investigate-capa-root-cause
About
This skill guides developers through structured root cause analysis and CAPA management for compliance issues. It provides methodologies like 5-Why and fault tree analysis to investigate deviations, audit findings, or data integrity anomalies. Use it to design corrective actions and verify their effectiveness for validated systems and regulatory responses.
Quick Install
Claude Code
Recommendednpx skills add pjt222/agent-almanac -a claude-code/plugin add https://github.com/pjt222/agent-almanacgit clone https://github.com/pjt222/agent-almanac.git ~/.claude/skills/investigate-capa-root-causeCopy and paste this command in Claude Code to install this skill
Documentation
察 CAPA 根因
為合規偏行結構根因察並設有效糾正與預防動(CAPA)。
用
- 審計所識需 CAPA
- 確認系統之偏或事件
- 監管察需正式應
- 數據完整異需察
- 重現問題示系統根因
入
- 必:偏、識或事件之述
- 必:嚴重歸(臨、主、次)
- 必:審計或察時集之證
- 可:前相關 CAPA 或察
- 可:相關 SOP、確認文件、系統日誌
- 可:涉員訪談記
行
一:起察
# Root Cause Investigation
## Document ID: RCA-[CAPA-ID]
## CAPA Reference: CAPA-[YYYY]-[NNN]
### 1. Trigger
| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Source | [Audit finding / Deviation / Inspection observation / Monitoring alert] |
| Reference | [Finding ID, deviation ID, or observation number] |
| System | [Affected system name and version] |
| Date discovered | [YYYY-MM-DD] |
| Severity | [Critical / Major / Minor] |
| Investigator | [Name, Title] |
| Investigation deadline | [Date — per severity: Critical 15 days, Major 30 days, Minor 60 days] |
### 2. Problem Statement
[Objective, factual description of what happened, what should have happened, and the gap between the two. No blame, no assumptions.]
### 3. Immediate Containment (if required)
| Action | Owner | Completed |
|--------|-------|-----------|
| [e.g., Restrict system access pending investigation] | [Name] | [Date] |
| [e.g., Quarantine affected batch records] | [Name] | [Date] |
| [e.g., Implement manual workaround] | [Name] | [Date] |
得:察起,明問題述,臨識於 24 時內遏。 敗:遏不能即施→升 QA 總監並記延遏之風險。
二:擇察法
按問題複度擇:
### Investigation Method Selection
| Method | Best For | Complexity | Output |
|--------|----------|-----------|--------|
| **5-Why Analysis** | Single-cause problems, straightforward failures | Low | Linear cause chain |
| **Fishbone (Ishikawa)** | Multi-factor problems, process failures | Medium | Cause-and-effect diagram |
| **Fault Tree Analysis** | System failures, safety-critical events | High | Boolean logic tree |
**Selected method:** [5-Why / Fishbone / Fault Tree / Combination]
**Rationale:** [Why this method is appropriate for this problem]
得:法配問題複度——勿為簡程誤用故障樹,亦勿為複系統失用 5-Why。 敗:首法不達信服根因→用二法。多法收斂強結論。
三:行根因析
甲:5-Why
### 5-Why Analysis
| Level | Question | Answer | Evidence |
|-------|----------|--------|----------|
| Why 1 | Why did [the problem] occur? | [Immediate cause] | [Evidence reference] |
| Why 2 | Why did [immediate cause] occur? | [Contributing factor] | [Evidence reference] |
| Why 3 | Why did [contributing factor] occur? | [Deeper cause] | [Evidence reference] |
| Why 4 | Why did [deeper cause] occur? | [Systemic cause] | [Evidence reference] |
| Why 5 | Why did [systemic cause] occur? | [Root cause] | [Evidence reference] |
**Root cause:** [Clear statement of the fundamental cause]
乙:魚骨(石川)圖
### Fishbone Analysis
Analyse causes across six standard categories:
| Category | Potential Causes | Confirmed? | Evidence |
|----------|-----------------|------------|----------|
| **People** | Inadequate training, unfamiliarity with SOP, staffing shortage | [Y/N] | [Ref] |
| **Process** | SOP unclear, missing step, wrong sequence | [Y/N] | [Ref] |
| **Technology** | System misconfiguration, software bug, interface failure | [Y/N] | [Ref] |
| **Materials** | Incorrect input data, wrong version of reference document | [Y/N] | [Ref] |
| **Measurement** | Wrong metric, inadequate monitoring, missed threshold | [Y/N] | [Ref] |
| **Environment** | Organisational change, regulatory change, resource constraints | [Y/N] | [Ref] |
**Contributing causes:** [List confirmed causes]
**Root cause(s):** [The fundamental cause(s) — may be more than one]
丙:故障樹析
### Fault Tree Analysis
**Top event:** [The undesired event]
Level 1 (OR gate — any of these could cause the top event):
