Root Cause Analysis (RCA).

The process of discovering root cause is known as root cause analysis. Root cause can be defined as the primary reason for a specific outcome or effect. To find root cause is to identify exactly how and why a specific event has occurred. This is key to understanding causal relationships and in preventing repeated mistakes. Consider aspirin, which is commonly used to treat the symptoms of a headache. While aspirin momentarily dulls the effect of the headache, it does not address the root cause, which is why the headache occurred in the first place. Any number of things might have triggered the symptom—eyestrain, seasonal allergies, a sinus infection. Determining the root cause of the headache will enable its prevention in the future. A new pair of glasses will ease eyestrain. Antihistamines keep allergic reactions at bay. Antibiotics help cure sinus infections, and so on.