Which term describes the observable issue before root cause is identified?

• A. The indicator
• B. The event
• C. The symptom
• D. The trigger

Answer: (C)

Distinguishing the outward manifestation of a problem from its underlying cause helps in problem-solving. The observable issue you notice first is the symptom: it’s what you see, hear, or report when something isn’t functioning as expected. It guides where to look next, but it isn’t the root cause itself. An indicator is a measured sign that can signal trouble, often used in monitoring, but it’s more about status than the problem itself. An event is a concrete occurrence, like a failure, but it’s the happening, not the description of the issue you observe. A trigger is what starts a sequence that leads to a problem; it initiates the chain rather than naming the issue you’re seeing. So the term that best fits the observable issue before root-cause identification is the symptom.