Resources

Optimize Workflow, Foster Collaboration, and Enhance Reliability

How Operational Excellence Teams Are Using AI to Investigate Faster and Prevent Repeat Failures

The Problem with “Fast” Investigations Operational excellence teams are under constant pressure to move fast. When something goes wrong — a line goes down, a quality event occurs, a safety incident happens — the expectation is immediate answers and permanent fixes. The problem? Speed without depth creates an illusion of progress. Teams close out investigations. Corrective actions get assigned. And

by Sebastian Traeger

April 30, 2026

Reliability

RCA Software in Manufacturing: Haleon’s Path to Full Adoption

Haleon’s Lincoln, Nebraska facility — home to Theraflu, Benefiber, Centrum, and other globally recognized consumer health brands — spent a decade managing root cause analysis on a homegrown Access database. When that system aged out, Reliability Engineer KayLeigh Glebe and Operations Maintenance Planner Corey Tesmer led the search for something better. What they found was a software that didn’t just

by Ryan Burns

April 29, 2026

Reliability

RCA for EHS vs. Reliability: How to Train Cross-Functional Teams for Unified Problem Solving

In complex industrial environments, incidents often have multifaceted consequences, impacting both operational reliability and environmental, health, and safety (EHS) outcomes. Traditionally, EHS and Reliability departments have approached Root Cause Analysis (RCA) from distinct perspectives, driven by their respective mandates: EHS focuses on preventing harm to people and the environment, while Reliability prioritizes asset uptime and operational efficiency. This divergence, while

by Sebastian Traeger

March 26, 2026

Reliability

Scaling Excellence: How to Standardize Your RCA Process Across a Global Enterprise

In the complex landscape of modern manufacturing and industrial operations, achieving consistent asset reliability across a global enterprise presents a formidable challenge. While individual sites may excel in Root Cause Analysis (RCA), the true measure of a mature reliability program lies in its ability to standardize and scale these critical processes. This article delves into the strategic imperatives and practical

by Sebastian Traeger

March 12, 2026

Reliability

Excel Is Not an RCA Tool — and Neither Are PowerPoint or Visio

Most reliability teams don’t choose to run RCAs in Excel, PowerPoint, or Visio. They inherit it. Spreadsheets, slide decks, and diagramming tools became the default because they were available, familiar, and “good enough” when RCA volume was low and expectations were modest. But as RCA programs mature—or attempt to—those tools quietly become the constraint. Not because engineers don’t know how

by Sebastian Traeger

February 26, 2026

Reliability

What is the Best AI Tool for Root Cause Analysis in 2026?

If you search for the best AI tool for root cause analysis, you’ll quickly notice a pattern. Most of the results assume that root cause analysis is primarily a data problem — something that can be solved by ingesting enough logs, metrics, alerts, or historical records and letting an algorithm “figure it out.” That assumption is convenient. It is also

by Sebastian Traeger

February 12, 2026

Reliability

5 Simple Steps to Improve the Quality of Every Root Cause Analysis in 2026

Most reliability leaders don’t need another reminder that Root Cause Analysis matters. You already know that. What’s far more common—especially heading into 2026—is frustration that RCA quality is wildly inconsistent. Some investigations deliver real insight and prevent recurrence. Others stall, stop at surface causes, or quietly disappear with no measurable impact. The gap between doing RCAs and getting value from

by Sebastian Traeger

January 22, 2026

Reliability

The Hidden Cost of Not Using RCA Software in 2026

Most reliability leaders can quantify the obvious cost of failures: lost production, emergency labor, expedited parts, safety exposure. Those numbers are visible, tracked, and debated — but the hidden cost of failures often goes unnoticed. What rarely gets measured is the structural cost of how root cause analysis is still performed. In 2026, many organizations are still relying on manual

by Sebastian Traeger

January 8, 2026

Reliability

Why 2026 Is the Year RCA Software Becomes Non-Negotiable

By late 2025, the gap between teams using paper or spreadsheet-based RCA and those running dedicated RCA software has widened into a competitive divide. In 2026, that divide becomes non-negotiable. High-performing organizations are moving past ad hoc investigations, fragmented templates, and inconsistent reporting because the operational cost of poor RCA has become impossible to ignore. Across manufacturing, food & beverage,

by Sebastian Traeger

December 25, 2025