When performing a root cause analysis, what steps should be taken after defining the problem?

The correct answer is A. Collect evidence . After defining the problem, the RCA team must gather facts before jumping to causes or solutions. This includes collecting physical evidence, maintenance history, operating data, alarms, process conditions, photographs, witness statements, inspection findings, failed components, timeline information, and any relevant environmental or procedural details. Developing solutions at this stage is premature because the organization does not yet know what caused the failure. Identifying the cause also comes later, after evidence has been collected, organized, and analyzed. A weak RCA process jumps from problem statement directly to opinion; a strong RCA process separates facts from assumptions. In CRL Reliability Engineering for Maintenance, RCA is used to eliminate recurrence, not to produce a quick explanation that satisfies management. ASQ defines RCA as a set of methods used to uncover causes of problems, and structured RCA processes commonly place data or evidence collection immediately after problem definition.