Fix the bug, then ask why the system produced it

A bug report shows where a failure surfaced. The first step is to fix it. Then ask what in the surrounding system made that failure possible.

The cause might involve an unclear boundary, missing context, weak validation, or a workflow that leaves room for inconsistent decisions. These are possibilities to investigate against evidence, not explanations to assume in advance.

This is the systems-thinking approach I try to bring to engineering: fix the immediate problem, then examine the conditions around it. A repair can help beyond one incident when it addresses a recurring cause. Some failures still have local causes, so the investigation should follow the evidence.

Working note based on a recurring principle in my professional profile. This remains a draft pending publication review.