Istqb Certified Tester Foundation Level CTFL · Free Practice Question Medium
Question 6
What is a root cause, and how is it typically identified in the context of software testing?
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A
A root cause is a superficial reason for a problem, identified through failure analysis
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B
A root cause is a fundamental reason for a problem, identified through root cause analysis when a failure occurs or a defect is identified
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C
A root cause is the immediate reason for a failure, identified during the testing process identified through root cause analysis
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D
A root cause is an inherent characteristic of software defects, identified through ongoing monitoring and reporting
Reveal correct answer
Correct answer: B
Explanation
A root cause is a fundamental reason for the occurrence of a problem (e.g., a situation that leads to an error). Root causes are identified through root cause analysis, which is typically performed when a failure occurs or a defect is identified. It is believed that further similar failures or defects can be prevented or their frequency reduced by addressing the root cause, such as by removing it.
A.
This choice is incorrect because a root cause is not a superficial reason for a problem, but rather a fundamental reason that underlies the issue. Failure analysis may help understand a problem's symptoms, but it does not necessarily identify the root cause.
B. This choice is correct because a root cause is indeed a fundamental reason for a problem, and it is typically identified through root cause analysis when a failure occurs or a defect is identified. Root cause analysis aims to delve deep into the underlying reasons for issues to prevent them from recurring.
C.
This choice is incorrect because a root cause is not the immediate reason for a failure, but rather the underlying, fundamental reason behind the failure. It is not solely identified during the testing process, but through a more comprehensive analysis.
D. This choice is incorrect because a root cause is not an inherent characteristic of software defects, but rather the fundamental reason behind them. While ongoing monitoring and reporting may help in identifying issues, root cause analysis is specifically focused on identifying the underlying reasons for problems.
Discussion
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