What Comes After Testing a Root Cause Theory in CompTIA Troubleshooting?

N10-009 By islever Editorial Last updated

Short answer

A Determine resolution steps.

Question

Which of the following is the next step to take after successfully testing a root cause theory?
  1. Determine resolution steps. Correct Answer
  2. Duplicate the problem in a lab.
  3. Present the theory for approval.
  4. Implement the solution to the problem.

Key Takeaways

The question tests your knowledge of the ordered troubleshooting model; the trap is jumping to implementation (step 5) when the methodology requires planning (step 4) before acting.

In CompTIA Network+ troubleshooting, after testing a root cause theory and confirming it, the correct next step is to determine resolution steps (establish a plan of action), not to implement the solution immediately. Community voting strongly favors A (81%) over D (19%), aligning with CompTIA's official 7-step methodology.

Common mistake: Option D ('Implement the solution to the problem') is the most common wrong answer because testers assume a confirmed root cause should be fixed immediately. However, CompTIA requires establishing a plan of action and identifying potential effects before implementation.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

CompTIA's Network+ troubleshooting methodology lists steps in order: identify the problem, establish a theory of probable cause, test the theory to determine the cause, establish a plan of action to resolve the problem, implement the solution, verify functionality, and document findings. After step 3 (successfully testing the theory), you have confirmed the root cause. The next step is to determine resolution steps – essentially creating a plan of action. Comment [1] directly cites this list, and comment [3] emphasizes that the logical next step is establishing the plan before implementation. Therefore, option A is correct.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Option D (Implement the solution) is a later step (step 5) and should only occur after a plan is established; it also bypasses the requirement to consider potential effects. Option B (Duplicate the problem in a lab) is a verification/validation technique that is relevant earlier or during theory testing, but not the formal next step after a successful test. Option C (Present the theory for approval) is not part of CompTIA's standard methodology; troubleshooting is a technical activity, not a formal approval gate, and the theory has already been validated by testing. Comments [2] and [4] support that a plan must precede implementation.

Community Comment Notes

The community overwhelmingly selected A (81%) versus D (19%). Comment [1] provides the most useful reference by listing CompTIA's order verbatim. Comment [2] correctly explains why D is not the immediate next step, noting that "determine resolution steps" would occur before implementing a solution. Comment [7] argues for D from a generic root-cause-analysis perspective, but that view does not match CompTIA's Network+ exam model. For this exam, follow the official seven-step process exactly; the correct answer is A.

Official Reference

These links open the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

Memorize the 7-step troubleshooting flow in order. When an exam question asks 'what is the next step after X', identify which numbered step X is, then choose the step that follows; don't jump ahead to implementation even if it seems logical.

Community Votes

A
81%
D
19%

81% of anonymous learners picked answer A. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 8 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 8

  1. FrostyBoi 👍 13 Answered A
    From CompTIA's website, the troubleshooting steps are as follows: 1.) Identify the problem 2.) Establish a theory of probable cause 3.) Test the theory to determine the cause 4.) Establish a plan of action to resolve the problem 5.) Implement the solution and escalate if necessary 6.) Verify full system functionality, and if possible implement preventative measures 7.) Document findings, actions, outcomes, and lessons learned. With this in mind, A would be the correct answer, as it would be establishing a plan of action after testing the theory to determine the cause of the problem.
  2. ojones888 👍 4 Answered D
    After successfully testing a root cause theory and confirming it explains the issue, the next step is to implement the solution. This involves applying the fix based on the validated theory to resolve the problem. The other options do not directly follow testing a confirmed root cause theory: A. Determine resolution steps: This would occur before testing the solution. B. Duplicate the problem in a lab: This is typically done earlier to diagnose or test hypotheses. C. Present the theory for approval: This might be necessary in some cases, but the next logical step in troubleshooting is usually implementing the solution.
  3. ba10f26 👍 2 Answered A
    With the information provided from the CompTIA troubleshooting steps, the correct answer: A. Determine resolution steps. This step aligns with CompTIA's methodology: after testing the theory and determining the root cause, the next logical step is to establish a plan of action to resolve the problem, before implementing the solution. This ensures a clear, organized approach to addressing the issue.
  4. BobbyCruz111 👍 2 Answered A
    Once the root cause theory has been successfully tested and confirmed, the next logical step is to determine the resolution steps. These steps involve identifying how to fix the problem, including creating a plan to address the issue, implementing the solution, and ensuring that the solution will effectively resolve the issue without causing new problems.
  5. favouralain 👍 2 Answered A
    Determine resolution steps. This involves figuring out the specific actions needed to fix the identified root cause of the problem. Once you have a clear plan of resolution, you can then proceed to implement the solution.
Show 3 more comments
  1. Coburn 👍 1 Answered D
    After identifying the "root cause" in a root cause analysis, the next step is to develop and implement solutions that directly address the underlying cause to prevent the problem from recurring
  2. kinkistyle 👍 1 Answered A
    After testing the theory comes establishing a plan of action, which is A.
  3. chupapi_001 👍 1 Answered A
    A. Determine resolution steps.

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