[dbenhur]

Yes, root cause analysis and corrective action should only to be done with Cook's insights in mind.

"Post-accident attribution to a ‘root cause’ is nearly always wrong." "Post-accident remedies usually increase the coupling and complexity of the system. This increases the potential number of latent failures and also makes the detection and blocking of accident trajectories more difficult."

How Complex Systems Fail is short but loaded with value; if you haven't read it, go do so now!

[BaronSamedi]

I agree with you. Root cause analysis should be informed by an understanding of complex, dynamic systems. The article's assumption, however, that RCA and systems thinking are somehow at odds is incorrect. Root cause doesn't necessarily, as the author implies, mean a single, isolated cause. It can designate the linking of "multiple contributors" as the author advocates.