Using Root Cause Analysis in Public Policy Pedagogy

Abstract

Defining policy problems is crucial to the policy process. The definition process is difficult because it relies more on craft developed through experience and intuition than on objective methodology. The lack of a methodology presents considerable challenges to novice policy students because of their lack of knowledge and experience in defining complex problems and thus their undeveloped skill in craft. Root Cause Analysis (RCA), a structured methodology designed to analyze the causes and effects of problems, can be a powerful pedagogical method to increase student comprehension and success in defining policy problems. Although RCA was developed primarily as an ex post methodology in the engineering, computing, and health care fields to understand how major adverse events or system failures occurred, a modified RCA is well suited for identifying and analyzing complex and dynamic policy problems. This paper provides a framework on the use of RCA as a pedagogical method for improving policy student learning.