Root Cause Pattern — Problem

Pattern: Root Cause
Component: problem.md
Version: 1.2 | Updated: 2026-07-29

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Statement

After containment, teams skip evidence-bound RCA: blame replaces timeline, “fixed” means volume dipped, and no regression detector is added.

Measurable symptoms

Symptom	How you detect it
Blame RCA	Names without causal chain
Volume ≠ fixed	Fingerprint quiet; defect remains
No follow-ups	RCA closed with zero owners
Lost chronology	Monitors edited mid-RCA

Root cause

Learning work competes with the next feature. Without a forced evidence bar, RCA becomes narrative therapy.

What breaks when this pattern is skipped

• Repeat incidents with identical causes
• Auditors find no learning trail
• Fixes that never get a detector

Non-goals of this pattern

• Not punishment
• Not optional documentation fluff
• Not automatic ticket closure via MCP summary

Related

• Failures — recovery table
• Workflow — ordered steps
• Checklist — exit criteria

Changelog

• 1.2 (2026-07-29): Root Cause problem page expanded with skip-impact and operator symptoms.