Organizations that work in high-risk environments often use a process called “Root Cause Analysis” to solve challenging problems…and yet in some situations despite all our best efforts, nagging problems continue to occur.

Consider this example: We worked recently with a large, successful organization in the energy field that struggled with some ongoing challenges in its preventive maintenance program. The program was well developed and focused on projects to keep the equipment and facility in top shape, as well as improvements to the equipment, facilities and processes. However, it was in the execution of preventative maintenance projects that hard-to-resolve issues persisted (eg. parts or resources not being available during critical downtimes). A well-designed preventative maintenance program was in place but was not sufficient…it was the people in the organization who were the key to the program’s successful execution.

Our experience with success cause analysis applied to a preventive maintenance problem that had been analyzed previously using root cause analysis, produced findings and recommendations that went well beyond the results of the prior work. And, it also took less time! By the end of the Success Cause Analysis, the preventive maintenance team identified a number of critical action items and also recommended improvement ideas for using this appreciative process in the future.

What do we mean by Success Cause Analysis (SCA)?

SCA inquires into the “best of what we do today and how can we make it even better tomorrow” rather than inquiring into “what didn’t work yesterday and how to fix it”. When we learn about success stories from similar programs or processes not experiencing the problems, we have the potential to involve teams of people in constructing solutions collectively that “design out” the problems at hand. SCA pays attention to what works and why, and as a result, targeted problems in other areas are resolved faster and more comprehensively. By shifting our focus from finding fault (and the associated defensiveness that is created), to a focus on rigorously uncovering the “causes of success” when things go right, we are able to create a culture of innovation, while also generating data about “what works” —important data that is missing from failure analysis. This shift generates an environment conducive to implementation and ongoing improvement.

The Approach

Phase one begins with the selection of a 6-8 person team. The team should be experienced and representative of the people involved in all aspects of the process or program in which the problem is occurring. A key step in this phase involves taking the identified problem and reframing it so that it is presented as an opportunity. For example, the problem “missing parts” might be reframed as an opportunity to “all critical components prepared and ready for installation”. During this time the team is also trained in the entire Success Cause Analysis process from gathering and making sense of data through to ensuring that solutions work.

Phase two begins by drawing a process diagram that outlines where key actions and decisions are made so that the whole team understands the process flow. The team researches and identifies instances elsewhere in the organization where the problem being studied is not occurring (or is minimized). Such findings are called “positive deviants”. The team explores them deeply, gathering data through interviews to find the causes of success. Research into best practices is also done outside of the organization. The data is then analyzed and organized into findings and opportunities for the future. Using these findings, the team next envisions the ideal future when the process or program is operating at its best …without the problem occurring.

In Phase three, the team develops positive innovations in both technical and organizational systems and creates prioritized action recommendations to implement the innovations. These recommendations could encompass improvements in processes, procedures, information sharing, roles and responsibilities.

In Phase four, after agreement to move forward, the first few action steps are, resourced and initiated. Follow-on assessment looks for positive outcomes and identifies ways to drive more of them.

Success Cause Analysis (SCA) can co-exist with Root Cause Analysis in many businesses and institutions. SCA is particularly useful when the issue is complex and has significant human elements. Not only does SCA produce great process innovations, it engages people in a way that increases commitment to successful results. As they investigate and build on past success, participants create momentum for change and confidence in the future.

For more information on how you can utilize Success Cause Analysis and resolve some of those nagging problems…please contact me.

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Bob Laliberte is a Partner at Innovation Partners International.
Click here to reach him by e-mail.
 

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News from your IPI Partners…

IPI welcomes a new Canadian Associate

IPI is pleased to welcome Tim Fleming, a new associate in our Ottawa office. Tim is an IAF certified professional facilitator, stakeholder engagement practitioner, conflict management specialist, project manager and trainer. His experience has included challenging issues such as school closure, waste management, and criminal justice, as well as strategic planning and advisory processes for several organizations. Tim has an undergraduate degree in Conflict Resolution and International Development Studies from the University of Winnipeg, a certificate in Public Participation from the International Association for Public Participation, and a Professional Certificate in Conflict Management from the Sprott School of Business.

IPI in the news:

IPI partners Bernard Mohr and Bob Laliberte are featured in a Health Care IT News article about the transition to Electronic Medical Records:

Axiom News features the work of IPI partners Jen Hetzel Silbert and Tony Silbert for the Social Enterprise Rhode Island Summit:

Check out the fall issue of ASTD’s Training and Development Magazine for an article on Jen Hetzel Silbert and Bob Laliberte’s work on Sustaining Cooperative Capacities.

IPI Around the World:

In Ottawa, Canada IPI partner, Joanne Daykin recently worked with the staff at Bruyère Family Medicine Centre. IPI’s unique approach to change management and continuous improvement helped doctors, nurses, clerks and administrators to dive in and explore ways to address important strategic issues. Outcomes included alignment around changes in how work gets done and a more collaborative environment across seven teams. Initial successes have sparked a larger transformation aimed at redesigning how care will be delivered at the centre.

In Liberia last September, IPI partners Ada Jo Mann and Jen Hetzel Silbert and IPI associate Diane Carazas conducted a national-level Consultative Summit on the future of Liberia’s forests. That event (conducted at the request of USAID and the US Forest Service) was followed by community level Appreciative consultations in communities within or adjacent to Liberia’s forests.

In Washington DC, the first ever AI Storython (organized by IPI partners Ada Jo Mann and Roz Kay and hosted by AI Consulting) celebrated 10 years of lifting up AI in the world. The Storython followed a “TED”- like format of 15 minute stories describing successful applications of AI around the world. A highlight of the event was David Cooperrider, sharing his latest thinking on “Innovation-inspired Positive Organization Development”.

In Boston, MA, IPI partners Bernard Mohr and Bob Laliberte helped Tufts Medical Center with the challenge of sustaining innovation by designing a customized application of Appreciative Dynamic Evaluation® (ADE) which combines the power of story, data and narrative to:

• generate energy, momentum, and enthusiasm for the next stages, by recognizing what’s working and building forward, rather than highlighting what’s not and working backwards and,
• build the system’s “connective tissue” to provide the stretch and resilience needed to support innovation, change or transformation.
   

To see pictures and stories of a year long journey to increase quality and safety of care, patient satisfaction, and economic sustainability at Tufts Medical Centre and Floating Children's Hospital, read "What Collaborative Innovation In HealthCare looks like”.

In 23 countries Search for Common Ground (SFCG) transforms the way the world deals with conflict – away from adversarial approaches toward cooperative solutions. Tony Silbert and Mike Feinson worked with 45 top leaders to:

• identify and share leading management practices across SFCG, and,
• develop their knowledge, skills, and behaviors to better manage for results and high-performance.