Which step immediately precedes Collect in the sequence?

• A. Detect
• B. Identify
• C. Quantify
• D. Report

Answer: (C)

The sequence moves from sensing to understanding to sizing, then to gathering and finally sharing results. After you detect something of interest, you need to identify what it is so you know what you’re dealing with. The next step is to quantify—you assess the magnitude, amount, or extent of the target. This quantified understanding guides how much data or how many samples you should collect and how to approach the collection efficiently. Only after you have that quantified picture do you proceed to collect the data or samples, and then you report the findings.