/rootcause

Helps you investigate possible causes of a problem.

The full prompt

/rootcause Help me investigate why [problem]. What I have seen: [facts and data]. Ask 'why' step by step (the 5 Whys method) to list the most likely causes. For each cause, give the evidence that supports it, what would rule it out, and a quick test or data check to confirm it. Rank them by likelihood. Ask me for missing data rather than guessing.

Replace the highlighted [brackets] with your own details, then send.

What you're asking

Asks the AI to suggest likely causes and how to confirm each. You get a ranked list of possible causes with evidence and tests.

Give it

  • The problem and when it started
  • What changed around that time
  • Data you have
  • What you already ruled out

Check: These are hypotheses; confirm with your own data before acting.

Filled-in example

/rootcause Help me investigate why event signups dropped 30% this year. What I have seen: we moved signups from a paper form to an online form in March, posted fewer reminders on social media, and two big events changed dates. Ask 'why' step by step (the 5 Whys method) to list the most likely causes. For each cause, give the evidence that supports it, what would rule it out, and a quick test or data check to confirm it. Rank them by likelihood. Ask me for missing data rather than guessing.

Use it in any AI chat. The slash word is a label, not a built-in command; the prompt does the work, and answers vary by app. How these work