You know the feeling in the conference room when the team finally lands it. The fishbone is covered in sticky notes. You’ve worked through five whys, or ten, or fifteen. Somebody on the team traces the line with a finger and says, “There it is. That’s the root cause.” Heads nod. Pens cap. A warm, settled feeling comes over the room. We figured it out. That feeling is the most dangerous thing in the building. … Continue reading Why You Can’t Think Your Way to a Root Cause