When conducting a root cause analysis for a client it’s common for one of the employees to ask “What if we find the very best solution, but it costs too much.” I always turn this question back to the clients and ask them for their thoughts. Usually one of their coworkers quickly responds by saying “It can’t be the best solution if it costs too much.” This is true.
An organization has goals that define its ideal state. Some of the goals relate to safety and compliance, some relate to the customer and some focus on production, property, equipment and labor. The most effective solution may actually be a combination of several different solutions. A problem doesn’t have to be limited to just one action item. A thorough root cause analysis may produce multiple action items. Sometimes implementing several simple actions can be more effective than one big solution. When a particular solution costs too much there may be simpler, quicker ways of accomplishing the same result. There truly isn’t a “right way” of preventing a problem at work. There are many different ways - some of which are better than others. Either way, all of the solutions must fall within the framework of that organization’s overall goals.
The first part of the solutions step is to propose ideas to control the individual causes. Looking for solutions one cause at a time makes it easier to consider other possibilities. Once an accurate analysis has been completed, possible solutions can be proposed for any one of the causes. This is typically referred to as brainstorming. The best solutions are selected from all the possible solutions.
If someone finds a solution that prevents the problem, but the implementation effort is beyond the impact and risk to the goals, then that solution will not be effective. The overall goals distill possible solutions into the best ones. If there is an impact or potential impact to personnel or a mandatory compliance requirement, the available solution set expands. If a problem is purely an economic one with no risk to safety, then the cost-benefit ratio determines which solutions are best. If a solution works well, but the effort in exceeds the results out, then it’s not the best solution.
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