Which technique focuses on identifying root causes of defects?

Root cause analysis is a systematic process used to identify the fundamental causes of defects and issues within a product or process. This technique goes beyond merely addressing the symptoms of a problem; it delves into the underlying reasons that contribute to defects, enabling teams to implement preventive measures rather than just corrective ones.

In the context of Agile testing, understanding the root causes of defects is essential for improving product quality and increasing efficiency. By focusing on these root causes, teams can enhance their processes, reduce the recurrence of similar defects, and ultimately deliver higher-quality software.

In contrast, defect tracking primarily deals with identifying, recording, and managing defects throughout the development lifecycle, which is crucial for maintaining quality but does not inherently seek to identify the root causes. Impact analysis assesses the consequences of changes in requirements or design but does not specifically target the origins of defects. Requirement gathering is aimed at understanding and documenting what the stakeholders need but does not focus on defects at all.