A Single Root Cause?

A Single Root Cause?

From TapRooT® Changing the Way the World Solves Problems by TapRooT®

May 26, 2026 · 18 min · Season 1 · Episode 152

About this episode

This episode discusses the misconception that every incident has only one root cause and explores the implications of this belief.

In this episode of the TapRooT® Podcast, we tackle one of the biggest misconceptions in root cause analysis: the belief that every incident has only one root cause. Join Mark, Ken, and Alex as they discuss why incidents, accidents, equipment failures, and human errors almost always involve multiple causal factors and multiple root causes. Learn why searching for “the root cause” can limit learning opportunities, weaken corrective actions, and create blame-focused investigations.

People in this episode

Hosts: Mark, Ken, Alex

Topics covered

  • root cause analysis
  • misconceptions
  • incidents
  • accidents
  • human errors
  • causal factors

Keywords

  • root cause
  • analysis
  • incidents
  • multiple causes
  • corrective actions
  • investigations

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: TapRooT®

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