How to Answer: What methods do you lean on to perform root cause analysis?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Microsoft job interview.
14. What methods do you lean on to perform root cause analysis?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Understanding the root cause of a problem with a product or an operational issue is imperative to resolving it and avoiding it in the future. Project managers at Microsoft engage in this type of analysis often to help resolve team, operational, and product-related problems. This question is asked to test a candidate's ability to perform this function of the role.
Written by Karrie Day on June 20th, 2022
Remember To
Remember to mention any of the widely accepted methodologies for root cause analysis within your response. While an interviewer may be able to follow your description of a custom method, interviewers value candidates that have a solid working knowledge of industry-accepted methods.
Written by Karrie Day on June 20th, 2022
Answer Example
"I have used a variety of root cause analysis methods in the past. They each have their place, and I customize the approach to fit the situation. Most commonly, I use the 5 whys method. It is easy to follow, and all of the members of my team can apply it. I also like to apply the Pareto principle when it makes sense. In my experience, the root cause of an issue is usually multi-faceted, and narrowing the causes down to those that have the most impact is a valuable exercise."
Written by Karrie Day on June 20th, 2022