What is Step 4 in Change Analysis?

• A. Specify what was and what was not affected.
• B. Identify the change
• C. List the possible causes
• D. Select the most likely causes

Answer: (A)

Change Analysis is about tracing how a change propagates through a system and what it touches. Step four focuses on defining the scope by specifying what was affected and what was not affected by the change. This boundary setting is essential because it clarifies exactly where to look for symptoms and which parts of the system can be ruled out as causes. By recording both what changed and what remained unchanged, you create a precise map that guides the rest of the analysis.

For example, if a configuration update was applied to a subset of services, Step four would note that the update impacted the authentication service and the user-facing API, while the data-storage layer remained unaffected. This clarity keeps the investigation anchored to the actual impacted areas and prevents wasted effort chasing issues in components not touched by the change. The prior step typically identifies the change itself, and later steps involve exploring and selecting potential causes, but Step four is about articulating the actual impact boundaries.