Root Cause Analysis

Our collaborative process to understand why pre-college STEM programs working alone had not significantly broadened participation in STEM.

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The Process

In 2020, the STEM PUSH Network’s root cause analysis engaged a range of partners and stakeholders in a disciplined, collaborative exploration of the system causing the problem the network is seeking to address, stated as:

While many precollege STEM programs are successful in attracting and supporting racially/ethnically minoritized (REM) high school students, these programs have not been systematically leveraged to increase the number of REM students admitted to undergraduate STEM programs. Why?

Through this process, we reflected on the various ways in which oppression functions to exclude racially minoritized students from STEM, and then considered how that manifests in the context of PCSPs and admissions. This included looking at data, research, practitioner voices, and student experiences.

A fishbone diagram is an improvement science tool we use to help us visualize the results of our “root cause analysis” process.

STEM PUSH Network Fishbone Diagram

The Root Cause Analysis Process

Learn more about using a root cause analysis as a tool for forging a shared vision and partnerships.