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WorkshopAny teamProblem solving

Root cause analysis workshop

75 minutes 7 blocksFree Free template

A blame-free RCA in 75 minutes: timeline, contributing factors, five whys on the top causes and actions ranked by how strongly they fix the system.

Use this template See inside

Free to use and to run live. No card needed.

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Timeline
Facts in order, with times
Factors
Contributing: people, process, kit, setting
Why? Why? Why?
Keep asking until it's something we can change
Root causes
Fix this and it won't happen again
Actions
Change the system, not only the training

In short

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a structured way to find why a problem or incident happened so it doesn't happen again. This template runs a blame-free 75-minute RCA: a timeline and contributing factors from everyone's phone, dot voting, five whys on the top causes and actions ranked by strength, each with an owner and a measure.
Time
75 minutes
People
3 to 12
Board
5 columns, 3 dots each
Plan
Free

Updated October 4, 2026

What's inside

The agenda

By the end of this meeting, we understand how the system allowed this to happen and have strong actions with owners, dates and measures.

75 min · 7 blocks, drawn to scale Fits exactly
  1. Ground rules: facts, systems, no blame, 5 minutes 5
  2. The problem statement and what we already know, 7 minutes 7
  3. Build the timeline, then list contributing factors, 20 minutesBrainstorm 20
  4. Dot-vote the factors that mattered most, 5 minutes 5
  5. Five whys on the top three factors, 18 minutesDiscuss 18
  6. Actions, strongest first, 15 minutesDecide 15
  7. Who checks the actions worked, and when, 5 minutes 5
019385675 min
  1. +0′Ground rules: facts, systems, no blameTip: Say it plainly: we're here to understand how the system let this happen, not to find someone to blame. The people involved are the experts on what happened.5 minInfo
  2. +5′The problem statement and what we already knowTip: One sentence: what happened, where, when and the impact. Share facts gathered beforehand (records, logs, interviews) before opinions.7 minInfo
  3. +12′Build the timeline, then list contributing factorsTip: Ten minutes on the timeline, ten on contributing factors. Names don't show on the board, which helps people who were involved speak freely.20 minBrainstorm
  4. +32′Dot-vote the factors that mattered mostTip: Three dots each. The top three go into the why column.5 minDiscuss
  5. +37′Five whys on the top three factorsTip: Ask why until the answer is something the organization can change. If an answer names a person, ask what made that action likely instead: workload, design, unclear procedure.18 minDiscuss
  6. +55′Actions, strongest firstTip: Strong actions change the design (remove the hazard, force the right step, simplify). Medium: checklists, standard equipment, redundancy. Weak on their own: training, warnings, a new policy. Each action needs an owner, a date and a measure.15 minDecide
  7. +70′Who checks the actions worked, and when5 minWrap-up

How to run it

  1. 1Gather the facts before the meeting (records, logs, short interviews) and open with a clear no-blame statement.
  2. 2Build the timeline and contributing factors from phones. Names don't show on the notes, which gets you details people won't say out loud.
  3. 3Dot-vote the top factors and ask five whys on each until you reach something the organization controls.
  4. 4Rank actions by strength and give each one an owner, a date and a measure. Set a date to check the actions actually worked.

Questions people ask

What is root cause analysis?
A method for finding the underlying causes of a problem rather than its symptoms, so the fix prevents it from happening again. Common tools include a timeline, a fishbone diagram and the five whys.
How is root cause analysis used in healthcare?
After serious patient safety events, teams review what happened with a focus on systems, not individuals. The Joint Commission expects a comprehensive systematic analysis, such as an RCA, after a sentinel event.
What should a root cause analysis template include?
A problem statement, a timeline of facts, contributing factors, the root causes with evidence, and corrective actions with owners, dates and a way to measure whether they worked.

Run it with your group

Free
  • Ideas land on the board from every phone, then dot-vote
  • A timer for every block on the shared screen
  • Results, decisions and actions in the summary
Use this template

Free to use and to run live. No card needed.

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