An AI prompt for a root cause analysis

If you have problems now or plan to have some one day,  a root cause analysis may be just what you need.

From a high-level, a root cause analysis is a problem-solving process that identifies the underlying (or root) cause(s) of a problem.

Different people in different industries will say that their different way of doing a root cause analysis is the “right” way.  I don’t know if there is a “right” way.  Lots of ways have worked for me.  

The reason I’m telling you this is because you can use an AI tool like ChatGPT to carry out an initial analysis.  If you give it enough context it can scan a large amount of information WAY faster than any person could on their own and make connections that we’d never consider.

Just here for the prompt…

Here is a prompt template that you can modify for your situation -

You are an expert with PhD-level theoretical knowledge and 20 years of practical experience in {industry/field}  

{Give a description of your environment or background}

I am facing a complicated problem in {industry/field} that I would like you to help me with.  

{Give a description of the problem}

Given your expertise in this field, can you conduct a detailed analysis of potential root causes?

Ask me any clarifying questions necessary if you need information that I have not provided

Output a numbered list of potential root causes, each with a strategy to address or resolve

Expect  follow-up questions that will reference a number from the list and request more information or approaches to resolve the problem

If this is more prompt than you are used to, that’s okay.  This is how you start to uncover the real power of these tools.

Need to see an example?

Here is an example of a filled-out prompt

You are an expert with PhD-level theoretical knowledge and 20 years of practical experience in direct-response marketing  

I have a small business with 5 employees.  We sell widgets to widget-seekers

I am facing a complicated problem with lead generation that I would like you to help me with.  

We have determined that we need to generate at least 100 leads per day and we are only averaging 15.  We need ideas for ways to increase our lead generation

Ask me any clarifying questions necessary if you need information that I have not provided

Given your expertise in this field, can you conduct a detailed analysis of potential root causes?

Output a numbered list of potential root causes, each with a strategy to address or resolve

Expect  follow-up questions that will reference a number from the list and request more information or approaches to resolve the problem

This is the response

Just these questions alone could get me thinking about and realizing the actual problem.

At this point I could keep going with AI, answer all of the questions and see what it comes up with.  I could also walk away from AI, take this list of questions and facilitate a brainstorming session with my team.  

I’ll stop here but hopefully that was enough to see how useful this approach could be