CIM Root Cause Analysis & Problem Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which RCA technique uses a structured diagram to organize causes into categories such as People, Process, Technology, and Environment?
- Fault Tree Analysis
- Ishikawa (Fishbone) Diagram (Correct answer)
- Pareto Analysis
- 5 Whys
Correct 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.
Question 2: A problem record should be raised when:
- An incident is resolved and closed
- The same incident recurs multiple times or a major incident occurs (Correct answer)
- A change request is submitted
- A service level agreement is breached once
Correct 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.
Question 3: In Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), what does an AND gate signify?
- Any one of the input events alone can cause the output event
- All input events must occur simultaneously to cause the output event (Correct answer)
- The output event is caused by an unknown factor
- The input events are mutually exclusive
Correct 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.
Question 4: What is the primary output of a successful problem investigation?
- A closed incident ticket
- A known error record with a documented workaround or fix (Correct answer)
- A change advisory board (CAB) meeting
- An updated SLA agreement
Correct 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.
Question 5: Proactive problem management differs from reactive problem management in that it:
- Responds to incidents after they occur
- Identifies and resolves potential issues before incidents happen (Correct answer)
- Escalates problems to senior management
- Closes problem records faster
Correct 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.
Question 6: Which metric best measures the effectiveness of a problem management process?
- Number of incidents logged per month
- Reduction in recurring incidents after root cause fixes are applied (Correct answer)
- Average incident response time
- Number of change requests raised
Correct 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.
Question 7: During a post-incident review, what is the purpose of a timeline reconstruction?
- To assign blame to individuals involved in the incident
- To establish a chronological sequence of events for accurate root cause identification (Correct answer)
- To calculate financial damages from the incident
- To update the service catalog
Correct 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.
CIM Root Cause Analysis & Problem Management 2
Which RCA technique uses a structured diagram to organize causes into categories such as People, Process, Technology, and Environment?