Delete this box and insert your DRAFT Version 1

organization's logo here. September 1, 2009

Incident Title The following worksheets are contained in this workbook:

Location, Date Worksheet

Title Page
Description
This worksheet
Versions Evolution of this workbook and contributors

Cause Map
Contacts Contact info for people involved with the investigation
CM Steps Cause Map Steps
1. Outline Problem Definition
Project Workbook 2. Cause Map The latest Cause Map in the Investigation
3. Solutions Actions Items Summary (Solutions)
The purpose of this project workbook in Excel is to Photos
organize all information related to this issue.
Notes
Timeline
Process Map
Diagram
Investigation Action Items Investigation Action List (tasks within the investigation)
This Cause Map Project Workbook was created by:
END Items past this tab are earlier versions/info for reference
ThinkReliability Excel Instructions Instructions on using Mircrosoft Excel drawing tools
281-412-7766 office Box Templates Copy boxes from this worksheet as needed
281-412-7761 fax
CM Examples

Use the tabs to select the individual worksheets.

Workbook Created: September 1, 2009
Template Excel-2003 v2-09
Excel instructions
and examples are
located on tabs to
the right.
Use the arrows to see all of the tabs.
Version Date Type Description
Time Duration Update By Contributors
Organization Name Location Role Email Office Mobile Note
Cause Mapping is a visual, systems-based approach that focuses on fundamental cause-and-effect relationships
supported with evidence. The three basic steps of Cause Mapping are shown below.

Additional Tools
- Timeline
- Diagrams/Photos
- Processes

Possible Solutions:

Effect Cause

Evidence:

Comprehensive Investigation Cause-and-Effect

The 3 basic steps of Cause Mapping are done for every investigation, though the level of detail is Relationship
dependent on the impact to the goals. On some issues it may be helpful to incorporate the
additional tools above into the Cause Mapping process:
ThinkReliability
1. Write the Problem Outline (CM Step 1) www.thinkreliability.com
2. Develop a timeline 281-489-2904 office
3. Begin building the Cause Map (CM Step 2)
4. Review/Capture the work processes involved with this issue Your Root Cause Analysis Resouce
(Move between 2, 3 and 4 as needed to capture all relevant information) Visit out web site for examples, material,
videos and more.
5. Identify specific actions to be taken to improve the existing work
processes (CM Step 3) Get a free copy of our Excel template.
Step 1. Define the Problem

What Problem(s)
When Date
Time
Different, unusual, unique
Where State, city
Facility, site
Unit, area, equipment
Task being performed
Impact to the Goals
Safety
Environmental
Cust. Service
Production-Schedule
Property, Equip, Mtls
Labor, Time
This incident $0
Frequency
Annualized
 AND
Why? Possible Solutions:

OR
Effect Cause
Cause

Start with the Goals (in red) that have been impacted. Evidence:
Read the map to the right by asking Why questions.

Step 2. Cause Map

Safety Goal
Impacted

Environmental
Goal
Impacted

Customer Goal
Impacted

Production
Goal
Impacted

Property
Goal
Impacted

Labor
Goal
Impacted
3. Solutions
Corrective Actions to be taken from this Incident that are Causally Related

No. Action Item Cause Owner Due Date Status Completed

1
2
3
4
5
6

NOTE: Since solutions control specific causes, every action item (solution) should correspond to a cause
from the Cause Map. This provides continuity in the analysis. Every cause on the Cause Map does not
need to be solved. Only those causes with action items (solutions) are listed in this table.
Photos

Insert any pictures on this worksheet.

Use text boxes to create lables.
Notes
Date Time Description
Process Map Decision point

YES

Process

NO
Diagram
Use the drawing tools to add any
diagram to this worksheet.
Investigation Action List
This tab is used to track specific information gathering or support tasks for the investigation.
The Solutions tab will capture the action items that are selected by the investigation team

No. Action Item Owner Date Created Due Date Status Completed
1
2
3
4
5
6

514954327.xls Investigation Action Items Page 14 of 18

 16 Tips for the Drawing Tools in Excel 2003
Notes to help you get started. These
ThinkReliability.com notes Map
- Cause provide some assistance
Template Copyrightin2008
using the Microsoft Excel Cause Map template and assume
that you have already attended the Cause Mapping workshop.

