrective Action Plan (CAP) for the Primary Effect. In Apollo, this is defined by removing one of more cause and effect paths.

Here's a framework for applying Apollo

Root cause analysis master plan from Glen Alleman

When you hear someting like Estimates are the smell of Dysfunction you'll now know that is complete utter malarky, since not cause has been stated and not corrective action has been devised that can be tested to prevent or correct that undefined smell. 

So don't let anyone get away with making a unsubstianted statement about some problem they have observed and some suggested correction to that problem. It's intellectual laziness to do make those statements. And intellectual laziness to not challenge them.