Root Cause Analysis & Problem Management Flashcards
7 cards from real CIM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Root Cause Analysis & Problem Management flashcards as text
Which RCA technique uses a structured diagram to organize causes into categories such as People, Process, Technology, and Environment?
Answer: Ishikawa (Fishbone) Diagram
The Ishikawa (Fishbone) diagram organizes potential causes into major categories branching from the effect, making it ideal for visualizing multi-category contributors.
A problem record should be raised when:
Answer: The same incident recurs multiple times or a major incident occurs
Problem records are triggered by recurring incidents or major incidents where identifying the root cause is critical to preventing future occurrences.
In Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), what does an AND gate signify?
Answer: All input events must occur simultaneously to cause the output event
An AND gate in FTA means all connected input conditions must be present together for the higher-level failure event to occur.
What is the primary output of a successful problem investigation?
Answer: A known error record with a documented workaround or fix
Problem investigation results in a known error record that documents the root cause and any available workaround or permanent fix.
Proactive problem management differs from reactive problem management in that it:
Answer: Identifies and resolves potential issues before incidents happen
Proactive problem management analyzes trends and data to identify weaknesses before they cause incidents, reducing overall incident volume.
Which metric best measures the effectiveness of a problem management process?
Answer: Reduction in recurring incidents after root cause fixes are applied
A reduction in recurring incidents demonstrates that root causes have been effectively addressed through problem management activities.
During a post-incident review, what is the purpose of a timeline reconstruction?
Answer: To establish a chronological sequence of events for accurate root cause identification
Timeline reconstruction establishes the order of events, helping investigators identify trigger points and causal chains without bias toward any individual.