├── [Cause A]
│ Level 2 (AND gate — both needed):
│ ├── [Sub-cause A1]
│ └── [Sub-cause A2]
├── [Cause B]
│ Level 2 (OR gate):
│ ├── [Sub-cause B1]
│ └── [Sub-cause B2]
└── [Cause C]
**Minimal cut sets:** [Smallest combinations of events that cause the top event]
**Root cause(s):** [Fundamental failures identified in the tree]
得:根因析達根本因(非僅症),各步有證支持。 敗:僅生症(「用者誤」)→推深。問:「用者何能造此誤?何控當阻之?」
四:設糾正與預防動
明辨糾、糾正動、預防動:
### CAPA Plan
| Category | Definition | Action | Owner | Deadline |
|----------|-----------|--------|-------|----------|
| **Correction** | Fix the immediate problem | [e.g., Re-enable audit trail for batch module] | [Name] | [Date] |
| **Corrective Action** | Eliminate the root cause | [e.g., Remove admin ability to disable audit trail; require change control for all audit trail configuration changes] | [Name] | [Date] |
| **Preventive Action** | Prevent recurrence in other areas | [e.g., Audit all systems for audit trail disable capability; add monitoring alert for audit trail configuration changes] | [Name] | [Date] |
### CAPA Details
**CAPA-[YYYY]-[NNN]-CA1: [Corrective Action Title]**
- **Root cause addressed:** [Specific root cause from Step 3]
- **Action description:** [Detailed description of what will be done]
- **Success criteria:** [Measurable outcome that proves the action worked]
- **Verification method:** [How effectiveness will be checked]
- **Verification date:** [When effectiveness will be verified — typically 3-6 months after implementation]
**CAPA-[YYYY]-[NNN]-PA1: [Preventive Action Title]**
- **Risk addressed:** [What recurrence or spread this prevents]
- **Action description:** [Detailed description]
- **Success criteria:** [Measurable outcome]
- **Verification method:** [How effectiveness will be checked]
- **Verification date:** [Date]
得:各 CAPA 動可追至具體根因,有可量成準,含效驗計。 敗:成準模糊(「改善合規」)→重寫為具體可量(「6 連月內無變更管制外之審計跡配置變」)。
五:驗效
CAPA 施後驗動實有效:
### Effectiveness Verification
**CAPA-[YYYY]-[NNN] — Verification Record**
| CAPA Action | Verification Date | Method | Evidence | Result |
|-------------|------------------|--------|----------|--------|
| CA1: [Action] | [Date] | [Method: audit, sampling, metric review] | [Evidence reference] | [Effective / Not Effective] |
| PA1: [Action] | [Date] | [Method] | [Evidence reference] | [Effective / Not Effective] |
### Effectiveness Criteria Check
- [ ] The original problem has not recurred since CAPA implementation
- [ ] The corrective action eliminated the root cause (evidence: [reference])
- [ ] The preventive action has been applied to similar systems/processes
- [ ] No new issues were introduced by the CAPA actions
### CAPA Closure
| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Closure decision | [Closed — Effective / Closed — Not Effective / Extended] |
| Closed by | [Name, Title] |
| Closure date | [YYYY-MM-DD] |
| Next review | [If recurring, when to re-check] |
得:效驗示根因實除,非僅動畢。 敗:驗示 CAPA 無效→重開察並設修訂動。勿閉無效 CAPA。
六:析 CAPA 趨勢
### CAPA Trend Analysis
| Period | Total CAPAs | By Source | Top 3 Root Cause Categories | Recurring? |
|--------|------------|-----------|---------------------------|------------|
| Q1 20XX | [N] | Audit: [n], Deviation: [n], Monitoring: [n] | [Cat1], [Cat2], [Cat3] | [Y/N] |
| Q2 20XX | [N] | Audit: [n], Deviation: [n], Monitoring: [n] | [Cat1], [Cat2], [Cat3] | [Y/N] |
### Systemic Issues
| Issue | Frequency | Systems Affected | Recommended Action |
|-------|-----------|-----------------|-------------------|
| [e.g., Training gaps] | [N occurrences in 12 months] | [Systems] | [Systemic programme improvement] |
得:趨勢析識單 CAPA 所失之系統問題。 敗:趨勢示 CAPA 仍有重現根因→CAPA 僅治症。升管理審以系統干預。
驗
- 察於時限內起(臨 24 時,主 72 時)
- 問題述據實無責
- 察法適問題複度
- 根因析達根本因(非僅症)
- 各根因步有證支持
- CAPA 辨糾、糾正動、預防動
- 各 CAPA 有可量成準與驗計
- 閉前以證驗效
- 至少季審趨勢
忌
- 止於症:「用者誤」非根因。根因乃系統或程何容此誤
- CAPA = 重訓:重訓僅治一可能根因(知)。若真根因為系統設計缺或 SOP 不清→重訓不阻重現
- 未驗閉:畢動 ≠ 驗效。未驗效之 CAPA 乃待發之監管引用
- 責向察:聚何人誤非何容誤→損質文化、抑報
- 無趨勢:單 CAPA 或似無關,趨勢常揭系統問題(如「訓」根因跨多系統→訓程損)
參
conduct-gxp-audit— 審生需 CAPA 之識monitor-data-integrity— 監測異起察manage-change-control— CAPA 驅變入變更管制prepare-inspection-readiness— 開及逾期 CAPA 為監管首查design-training-program— 根因為訓相關時→改訓程
GitHub Repository
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