In the Ethics mini-case template, which step follows 'Identify harm'?

In the Ethics mini-case template, which step follows 'Identify harm'?

• A. Analyze the mechanism
• B. Propose mitigation strategies
• C. Evaluate trade-offs
• D. Identify stakeholders

Answer: (A)

Understanding how harm arises by analyzing the mechanism is the next step after identifying harm. After you confirm harm exists, tracing the causal process that leads to it—how actions, data, system components, and contextual factors interact to produce the bad outcome—lets you see the root causes and where interventions can actually work. This grounding prevents rushing to fixes that only mask symptoms and helps you target changes at the precise point in the process where harm originates. Once the mechanism is understood, you can craft mitigation strategies that address the real underlying causes and then evaluate the trade-offs of those options. Identifying stakeholders matters, but it’s best done after you’ve mapped the mechanism and potential remedies so you know who’s affected and who should be involved.

Understanding how harm arises by analyzing the mechanism is the next step after identifying harm. After you confirm harm exists, tracing the causal process that leads to it—how actions, data, system components, and contextual factors interact to produce the bad outcome—lets you see the root causes and where interventions can actually work. This grounding prevents rushing to fixes that only mask symptoms and helps you target changes at the precise point in the process where harm originates. Once the mechanism is understood, you can craft mitigation strategies that address the real underlying causes and then evaluate the trade-offs of those options. Identifying stakeholders matters, but it’s best done after you’ve mapped the mechanism and potential remedies so you know who’s affected and who should be involved.