YOUR COMPANY LOGO Replace with Title of Incident

GOES HERE...
Delete this box and insert Location of Incident:
your company logo
Date of Incident:

Version Number:
Version Date:

Area Worksheet Description

Title Page This worksheet
Versions Evolution of this workbook and contributors
Investigation Information
Contacts People / Contact info. of those involved with the analysis
CM Steps Cause Mapping method, steps and tools
Need Help? Step 1. Define the Problem 1. Problem Define the problem with the problem outline
281-412-7766 phone Step 2. Conduct the Analysis 2. Cause Map 5-Why basic Cause Map to get started
281-412-7761 fax Step 3. Select the Solutions 3. Solutions Action Items table listing solutions, owner, due dates
info@thinkreliability.com Additional Information & Tools Matrix Evaluate possible solutions for implementation
Timeline Sequence of events with date, time, description
ThinkReliability Diagram Diagrams, drawings and images
www.thinkreliability.com Photos Photographs and pictures
Template Version: 2018-v1 Work Process Steps of related work processes written as a flowchart
Copyright 2018 ThinkReliability, Novem, Inc. Notes Notes, emails, documents
Info To Get Information to collect during the investigation
END Extra material past this worksheet
Excel Tips Tips for using the template in Microsoft® Excel®
Examples & Resources
Examples Example Cause Maps
 Example:
Versions
The versions tab is used to keep a log of the evolution of the investigation. This can be
helpful with larger, ongoing investigations that build out in multiple iterations. The log will
help track the different versions along with the type of interaction and involvement.
Keeping track of the time and duration is optional.

(clock) (in hours)

Version Date Type Description Time Duration Update By Contributors

Total Investigation Hours 0.00

398431259.xlsx 10/01/2018 16:24:17

Contacts
Use this tab to keep track of contact information for any investigation resources and participants.

Organization Name Location Role Email Office Mobile Note

Houston, TX Training & Facilitation Services info@thinkreliability.com 281-412-7766 www.thinkreliability.com

 ThinkReliabilit
Step 1. Define the Problem (Outline)
Timeline
The sequence of events.
Diagram
Any drawings or
Photos y
Any photos or pictures.
Notes
Notes related to the investigation.

1. Problem diagrams.

Capture specifics about the problem as well as

the impact to each of the organization's overall
Goals.
Additional Tools - Use as needed to capture specific information during the investigation.
- Answer each question in the Outline.
Step ...add as much detail as necessary to thoroughly explain the Work Process
2. issue
Start a 5-Why Cause Map The flow of a

2. Analysis work process

that is relevant
to the incident.

Lay out the cause-and-effect relationships for the incident.

- Write down one of the Goals that was impacted. Info to Get Any information that
need to be collected
- Write the impact to that Goal in the next box. Basic during the investigation
- Answer the question "Why did that happen?", then ask
"Why" again.
- In the more detailed analysis, ask as many Why questions
Detailed
as necessary to thoroughly explain the issue.

Step
3.
Propose Possible Evaluate Select Best Specify Each action item is essentially a project.

3. Solutions Solutions
Capture ideas in a solution box
Solution Options
Consider the Effort IN to the
Solution versus the Result
Solutions
Impact and Risk to each
Goal should be reduced
Action Plan Follow-up should evaluate its
effectiveness.
Solutions may be a change in work
process.
and attach it to the cause it OUT to an acceptable level.
controls.
Identify the specific actions that will be taken to
reduce the risk of a similar issue from occurring.
- Brainstorm possible solutions and capture them on the
Cause
Map.
- Evaluate the different possible solutions. Select the best.
- Capture the best solutions in an action plan for
implementation.
 Use the problem outline to define the problem. The problem outline provides a structured checklist to
Problem Outline start an investigation. The outline format moves the focus from individual perspectives to how the
organization sees the problem (goals impacted).

What Problem(s)
When Date
Time
Different, unusual, unique
Where Facility, site
Unit, area, equipment
Task being performed
Impact to each GOAL
Safety
Environment
Customer
Production, Schedule
Property, Equipment
Labor, Time
This incident $0
Frequency

Annualized Cost $0
Replace with Title of Incident Possible Solution: OR
Cause Map Version DRAFT
AND/OR
Evidence:
AND

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

Impacted Goal

Impact to
Safety

Impact to
Environment

Impact to
Customer

Impact to
Production,
Schedule

Impact to
Property,
Equipment

Impact to
Labor, Time
Solutions Possible solutions proposed on the Cause Map control specific causes. For each
solution, identifying the cause controlled provides continuity from the analysis.
Preventive solutions must make changes to your work process. Identify the
process that will be changed or affected by the proposed solution.
Evaluate and select the best solution(s) that redu
Solutions Matrix can be used to evaluate Effort IN
Matrix Tab.
Each solution selected for implementation should
taken, assigned an owner and due date.

Possible Solutions for Consideration

Ref. Possible Solution Cause Controlled

Evaluate and select the best solution(s) that reduce risk to an acceptable level. The
Solutions Matrix can be used to evaluate Effort IN vs Results OUT. Click here to go to the
Matrix Tab.
Solutions Matrix
Each solution selected for implementation should identify the specific actions to be
taken, assigned an owner and due date.

