SSM Supporting ART Events Practice Question
During the root cause analysis phase of the Problem-Solving Workshop, which TWO tools or techniques are most commonly recommended to help teams identify the source of an issue? (Choose 2)
⚠ Common exam trap
Many students select 'Pareto Analysis' as a root cause tool. Pareto is actually used *after* root cause analysis to prioritize which cause to solve first (the 80/20 rule), not to find the cause itself.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The 5 Whys
SAFe recommends specific structured techniques for root cause analysis during the Inspect and Adapt event. The '5 Whys' is used to drill down into the cause-and-effect relationships, and the 'Fishbone (Ishikawa) Diagram' is used to categorize potential causes into groups like People, Process, Tools, and Environment to ensure a comprehensive view.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The Program Board
Why it's wrong here
The Program Board is a planning and tracking tool used during PI Planning and execution. While it might help identify *where* a dependency failed, it is not a root cause analysis tool designed to uncover the underlying process or behavioral reasons why that failure occurred in the first place.
- ✗
Pareto Analysis
Why it's wrong here
Pareto Analysis is used to prioritize issues or root causes once they have been identified. It helps the team focus on the 20% of causes that are responsible for 80% of the problems, but it does not help in the initial discovery of what those causes actually are.
- ✓
The 5 Whys
Why this is correct
The 5 Whys is a simple but powerful technique for reaching the root of a problem. By repeatedly asking 'why' a problem occurred, teams can move past the surface-level symptoms to find the systemic issue that needs to be addressed to prevent the problem from recurring.
- ✓
Fishbone Diagram
Why this is correct
The Fishbone Diagram (or Ishikawa diagram) helps teams brainstorm and categorize the many potential causes of a problem. This structured approach ensures that the team considers various angles, such as technical debt, lack of training, or poor tooling, rather than just focusing on the most obvious symptom.
- ✗
Confidence Voting
Why it's wrong here
Confidence voting is used during PI Planning to gauge the team's belief in their plan. It is not an analytical tool for problem-solving or root cause analysis. While a low confidence vote might trigger a need for problem-solving, it is not a tool used within the workshop itself.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Scaled Agile exam blueprint
This SSM practice question is part of Courseiva's free Scaled Agile certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SSM exam.