B2–C1 · CDG · XTHCDG002

If [X] were the main cause, we would expect [Y]; if [Z] were, we would expect [W].

EN · EnglishIf [X] were the main cause, we would expect [Y]; if [Z] were, we would expect [W].
DE · GermanWenn [X] die Hauptursache wäre, würden wir [Y] erwarten; wenn es [Z] wäre, würden wir [W] erwarten.
EN · English

If  load were the main cause,  we  would expect  failures across regions; if  mapping were,  we  would  expect  them around the same field.

DE · German

Wenn die  Last die Hauptursache wäre,  würden  wir  Ausfälle über mehrere Regionen  erwarten; wenn  es das Mapping wäre,  würden  wir  sie beim selben Feld  erwarten.

Try variations2 · more examples

  1. EN · English

    If  permissions were the main cause,  we  would expect user-specific  failures; if data  quality were,  we  would  expect record-specific  failures.

    DE · German

    Wenn  Berechtigungen die Hauptursache wären,  würden  wir nutzerspezifische  Fehler  erwarten; bei Datenqualität eher  datensatzspezifische.

  2. EN · English

    If  latency were the main cause,  we  would expect  timeouts; if  validation were,  we  would  expect deterministic  rejects.

    DE · German

    Wenn  Latenz die Hauptursache wäre,  würden  wir  Timeouts  erwarten;  bei Validierung eher reproduzierbare Ablehnungen.

Use this move when you want to…

Reasoning move · Cause

Cause

What it does

Compare competing mechanisms against the same observation.

Pattern graph

Continue with nearby patterns

Related reasoning patterns4

Nearby structures let you perform the same reasoning move in a different form.

  1. The link from [X] to [Y] only makes sense if [Z] happens in between.Cause · same reasoning move · same study set · related logic
  2. [X] may have triggered [Y], but that does not make it the underlying cause.Cause · same reasoning move · same study set
  3. [X] may be necessary for [Y], but it is not sufficient on its own.Cause · same reasoning move · same study set
  4. What changed before [X], and what stayed the same?Cause · same reasoning move · same study set