Practical Guide to IT Problem Management
Andrew Dixon
- 88 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
Practical Guide to IT Problem Management
Andrew Dixon
About This Book
Some IT organisations seem to expend all their energy firefighting ā dealing with incidents as they arise and fixing, or patching over, the breakage. In organisations like this, restarting computers is seen as a standard method to resolve many issues. Perhaps the best way to identify whether an organisation understands problem management is to ask what they do after they have restarted the computer. If restarting the computer fixes the issue, it is very tempting to say that the incident is over and the job is done. Problem management recognises that things do not improve if such an approach is taken. Such organisations are essentially spending their time running to stay in the same place.
Written to help IT organisations move forward, Practical Guide to IT Problem Management presents a combination of methodologies including understanding timelines and failure modes, drill down, 5 whys and divide and conquer. The book also presents an exploration of complexity theory and how automation can assist in the desire to shift left both the complexity of the problem and who can resolve it. The book emphasises that establishing the root cause of a problem is not the end of the process as the resolution options need to be evaluated and then prioritised alongside other improvements. It also explores the role of problem boards and checklists as well as the relationship between problem management and Lean thinking. This practical guide provides both a framework for tackling problems and a toolbox from which to select the right methodology once the type of problem being faced has been identified. In addition to reactive methods, it presents proactive activities designed to reduce the incidence of problems or to reduce their impact and complexity should they arise.
Solving problems is often a combination of common sense and methodologies which may either be learnt the hard way or may be taught. This practical guide shows how to use problem solving tools and to understand how and when to apply them while upskilling IT staff and improving IT problem solving processes.
Frequently asked questions
Information
Chapter 1 Getting Your Priorities Right
Okay, Houston, weāve had a problem here.1
What Is the Impact?
Incident: | āpretty large bangā |
Readings: | Main B Bus undervolt Oxygen tank 2 was empty and tank 1ās pressure slowly falling The computer on the spacecraft had reset The high-gain antenna was not working |
Observations: | āa gas of some sortā venting into space The volume surrounding the spacecraft was filled with myriad small bits of debris from the accident |
Oxygen is required for power, heating and breathing. Oxygen has and is being lost. Without sufficient oxygen, the astronauts will die.
Workarounds
An unplanned interruption to a service or reduction in the quality of service.3
A cause, or potential cause, of one or more incidents.4
- Tank 2 was originally in Apollo 10, but was removed to fix a fault. It was dropped when it was removed.
- There were thermostats which were designed to operate at 28 volts, but were powered with 65 volts ā they failed to operate correctly.
- The temperature gauge was only rated up to 29Ā° Celsius (84Ā° Fahrenheit), so failed to detect the failed thermostats.
- During testing, tank 2 needed to be emptied and the drain system didnāt work, so they boiled off the oxygen. Without the functioning thermostats, temperatures may have reached 540Ā° Celsius (1004Ā° Fahrenheit).
- The high temperatures appear to have damaged the Teflon insulation.
Preventing Problems
A No Blame Culture
Summ...
Table of contents
- Cover Page
- Half Title Page
- Series Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Biography
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Getting Your Priorities Right
- Chapter 2 Timelines
- Chapter 3 Failure Modes
- Chapter 4 Complexity Theory
- Chapter 5 Automation and Artificial Intelligence
- Chapter 6 Drill Down
- Chapter 7 Divide and Conquer
- Chapter 8 Cause and Effect
- Chapter 9 Resolution Evaluation Methods
- Chapter 10 ITIL Problem Management
- Chapter 11 Problem Boards and Problem Records
- Chapter 12 The Drive for Efficiency
- Chapter 13 Applying the Principles to the World Outside of IT
- Chapter 14 Using Checklists
- Conclusion
- Appendix A Glossary
- Appendix B Sample Checklists
- Index