Select Implementation - Action Plan

Work Process Implement? No. Specific Actions Owners

(process to be improved) (yes or no) (specific actions to be taken) (names)
Due Date Measurable
.
(how will we verify completion Status
and effectiveness)
Solutions Matrix The solutions matrix is a qualitative cost / benefit analysis tool that can be used
evaluate possible solutions. To use the tool, copy your possible solutions from the A B C
Cause Map and place them on the matrix relative to each other. If considering a
large number of solutions, letters or numbers can be used to represent your
different options. E F G

High

Payback
Benefit Medium

Low Medium High

Effort
Cost
 C D Use letters or 1 2 3 4
numbers to rank
the solutions.
G H 5 6 7 8

High
Timeline
Used this tab to capture details of the sequence of events leading up to the problem in chronological order.

Date Time Description

Source, Reference
Diagram Label (no border)
Use the drawing tools to add diagrams to this worksheet.
Label (border)
Photos
Insert any supporting pictures on this Label (no border)
worksheet. Copy the symbols to the left and
paste/adjust them to highlight specific areas of
the photo. Label (border)
Work Process
Capturing the detailed steps of the work process can help Label (no border)
reveal where the specific breakdowns occurred. Use the YES Notes:
shapes to the right to document the process from the Decision #1
"people closest to the work". Identify where the Label (border)
breakdowns occurred then use the Cause Map to ask
"why?".
NO
Process step Decision point Notes Opportunity, gap Text label

Insert process
name here
Notes
Use this tab to keep track of any supporting notes, emails or documents.
Info To Get
Use this tab to keep track of any information required to complete the investigation.

Info To Get
No. Investigation Action Items To Get: Owner Date Created Due Date Status Completed
1
2
3
4
5
6

398431259.xlsx Info To Get Page 20 of 22

 Attend a Cause Mapping
workshop
(click to see upcoming workshops)

Quick Access Toolbar Select Objects

Save (default)
Undo/Redo (default)
Setup
The Quick Access Toolbar, located in the upper left hand corner of your
Excel program, allows you to add any Excel command for quick and easy Elbow Arrow Shapes (menu)
access. To customize, Select File, then Options, then click on Quick Access Connector
Toolbar. Once open, you must change the list of commands to All
Commands. You can now select any command to add to the toolbar. Some
of the commonly added Cause Mapping commands are shown to the right. Align (menu)

Top 3 tips you must

know…
Copy using Control-Drag
To quickly copy and paste a new box, left click
directly on the border of an existing box.
While still holding down the left click, drag the
box to the desired location. Before releasing
the left mouse button, hold down the Ctrl
button on the keyboard. You must release the
left click before releasing Ctrl.
Connector “Alt-
Shortcut”
Excel has built in “Hot Keys” that allow you to
quickly select a function from the Quick Access
Toolbar above. Tap and release the Alt key to
pull up numbers on the Quick Access Toolbar.
NOTE: Elbow Arrow Connector
in 1 position
Select Objects
Cursor
The arrow cursor allows you to select
drawing objects and should be added to
your Quick Access Toolbar (see above).
Once the function is selected, left click and
hold in open space and drag the window to
highlight the objects you want to select. An
object will only be selected if it is entirely
inside the shaded selection window.

Started here
If you have placed the Elbow Arrow Connector in the
first position, then tapping the 1 key will give you a
connector that can be added to the Cause Map.

the the Connect the

Hold down Ctrl when boxes
Left click & drag releasing object n… n… (see Connector
Tap & release Tap & release Basics below)
Dragged to here

Rotate The handle can be used

Box Basics
Resiz
e
At the corners and
midpoints of the box
are nodes that can be
used to resize the box.
Zoom-in and Zoom-out
shortcut
A quick way to Zoom in and out on the spreadsheet is done by
holding the Ctrl key down and then scrolling up or down with the
scroll wheel on an external mouse.
to rotate the object. Moving / copying boxes in a
straight line Shift
When moving an object, hold down on the
Add Text Shif key to move the box only at 90-degree Hold Shift as you drag
text… angles (left, right, up, or down). The shift the box
Simply start typing function also works when copying something in only a straight line to
after selecting the maintain alignment. We call this the Ctrl-Shift-Drag method.
box to add text.
Move
To move a box with text, focus on
grabbing the edge of the box. As you
move the cursor to the edge, it changes
to a move icon (shown above) allowing
you to grab and move the object.
Align multiple
boxes with
alignment Align Left
Align Center
If you want to align multiple objects together,
functions
select the boxes using either the Select Objects Align Right
cursor or holding down the Shif key as you
select the objects. Once the objects are selected,
Align Top
Align Middle
click on the appropriate command to align the
boxes. Hint: Make sure you don’t select the Align
Bottom
connectors or they will align as well.

Hold down Ctrl

and use the scroll
wheel on the mouse
Cause Map Examples
Optional Objects
Heat
COULD
Cause Map
2-Whys Paper jam ?
AND
Why ? Why ?

Hazard OR
Impact to Employee contacted Fire Fuel
Safety injured hand unprotected
hand
Out of paper ?
AND

Printer is not Info to Get:

functioning
OR
Oxygen
Notes:
Failure Modes Toner cartridge
4-Whys empty ?
Parallel Causes (a split)

This Cause Map shows how one effect OR

can require more than one cause.
Hazard
(injury
producer) No power ?
Stress applied
Hazard
Impact to Employee contacted
AND
Safety injured hand unprotected
hand Stress exceeds
Fracture AND
strength
Unprotected,
exposed hand
Strength