Root Cause Analysis - Building a Bug Free System

In this episode of knowledge ketchup, QA Engineer Aashish talked about Root Cause Analysis (RCA). RCA helps uncover the underlying reasons for software issues, ensuring teams fix problems at their source rather than just addressing symptoms.

Transcript

1. QA Engineer Root Cause Analysis: Building a bug-free system How to find the real reason behind software issues Aashish Rawal
2. 01 What is RCA?
3. What is RCA? 1 A process to find out why a bug happened Not just fixing the bug, but fixing the cause behind it 2 Analogy: Mopping water (bug) vs. fixing the leaking pipe (root cause) 3
4. 02 Why do RCA?
5. Why Do RCA? Purpose of RCA: 1 Prevent recurring bugs 3 Save time and cost 2 Improve code quality 4 Improve team process and communication
6. 03 5-Step RCA Process
7. 5-Step RCA Process 🛠️ Simple RCA Process: 1 Describe the problem 2 Collect information (logs, screenshots, test cases) Ask “Why?” until you hit the root cause 3 Fix the root cause (not just the bug) 4 Take preventive action for the future 5
8. 04 RCA Example (Simple Bug)
9. RCA Example (Simple Bug) Bug: Login button doesn’t work on mobile. RCA Steps: 1 Why? → Click handler not firing ✅ Root Cause: Test plan missed mobile scope ✅ Fix: Add mobile testing + fix CSS Why? → CSS layer blocking it 2 Why? → Mobile not tested 3 Why? → Mobile testing not in test plan 4
10. 05 RCA Techniques
11. RCA Techniques 🧰 Common RCA Tools: ✅ 5 Whys – keep asking “Why?” until you find the root ✅ Fishbone Diagram – categories like process, people, code, etc. ✅ Bug Pattern Analysis – repeat offenders?
12. 06 RCA Template (Reusable Format)
13. RCA Template (Reusable Format) 📝 Problem: Booking failed on payment step ✍️ Impact: User can't complete booking ✍️ Root Cause: Payment gateway response not handled ✅ Fix: Add error handling logic ✅ Prevention: Add tests + code review checklist
14. 07 RCA is Not About blame
15. 🚫 RCA is NOT: A blame game ✅ RCA IS: Learning and improving Pointing fingers Fixing systems, not people Team-level maturity
16. 08 Deep Dive: 5 Whys Technique
17. Deep Dive: 5 Whys Technique 🧠 Ask 'Why?' multiple times until you reach the root cause. 🎯 Helps identify process gaps, not just surface issues. Example: 1 Why did the booking fail? → Payment timeout. 2 Why timeout? → Server took too long to respond. ✅ Root Cause: Deployment config not reviewed. Why slow server? → High load and no scaling. 3 Why no scaling? → Auto-scaling not enabled. 4 Why not enabled? → Missed in deployment config. 5
18. 09 Deep Dive: Fishbone Diagram
19. Deep Dive: Fishbone Diagram 🦴 Used to visually identify possible causes of a problem. ✅ Categories: 1 People (lack of training, communication gaps) 3 Tools (outdated software, poor integration) 5 Code (logic errors, missed edge cases) 2 4 Process (unclear steps, missing validation) Environment (network issues, hardware failures)
20. 10 RCA in Agile
21. RCA in Agile 🔄 RCA is part of continuous improvement. 💬 During retrospectives: 1 Discuss recent bugs/issues. Perform lightweight RCA. 2 Document action items. 3
22. 11 Additional RCA Examples
23. Additional RCA Examples 🛫 Example 1: Flight class booking failure 1 Root Cause 2 Backend missed business rule. Fix 📧 Example 2: Email not sent after booking Add validation + test. 1 Root Cause SMTP config changed during deploy. 2 Fix Add monitoring and pre-deploy checklist.
24. 12 Benefits of Doing RCA
25. Benefits of Doing RCA 🌟 Improves team learning and accountability. 💡 Reduces repeated issues. 📈 Increases software reliability. 🔒 Builds trust with stakeholders and clients. ⚙️ Enhances processes and documentation.
26. 13 Summary of Key Points
27. Summary of Key Points 🔍 RCA = Identify the real cause behind bugs 🧰 Use tools like 5 Whys and Fishbone Diagram 🎯 Focus on learning, not blaming 🚀 Improve processes to prevent future issues ✅ Make RCA a habit in QA/Dev cycle
28. Final Takeaway 14
29. Final Takeaway 🔑 Key Message: “Fixing a bug helps today. Finding and fixing the root cause helps forever.”
30. Thank You 💬 Any Questions?