Root Cause Pro (RCP) is a consultancy business that specializes in guiding people out of
challenging technical problems, especially the repeated, long-standing, elusive and
costly ones. It has the expertise to quickly determine the original contributors
to a problem or failure, and then recommend the best solution or corrective
action. The solution could involve a redesign or a change in process or operating
instructions for the supplier, manufacturer or end-user.
One of the ways
to resolve a problem or fill an unmet need, is to invent and develop a new or improved
system/device that does what we want. So we also help in the design, development
and testing of new products that are often automated, integrating aerodynamic,
mechanical, electrical, electronic and software features.
Our expertise
in determining causes, naturally makes us well-suited for investigating various kinds of
accidents and negligent or wanton property damage.
Root Cause Pro's mission is to maximize the utilization of its expertise to solve humankind’s
challenging problems in areas/products that give the most benefit to humanity.
When a significant problem lingers for a while even after troubleshooting efforts, it means
you have to dig deeper than the apparent or immediate causes, to find the “root of the
problem”. But “root cause” is a simplified way of referring to the earlier cause of a
problem or failure, because:
1. Often there is an endless chain of
causes if you keep digging deeper into the why of the why.
2.
Sometimes there are more than one contributing cause. There is a combination of
underlying conditions, circumstances and behavior that together cause an undesirable
event(s), failure(s) or phenomena.
Of all those causes, some are in our control, and
some are not. Our objective is to find and address that underlying controllable cause
which has the most significant impact on the bottom line. That cause is loosely
referred to as “root cause”.
Because:
• CERTAINTY. Without addressing the underlying
weakening or instigating condition, the problem rarely goes away for sure. It haunts you and
seems to occur randomly.
• SAVINGS. The deeper you dig, the
more are the undesirable effects you can stop at once.
•
CONTROL. It puts you in control of things, instead of being at the mercy of
happenstance.
• RELIABILITY. It results in more reliable
products that sell better.
• REPUTATION. It places you as
an industry leader.
Our logo represents the similarities between the soaring bird’s manner of searching out
its prey and our approach of finding the most significant original cause among a myriad
of contributors to the problem we investigate.
It represents:
Skill, efficiency,
(the mind’s) sharp eye, patience, persistence, freedom and power (of know how).
Like
the bird, we have evolved through experience and insight into how things work/happen, to
become adept at what we do. We listen, survey, follow our inner guidance, relentlessly
pursue and find the source of the problem and the solution to it, and we enjoy the
freedom in our work and the satisfaction from helping people in solving problems.
Founder, Consultant,
Aerospace & Mechanical Engr.
rajeev@rootcausepro.com
About RajeevAbout Rajeev Pandit
Founder and Consultant
Mr Pandit (to be pronounced pʌndɪθ as in fun with) is the founder and presently the main
consultant and operator of the business, Root Cause Pro.
From very early in
his life, well before college, young Rajeev had the curiosity to learn how things work and
how birds fly, and he liked to fix things and create assistive devices. So he pursued
those interests throughout his life, beginning in 1976 with an education in Aeronautical
Engineering, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Indian Institute of Technology,
Bombay, and another master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1985-’87 from Old Dominion
University, Norfolk VA, and then worked as a senior engineer at various companies (click to
see resume), small and big, in different departments and disciplines, contributing to the
design, development and testing of new airplanes and mechanical systems and components
involving electrical drives and electronic control.
Flying-wise,
he used to build and fly various model airplanes in his college days. He also took
flying lessons and soloed while working for a kit-airplane manufacturer in Caldwell ID in
1988. So he was quite pleased with his profession, hobbies and building things at home
(creating ideas into devices).
An interesting combination of circumstances in
his work life, resulted in the creation of this root cause consulting business:
1. He had experienced a catastrophic accident in his personal life,
resulting from a product that failed without warning, and then years later also investigated
in-flight failures of a marginal hydraulic motor that caused engine fires and crashes of a
military airplane. Such experiences made him care deeply about safety, reliability and
early warning systems.
2. Low Durability in present day products.
In humanity’s race towards making things cheaper to produce, he had seen the trend in
products getting less durable and rushed to the market with reduced R&D testing.
Naturally, such products fail repeatedly, resulting in dissatisfaction for everyone, much
wasted time and human resources, productivity loss and wasted materials that grow the
landfills and pollute the environment.
3. Shortage of Knowhow.
In
resolving the repeated failures, the trend in companies was to use computer software to tell
‘em what was wrong and use junior engineers directed by administrative managers on how to
troubleshoot. Problems persisted and resulted in much stress and loss of finance and
reputation of the company. There was a shortage of expert problem-solvers.
4. Realized Expertise.
After his repeated success in resolving
very challenging problems in a short time with his knack for finding the root cause, he
realized that he had become a “pro” (an expert professional) at finding the root cause, and
that he should make that the central theme of his subsequent work. He would use his
expertise to make things safer, more durable and user-friendly.
5.
Independence.
He already had the experience of working as an independent contractor
since early in his career.
Thus the above circumstances culminated in the
formation of the business, Root Cause Pro, to make things more reliable and work better.
About Vinay Pundith
Computer Troubleshooting Consultant
Mr Vinay Pundith (pronounced pʌndɪθ as in fun with) is a bright entrepreneur and consultant
who has a passion for intelligent devices. Of course, computers, robotics,
programming, cybersecurity, electronics and mechanisms are all part of his interests,
hobbies, business and education. At the age of ten, he built his own customized and
loaded desktop computer, complete with all well-functioning hardware, operating system and
other software, --all from parts salvaged from junked computers! Yes, what started as
a curiosity, creative hobby and self-study at that age, later turned into a computer
refurbishing business that he founded, operated, marketed and managed from A to Z all by
himself, and that was before he even entered college. In the process, he became very
good at finding the cause of failures in computer hardware and software, --numerous laptops
and desktops of different brands, including even Apple Macs for which there is no wiring
information available.
He has also conceived of and built automatic electronic devices
as the needs arose, using Arduino and Raspberry Pi microprocessor boards with different
sensors, actuators and various electronic.
He says, “I like to make and
see things come alive, -either by designing and building automatic devices or by repairing
dead devices”.
He was homeschooled until 10th grade and then he aced at 11th
and 12th grade in a public school, to enter college. His interests naturally led him
into a BS degree program in Computer Engineering at Purdue University.
He is a
self-taught young man who learned far beyond the books, through practical experience,
observation and wide exposure to real life situations.
His troubleshooting
knack/skills, “hi-tech” knowhow, self-teaching ability, resourcefulness and energy make him
a great partner in this consulting business of problem solving.