AgentSkillsCN

root-cause

深入挖掘问题背后的本质真相与真实成因。当用户追问“为什么会这样？”、“问题的真正症结是什么？”、“根本原因何在？”、“回归本源”、“待办事项”、“JTBD”、“五问法”、“深层缘由”，或需要透过表象直击问题的根源时，此技能便能助您一臂之力。

SKILL.md
--- frontmatter
name: root-cause
description: Dig to fundamental truths and real causes behind problems. Use when user asks "why does this happen", "what's the real problem", "root cause", "first principles", "jobs to be done", "JTBD", "five whys", "fundamental reason", or needs to understand underlying causes rather than symptoms.
allowed-tools: Read

Root Cause - Fundamental Truth Finder

Dig beneath symptoms to find fundamental causes and truths. Stop treating symptoms and solve actual problems.

Quick Start

  1. •Identify what you're trying to understand
  2. •Select technique based on what you need
  3. •Keep digging until you hit bedrock

Technique Selection

NeedUseWhy
Understand why a problem occursFive WhysChain backward to root cause
Challenge assumptions, rebuild from scratchFirst PrinciplesStrip away conventions
Understand what users actually needJobs-to-be-DoneFocus on underlying motivation

Default: Use Five Whys for problems, JTBD for user needs, First Principles for innovation.

Techniques

Five Whys

Chain backward from symptom to root cause by repeatedly asking "why?" until you hit fundamental cause.

Read cookbook/five-whys.md

First Principles Decomposition

Strip away assumptions and conventions to find fundamental truths, then rebuild solutions from basics.

Read cookbook/first-principles.md

Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD)

Understand what users are really trying to accomplish, not what they say they want.

Read cookbook/jobs-to-be-done.md

Core Principles

  1. •Symptoms lie - Surface problems often hide deeper causes
  2. •Keep asking - First answer is rarely the root cause
  3. •Challenge assumptions - "That's just how it works" isn't an explanation
  4. •Multiple roots - Problems often have several contributing causes
  5. •Verify - Test your root cause hypothesis before acting

When Root Cause Analysis Works Best

  • •Same problem keeps recurring
  • •Fixes don't stick
  • •Problem feels like "that's just how it is"
  • •You're solving what customers ask for, not what they need
  • •Starting something new and want to avoid inherited assumptions

Warning Signs You Need This

  • •"We've tried everything but the problem persists"
  • •"That's how we've always done it"
  • •"Users say they want X" (but X doesn't seem to help)
  • •"We fixed that already" (but it came back)
  • •Solving lots of small problems instead of one big one