A root cause analysis is a technique that helps identify the underlying factors or causes of a problem or issue in a project12. It involves asking a series of questions, such as why, how, and what, to trace the problem back to its source and prevent it from recurring34. A root cause analysis is a best practice for project management because it helps the project team understand the nature and extent of the problem, find effective solutions, and avoid wasting time and resources on superficial fixes .
The project manager should have the project team perform a root cause analysis first to address the issue of the functionality failure because it will help them determine the exact reason why the functionality did not perform as expected, and what actions are needed to correct it. The other options are not the best practices for the first step to address the issue because:
* Updating the issue log and documenting the change are important steps to record and communicate the issue, but they do not help solve the problem or prevent it from happening again .
* Reviewing the product specification requirements is a good way to verify the expectations and scope of the project, but it does not help identify the cause of the functionality failure or how to fix it .
* Submitting a change request for corrective action is a formal process that requires the approval of the change control board and the alignment with the project baselines and plans, but it does not help diagnose the problem or propose a solution .