In root cause analysis, which element documents the sequence of events leading to the incident?

• A. Timeline
• B. Root cause
• C. Contributing factors
• D. Impact

Answer: (A)

Documenting the sequence of events leading to an incident is done with a timeline. A timeline records what happened first, what followed, who was involved, and how long each step took. This chronological view lets investigators trace the flow from the initial trigger to the outcome, showing when the sequence began to go wrong and how later actions influenced what happened. With that order clear, it’s easier to connect events to potential root causes and contributing factors. The root cause is the underlying reason the incident occurred; contributing factors are conditions that worsened or enabled the event but aren’t the fundamental trigger; impact describes the consequences that followed. So the timeline is the best tool for capturing the sequence of events.