What is Step 1 in Change Analysis?

• A. Define the problem. What happened?
• B. Establish the norm. What should have happened?
• C. Identify, locate, and describe the change.
• D. Specify what was and what was not affected.

Answer: (A)

Defining the problem is the first step in Change Analysis because it sets the scope and objective of the investigation by stating precisely what happened and how it deviates from what should have occurred. This creates a clear problem statement that guides what data to collect, where to look, and what evidence will count, helping to avoid chasing symptoms or expanding the analysis beyond the real issue. Establishing the norm comes next, defining what should have happened so you can measure the gap, but you need the problem defined first to know what to compare against. Identifying, locating, and describing the change focuses on confirming that a change occurred and mapping its location, which typically follows once the problem and baseline are understood. Specifying what was and what was not affected is part of understanding impact, which is important but stems from the initial problem framing and the baseline. In short, you start by clearly stating the problem—the exact discrepancy between observed results and expectations.