root cause
analysis
Address the cause , not just the symptom.➠
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

ENERGY, SINCERITY,
CLARITY OF VISION,
CREATIVITY...
Dan Eldon (1970-1993)
Creative Activist

in partnership with
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

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globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis introduction
You live on a street where many kids ride
their bicycles every day after school.
One day, a girl riding her bike gets hit by a
car. You run out of your house to make
sure she’s ok. She’s conscious but may
have fractured her arm. You call for an
ambulance. It comes and takes her away.
She’ll be fine...
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis The next week, the same thing
happens. Another kid gets hit by a
car at the same location. You call
for help again.
The week after that, the same thing
happens yet again! Now you’re
thinking, something weird is going
on.
Why are all these accidents
happening all of a sudden?
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
You walk down the block to the You trim the tree a bit. No more
intersection and you see the problem - accidents. You’ve identified the
an overgrown tree has covered up the root cause.
stop sign so cars are not slowing down
at the intersection.
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
Root Cause Analysis is about trying to identify the primary cause of a problem so
that we can prevent the problem from happening in the first place. It’s about
asking questions like...
Can we prevent homelessness rather than just feed the people who end up on
the streets?
Can we prevent people from littering our beaches rather than clean up after
them after the fact?
Can we prevent the elderly from catching the flu rather than treat them after
they have the disease.
A simple way to identify the root cause of a problem is The 5 Whys.
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
?????
The 5 Whys
This is a simple yet powerful exercise that involves seven steps.
1. State the problem you’re trying to address.
2. Identify an indicator - something that tells you there IS a problem.
3. Ask why this is the case - why does the indicator show x.
4. For the reason you just gave, ask why that is the case.
5. Again, for the reason you just gave, ask why that is the case.
6. Again, for the reason you just gave, ask why that is the case.
7. One last time, for the reason you just gave, ask why that is the case.
By the time you get to the 4th or 5th why, you might see something that
resembles a root cause. Here’s an example...
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
1. State the problem
Climate Change
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
2. Identify an indicator - something that tells you there IS a problem.
Carbon dioxide levels in the
atmosphere are rising
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
3. Ask why this is the case - why are carbon dioxide levels rising?
Coal-powered plants are
pumping more carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
4. Why are more coal-powered plants generating more CO₂?
As the world’s energy needs
increase, we are relying on coal
to meet the gap.
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
5. Why are we relying on coal to meet our energy needs?
Coal is still the “cheapest”
source of energy.
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis 6. Why is coal still the “cheapest”?
Clean sources of
energy have not
been properly
developed.
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
7. Why are clean sources of energy not sufficiently developed?
There isn’t enough investment
or market demand for clean
energy.
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis In summary...
Problem Climate Change
Indicator Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are rising
Coal-powered plants are pumping more CO₂ into the
Why
atmosphere
Why We are relying on coal to meet our increased energy needs
Why Coal is still the “cheapest’ source of energy
Why Clean sources of energy have not been properly developed
There isn’t enough investment or market demand for clean
Why
energy
Root Cause?
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
So one root cause for climate change could be...
There isn’t enough investment or
market demand for clean energy.
Now you’re ready to ask...
How should I intervene? How can
I help increase investment or
demand for clean energy?
There are countless ways you can act - you can sell
“carbon offsets” to car owners or create a program
that teaches youth how to use solar and wind
technology. As long as your solution answers the
question above, you can be sure you are
addressing a “root cause” of the problem.
Now it’s your turn...
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
Before you begin, here are some tips...
1. There can be many root causes. Try to identify one at a time.
2. Root causes don’t have to be universal. They can and often are very specific to
a community. The cause for homelessness can be x in one town and y in another.
3. It’s tempting to offer multiple explanations for something. You might want to
say something is happening because of x and y. But for this exercise, choose one
explanation - the one you think is most important.
4. Ask a friend, a teacher or mentor to do this exercise with you. The best way
they can help you is to repeat your answers back to you. “So you think this is
happening because of this?”
Good luck!
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
Problem
Indicator
Why
Why
Why
Why
Why
Root Cause?
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
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globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
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globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

root cause analysis
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globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

about the author
Charles Tsai is the founder and Executive Director of Global
Youth Fund and also works for Ashoka’s Youth Venture as
Director of Virtual Program. Previously, he worked at CNN
as a reporter and producer. www.charlestsai.com
creative activist toolkit thanks
The Creative Activist Toolkit is a series of PDF The Creative Visions Foundation
booklets designed to help today’s youth The Vancouver Foundation
impact the world through creativity and social The Steve Nash Foundation
entrepreneurship. Produced by the Global
Youth Fund and the Creative Visions Jon and Amy Eldon Turteltaub, Joanne Marien
Foundation, the toolkit chapters are offered Elaine Munro, Debbie Riopel, Jaspal Lisa Rai
free to download. Email us if you would like Bruce Johnson, Brooke Kuhn, Serge Martin
to contribute a chapter.
Copyright ©2009 Global Youth Fund credits
Feel free to pass this booklet on but you may Amy Eldon Turteltaub Executive Producer
not alter the content or charge for it. You may Charles Tsai Managing Director
quote brief sections if you credit Global Youth
Fund and provide a link to Echoing Green, Photos from
globalyouth.ning.com globalwarmingart.com
and iStockphoto.com
globalyouthfund Creative Activist Toolkit 001

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