Great challenges emerged for organizations due to technological advance occurred in recent times. Product quality is no longer a means to gain competitive advantage, but a necessity for organizations to keep their customers. Thus, ways in which quality is increasingly present in organizations are necessary to facilitate its implementation. In this context, the objectives of this work are to study the major methods of root cause analysis of the literature, with its stages, features, peculiarities, comparison, and exemplify the application of these methods. Once known by the organizations, the application of such methods can prevent recurrence of failures, leading organizations to a higher level of quality, increased productivity, and thus increased customer satisfaction. This research was initiated by the survey and study of methods aimed at academic references, 5 Whys, Ishikawa Diagram, Control Barrier Analysis, Event and Causal Factor Charting, Fault Tree Analysis and Root Cause Map, followed by the presentation of an example fault developed in the context of a metalworking manufacturing. Each method was applied to the problem of non-compliance. The results of both methods are compared and then the advantages and disadvantages of both methods are highlighted. 5 Whys, Ishikawa Diagram and Control Barrier Analysis were considered appropriated to simple problems in an industrial organization. In complex problems cases, which root causes are not easily identified, Event and Causal Factor Charting, Fault Tree Analysis and Root Cause Map were considered more appropriated.