Click here for more information www.thinkreliability.com

Excel 2003 Drawing Tool – Tips and Shortcuts

This tip sheet is for ThinkReliability clients and Cause Mapping users who are using Excel 2003.

1. Removing Grid Lines

Click Tools on the menu bar at the top of the screen. Select Options. On the view tab, under Window Options uncheck the box next
to Gridlines to turn off the gridlines for that worksheet. Click OK.

2. Adding the Drawing Toolbar

Add the Drawing Toolbar by clicking on View/Toolbars. From the different toolbars that appear check Drawing. The Drawing Toolbar,
which starts with the word Draw, may appear at the bottom of your Excel screen or directly on the worksheet. It can be moved by left
clicking on the vertical line just left of the word Draw. Hold the mouse button down and drag the Drawing toolbar to the desired
location.

3. Arrow Cursor - Select Objects

There are two cursors in Excel 2003. There is the plus cursor for performing regular functions with the cells and there is an arrow
cursor for selecting objects that are located on the worksheet. To select the arrow cursor, left click on the arrow to the right of the
word Draw on the Drawing Toolbar.

4. Making a Text Box

There is a shortcut button for making text boxes on the Drawing Toolbar with a capital A inside of it with small lines. Click on the text
box button and release the mouse. Move the cursor, which now looks like a vertical line with a bar toward the bottom, to the
spreadsheet. Click and hold the left mouse button to drag a box to the desired size.

5. Box Border – Lines or Dots

Clicking anywhere on a text box highlights that box with hashed lines on each of the four sides. Clicking on the dashed lines will turn
the border into dots. A dotted border is for selecting the entire box. A hashed border shows that the inside of the box has a cursor so
that text can be added or edited. Click in the middle of the box or directly on the border to move between a hashed line and dotted
border.

6. Sizing Boxes
The dots in the corners and on the sides of the boxes can be dragged with the mouse to make the box smaller or larger. The boxes
can also be sized by right clicking on the box to create the hashed line border, then double clicking the hashed line border with the left
mouse button to pull up a format box. Under the Size tab, you can set exact vertical and horizontal dimensions. Several boxes can
be sized at the same time by selecting multiple boxes.

7. Moving Boxes
To move a box click on the border so that it becomes dotted, hold down the left mouse button and drag the box to the desired
location. Once the box has a dotted border, it can also be moved by using the arrows on the keyboard.

8. Selecting Multiple Boxes

Hold down the shift key and left click on the each box you wish to add to the selection. Multiple boxes can be selected. This multiple
selection using the shift key works for selecting any object including lines. You can also select several boxes at a time using the
Select Objects function. Click on the arrow to the right of Draw on the Drawing Toolbar, left click on the worksheet and drag the
dashed box to contain all the boxes you wish to select. You can then move all of them together by grabbing the dotted border on any
one of the boxes.

9. Copying Boxes
To copy a box the border must be dotted. See Tip #5 above.

Here are four basic ways to copy a box:

9-1. Click on the Edit menu, and choose Copy. Then click on the Edit menu and choose Paste.

9-2. Click Ctrl C, then Ctrl V to copy and paste.

9-3. Right click directly on the box border and select Copy from the drop down menu. Then right click again and select Paste.

This last one is the best tip (Great Tip)

9-4. Left click directly on the border, hold the mouse down and drag the box to the desired location. Before releasing the left mouse
button hold down the Ctrl button on the keyboard. This is known as the Ctrl-Drag copy method. It is typically the fastest way to copy
many boxes onto a worksheet.

10. Aligning Text inside a Box

Click on the box to create the hashed line border. Then double click the hashed line border with the left mouse button to pull up a
format box. On the Alignment tab, you can align both horizontally and vertically.

11. Changing, Adding, or Removing Borders

Click on the box to create the hashed line border. Then double click the hashed line border with the left mouse button to pull up a
format box. On the Colors and Lines tab, under Lines, you can select the color for your border (or select No Line for no border). You
can also specify the style and weight of your border line.

12. Adding Color to the Boxes

Click on the box to create the hashed line border. Then double click the hashed line border with the left mouse button to pull up a
format box. On the Colors and Lines tab, under Fill, you can select the color for the box.

