Find the root cause

Tue Feb 05, 2019 · 122 words

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If you can track down the root cause of your problem and remove it, your problem goes away.

The hard part is tracking down the root cause.

One general method is to start with a symptom of your problem.

Ask yourself, “What could be causing this symptom?”

When you have a potential cause, ask yourself, “What other symptoms should be present, and do you see these other symptoms?”

If the answer is yes, then we’re getting somewhere. Continue asking yourself about potential causes for the cause you just identified.

Repeat until you can find no more causes.

If the answer is no to seeing other symptoms, try to determine other potential causes.

See the problem-solving checklist for more ideas about solving problems.