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According to long-time ship captain, Eddie Janson, the recent groundings of the M/V Rena and the Costa Concordia point out important lessons when seen through the eyes of a root cause analysis expert. So far, the response to these incidents seems to have focused mostly on human error as the cause and punitive actions as the solution. But the purpose of a root cause analysis is not to find someone to blame, it is to prevent an undesired event from happening again. We have to ask, why was it possible to make this error? What safeguards should have been in place to prevent it? To truly change unsafe behavior, regular training and commitment from the top is needed. 

Improve the problem-solving culture of your organization by following three essential steps.

Successful IT problem-solving organizations are increasingly implementing formal root cause analysis (RCA) within their ITIL problem management structure to more effectively analyze problems and prevent negative impacts on the business.

Companies that need to manage the risks of a complex global supply chain are most successful when they proactively solve problems through a robust Solution Management System (SMS) built on a solid, adaptable root cause analysis program.

Lack of thorough process knowledge is the most powerful factor that limits or destroys improvement initiatives.  Root cause analysis delivers process knowledge that supports improvement initiatives and earns management support.

When the cause of a problem is identified as human error and disciplinary action is the chosen solution, it doesn't really improve the long-term error rate, but instead actually increases risk and cover-up attempts.  By providing people with a more robust way to identify conditional causes, solutions will more likely be identified that fix the problem permanently and reduce risk.