CAPM Practice: Demonstrate an understanding of common problem-solving tools and techniques

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a systematic approach to identifying the underlying, fundamental cause of a problem rather than addressing symptoms. By finding and eliminating root causes, teams prevent recurrence and achieve lasting improvement.

**Why not A:** Comparing project costs to the original budget describes earned value analysis or cost variance analysis. Root cause analysis is about understanding why problems occur, not about financial performance measurement.

**Why not B:** Escalating unresolved issues to senior management is an escalation process, not an analytical technique. Root cause analysis investigates the fundamental reasons behind problems — it does not involve passing issues up the management chain.

**Why not D:** Documenting all project risks in the risk register is part of risk identification and management. Root cause analysis is a problem-solving technique that investigates why something went wrong, which is different from the broader process of cataloging potential future risks.