Summary
If we weren't already doing it this way, is this the way we would start?
Commentary
Probing the origin of a behavior—especially in a corporation—is one of the keys for improvement. A similar method is "5 Whys" in which you probe for root causes (much like a child asking "Why?").
However, simply understanding the origin of an issue, or even understanding how something might be done differently is rarely sufficient. There are often major political and social pressures against change (status quo bias), and sometimes the issue is that you're doing the wrong thing (ineffective rather than inefficient).
See Also
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Eight Disciplines Problem Solving at Wikipedia for another root-cause technique.
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Business Process Reengineering at Wikipedia for another technique to change business practices.