Why test hypotheses in a root cause analysis?

• A. To assign blame.
• B. To schedule tasks.
• C. To confirm probable causes and verify effectiveness of corrective actions.
• D. To document costs.

Answer: (C)

In root cause analysis, you build and test hypotheses about what caused the problem. The goal is to gather data, analyze evidence, and determine which factor truly led to the issue. By testing these hypotheses, you confirm probable causes rather than assuming them, and you also verify that the corrective actions will actually address the real problem and prevent recurrence. This approach helps you rule out false leads, understand how different factors interact, and measure whether the fixes are effective before applying them broadly.

Other options don’t fit because this process isn’t about assigning blame, which undermines objective problem-solving; it isn’t about scheduling tasks, which is a project-management activity; and it isn’t primarily about documenting costs, which relates to financial tracking rather than identifying causes or validating fixes.