RCA Documentation and Reporting Flashcards

What is the primary purpose of an RCA report?

Answer: To document the investigation findings, root cause, and corrective actions for organizational learning and accountability

An RCA report communicates what was found, why the problem occurred, and what actions will prevent recurrence, serving both organizational learning and accountability.

Which section of an RCA report describes the immediate actions taken to stop ongoing harm?

Answer: Containment Actions

The Containment Actions section documents the short-term measures taken to prevent further damage while the root cause investigation was ongoing.

In an RCA report, what does the 'evidence summary' section include?

Answer: All data, physical evidence, witness accounts, and documents collected during the investigation

The evidence summary compiles all data and information collected during the investigation to justify and support the root cause conclusion.

Why is it important to write RCA reports using 'plain language' rather than technical jargon when sharing with non-technical stakeholders?

Answer: It ensures all readers can understand the findings and support corrective actions

Plain language ensures that executives, customers, or regulators without technical backgrounds can understand the findings and the actions needed to prevent recurrence.

What is the '5W1H' framework sometimes used to structure an RCA problem description in a report?

Answer: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How

The 5W1H framework captures Who was involved, What happened, When it occurred, Where it happened, Why it occurred, and How it developed to fully describe the problem.

In RCA reporting, what is the purpose of an 'executive summary'?

Answer: To provide a concise overview of the problem, root cause, and corrective actions for senior stakeholders

An executive summary distills the key findings and corrective actions into a brief overview for leaders who need the key takeaways without reading the full report.