A root cause is an undesirable condition’s most profound underlying source or origin. In problem-solving, that condition is referred to as the current condition.
Often, multiple contributing causes derive from a single root cause. Addressing the root cause is essential to prevent a problem from recurring.
It is crucial to distinguish a root cause from a simple cause. The latter represents the factors contributing to or creating the current condition. These are also the directly influential elements that lead to a problem.