cause-analysis

Cause-analysis IS a specific kind of analysis: it is the structured practice of systematically identifying underlying origins of problems. A competent speaker would call it 'an analysis.' The direction is specific→general, consistent with Law 9.

Cause analysis is built and maintained for the sake of risk management. Its designed purpose is to systematically identify underlying origins of problems — information that risk management processes depend on to assess, prioritize, and treat risks. Per Law 8d: the servant (cause analysis) points at the master (risk management). Not DEPENDS_ON: cause analysis can operate without risk-management running, but it is designed for risk management's sake.

A fishbone diagram (Ishikawa diagram) IS a specific kind of cause-analysis technique. It is a structured analytical method for identifying the underlying origins of problems by collecting evidence of causal factors and mapping their relationships — a diagrammatic form of cause-analysis.

RCA IS a specific kind of cause-analysis — it narrows the general task of identifying causes down to finding the fundamental (root) cause rather than proximate ones. A competent speaker would call RCA 'a cause-analysis technique.' Specific→general, Law 9. Nearest kind is cause-analysis (no intermediate category).

fault-tree-analysis IS a specific kind of cause-analysis. It systematically traces system failures backward through logical gates to identify fundamental causes. Per Law 9: specific→general.

FMEA is a specific structured cause-analysis method. It uses systematic failure-mode identification to trace causes — it is a kind of cause analysis procedure, not merely something that uses it or depends on it. Pin sense: cause-analysis as the broad category of methods that trace consequences back to their root causes.