13. Using Connectors (Great Tip)

Do not use either the line or the arrow that is displayed on the Drawing Toolbar. Instead, click Auto Shapes on the Drawing Toolbar,
and select Connectors with the left mouse button so that the box of nine connectors appears. Move your mouse to the gray
Click on the box to create the hashed line border. Then double click the hashed line border with the left mouse button to pull up a
format box. On the Colors and Lines tab, under Lines, you can select the color for your border (or select No Line for no border). You
can also specify the style and weight of your border line.

12. Adding Color to the Boxes

Click on the box to create the hashed line border. Then double click the hashed line border with the left mouse button to pull up a
format box. On the Colors and Lines tab, under Fill, you can select the color for the box.

13. Using Connectors (Great Tip)

Do not use either the line or the arrow that is displayed on the Drawing Toolbar. Instead, click Auto Shapes on the Drawing Toolbar,
and select Connectors with the left mouse button so that the box of nine connectors appears. Move your mouse to the gray
horizontal bar at the top of the connector box and hold down your left mouse button and drag the connector box to the Toolbar at the
top or bottom of your screen (or just drag it onto your worksheet) and let go of the mouse button. Use the connectors called either the
Elbow Connector or the Elbow Arrow Connector.

Connect cause boxes by clicking and holding the left mouse button at the beginning connection point then moving the cursor to the
ending connection point and releasing the mouse. The connector end is red when it is connected to a box and green when it is not
connected. The green end can be dragged to an object.

14. Aligning Boxes

Boxes can be aligned by using the mouse or the arrows on the keyboard as explained in Tip #7. Boxes can also be aligned by
selecting two or more boxes (Tip #8) and clicking on Draw on the Drawing Toolbar (Tip #4), then selecting Align or Distribute. You will
get a drop down containing Align Left, Center, Right, Top, Middle, and Bottom. Align uses the extreme edge of the selected boxes for
the chosen alignment.

15. Moving Boxes in a Straight Line (Great Tip)

When moving a box hold down the shift key to move the box only at 90-degree angles: left, right, up or down. The shift button also
works when copying something in only a straight line such as with the Ctrl-Drag copy method in Tip #9-4. This is the Shift-Ctrl-Drag
method.

16. Zoom-in, Zoom-out

Zooming in and out can be done by selecting View on the menu bar and then selecting Zoom. Zoom can also be done if you have a
wheel on your mouse by holding the Ctrl key down as the wheel is moved forward or backward. If you use the wheel to zoom more
often than you use it to scroll on a sheet, you can set the wheel button to zoom instead of scroll. On the Tools menu, click Options,
click the General tab, and then select the Zoom on roll with IntelliMouse check box under Settings.
 Possible Solutions:

Cause Map & Process Map

Templates, Examples Cause
Copy the Boxes from this Worksheet as needed
Process Maps Example
Evidence:

Cause with 3 Separate Connectors

Causes Support with Evidence
EX: Y causes A, B, and C. W and X are also YES
EX: Both Causes are required to product required to produce A. Z is also required for C Process Step Decision Process Step
the effect to occur.

Cause X NO
Cause

Cause W
Evidence:
Process Step
Effect
AND

AND

Cause
Effect A
Cause X
Evidence:
Cause with 2 Separate Connectors
EX: X and Y are both required to cause B, but
AND only X is required for A
Cause Produces Two Effects
Cause X
EX: One cause has two separate effects Effect B Cause Y
Effect A

Cause X
Cause X
Effect

AND
Cause X
Cause Effect B
Effect C AND

Effect Cause Y
Cause Z
Cause Map Examples

Knife Slipped

Safety Goal Knife Contacted

Cut Finger AND
Impacted Finger

Method of
Finger in Path
Holding Tomato

Object fell

Safety Goal Object struck

Injury AND
Impacted person

Person in path

Heat

Applied stress
AND Applied stress
Fire
exceeded
Fracture AND
allowable
strength
Fuel
Allowable
strength
AND

Oxygen

800 Calls come

in per hour

Average of 3200
call minutes per AND
$500 was taken hour Demand
?
out

Insufficient Average call

Overdrew Call response takes 4 minutes
Funds AND
Checking Acct can't meet
(-$100)
demand AND

$400 was the

?
balance
3000 minutes 5 People are
per hour available to
Available answer calls