How can you ensure unbiased root cause analysis of user feedback?

1 What is root cause analysis?

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a process of identifying and solving the underlying problems that cause user feedback, complaints, or issues. RCA helps you avoid superficial fixes or assumptions that may not address the real causes of user dissatisfaction or frustration. RCA also helps you prioritize and focus on the most impactful and actionable improvements for your product.

2 How to use the 5 Whys method?

The 5 Whys method is an effective technique for RCA, which entails asking "why" multiple times to discover the root cause of a problem. For instance, if you receive user feedback that your app crashes frequently, you can ask why the app crashes frequently, why it runs out of memory, why it loads too many images at once, why it does not have a caching mechanism, and why it was not implemented in the initial design. The last answer reveals a gap in the requirements gathering process that needs to be addressed. To make the most of the 5 Whys method, ask open-ended and specific questions, avoid blaming or guessing, and validate your answers with data or evidence.

3 How to use the fishbone diagram?

The fishbone diagram, also known as the Ishikawa diagram or the cause-and-effect diagram, is a visual tool for RCA that helps you organize and categorize the possible causes of a problem. The fishbone diagram consists of a main spine that represents the problem statement, and several branches that represent the main categories of causes, such as people, process, technology, environment, etc. Each branch can have sub-branches that represent more specific causes, such as skills, training, communication, resources, etc.

To use the fishbone diagram, you need to define the problem clearly and objectively, brainstorm the potential causes with your team or stakeholders, group them into categories, and draw the diagram. You can use the 5 Whys method to drill down into each cause and find the root cause. You can also use data or evidence to validate or eliminate each cause.

4 How to use the hypothesis testing approach?

The hypothesis testing approach is a scientific method for RCA that involves formulating and testing hypotheses about the possible causes of a problem. A hypothesis is a tentative explanation or assumption that can be verified or falsified by data or experiments. For example, if you receive user feedback that your website is slow, you can formulate a hypothesis that the slowness is caused by a server issue, and test it by measuring the server response time.

To use the hypothesis testing approach, you need to define the problem and the success criteria, generate and prioritize hypotheses based on your knowledge and data, design and conduct experiments to test each hypothesis, analyze the results and draw conclusions, and implement and monitor the solutions.

5 How to avoid bias in RCA?

Bias is a tendency to favor or reject certain information or perspectives based on personal preferences, beliefs, or expectations. It can lead to inaccurate or incomplete conclusions in the RCA process, as well as overlooking important feedback. To avoid bias, it's important to be aware of common types of bias such as confirmation bias, anchoring bias, availability bias, and hindsight bias. Strategies to mitigate these biases include seeking diverse sources of feedback like surveys, interviews, reviews, and analytics; challenging your own assumptions and opinions; using data and evidence to support or refute hypotheses; and periodically reviewing the RCA process and outcomes while being open to new information or changes.

6 How to communicate your RCA findings and solutions?

After you have conducted your RCA and identified the root causes and solutions for your user feedback, it is essential to communicate them effectively to your team, stakeholders, and users. You should summarize the main problem, causes, and solutions in a clear and concise way, using visuals or diagrams if possible. Additionally, you should explain the rationale and benefits of your solutions, as well as provide evidence or data to support them. It is also important to solicit feedback from your team, stakeholders, and users, and incorporate their input into your implementation plan. Finally, you should follow up and monitor the results and impact of your solutions, and report on the progress and outcomes.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?