Leaf vs Root Problems¶

What is it?s¶

Leaf Problems: These are symptoms. They are visible errors, immediate pain points, or specific bugs. Fixing them gives temporary relief but doesn't stop them from coming back.
Root Problems: The underlying cause. These are structural flaws, process gaps, or missing safeguards. Fixing them prevents entire classes of leaf problems.

Guideline¶

When fixing a bug (a leaf), always look for the root cause.

Use the "Five Whys" technique: ask "Why did this happen?" five times until you reach a fundamental process or design issue.

Don't just patch the symptom. If you find yourself fixing the "same" bug over and over in different places, you are likely pruning leaves instead of digging up the root.