Problem Management

The motive behind problem management is to work proactively to identify problem before they convert into incident reported by client or staff , reducing the number of incoming incidents. Problem management team accomplishes the goal by analyzing the system on regulate basis , Known error database , knowledge base articles for self-help etc. Problem management plays a vital role when a problem is reported by multiple clients.

For example, when your production server goes down and clients are not able to access your service then in such case there would be multiple incidents reporting the same problem. So instead of solving each incident one by one ,problem management allows you to link the related incidents and solve the problem Incident and reply to all related incidents. This is the simplicity of problem management.

Also you can link changes , releases ,task , CI (Configuration Items) with problem.

Problem management Hash : This is the unique problem id associated with each problems.

Problem Hash can be customized from admin setting >>Module >> ITIL

When you create a problem system will automatically take the creation date and time.

Known error

A known error is one which is already identified and which has a permanent solution available.

A known error is created once a deep analysis for a problem is completed and then a solution is found to resolve the same.

You can also have type of known error say production or development.

Solution (Knowledge base)

The solution or knowledge base acts a database of known solutions to problem or workaround for the issues. Its helps the problem to be solved quickly as we have steps available to resolve or restore the service.

Now before you can proceed to add a problem ,there are some roles in problem management. Below is description for the same -

• Creator(C) – one who would have rights to create a problem

• Resource manager(RS) – one who would decide for resources, time frames, staff, efforts required, cost associated based on analysis.

• Delivery manager(D) – one who is responsible for deciding the delivery date or deadline of delivery for the solution of problem.

• Risk assessment manager(RA) – one who responsible to find out the risk associated like expected downtime and time frames.

• ROI manager(RO) - one who responsible to find out the ROI associated with the problem.

• Problem manager(M) – one who is responsible for entire problem management process ,monitoring problem right from creation till finding a solution for problem,closing the problem.

Steps to add a problem :

• Go to launcher icon >>select Problem management module
• Click on menu icon available on top right corner, select Add Problem and you will land up in problem creation form
• Here you need to add details like

• Domain - You can select domain for which you want to add a problem.
• Creator – Person who is creating the problem.
• Title – Title for problem.
• Apply Macro – You can auto add a description for problem using a macro where you can have most commonly created problem added under macro.
• Description – You can add details for the problem.
• Properties field – You can manage for various properties for problem like status,priority,impact etc.
• Known error – If the problem is already known and you have a permanent solution available then you can mark it as known error.

You can add known error as production or development.

• Request User – You can add email address of requester.
• Attach CI – You can add the asset related to the problem.
• Assigned to – Assigned to indicates the person who is responsible for checking the Problem request.

Click on Add button to create a problem.

Note : Following are the mandatory fields while you add the problem

Domain, creator, title, Description, request user.

Quick Add and link the problem : There are shortcut icons available for creating the problem from incident page. Also this problem can be added/linked to a Incident from Incident properties.

Open a Incident >> click on the gear icon on right most corner >> select link or add Incident option.

Open a Incident>> click on the menu option at top right corner>> select link or add problem.

Once you add a problem then you would land up in problem listing page and you can open the problem to add further details under below tabs-

• Timeline
• Problem details
• Audit log

Timeline : Timeline defines the stages for problem management. Below are stages under timeline.

Timeline defines the stages for problem management which are managed by different staff as per the role assigned to them. Below are stages under timeline and person responsible for the same.

Step 1: Details : You can define workaround solution for the problem and other details like role allocation. It also gives you the timeframes.

Workaround solution(M and C) : To avoid the IT service disruption, staff can provide a workaround solution for smooth function of the Services.

Request time (M and C): here you can see the time when the problem was created.

Request user (M and C)- The person who reported the problem.

Role assignment (M and C)-

Resource managed by - The person responsible for managing the resources

like efforts required , cost associated to resolve the problem.

Delivered by - The person who is responsible for the timely delivery of

solution for the problem.

Risk manage by - The person who is going to trace out the risk associated

and also to find out the ways to mitigate the risk.

ROI (Return on Investment) manage by - The person who's going to

calculate the benefit/profit for finding the solution to the problem.

Approvals manage by - The person who is going to manage the approvals

for various stages defined under timeline.

Step 2: Identify and analysis(M and C) : You can define details like root cause ,symptoms,resource management,risks,time frames to resolve the problem and approvals for the same.

Instructions (Manager or Creator) - You can add instructions which needs to

be followed while solving the problem.

Root cause (Manager or Creator)- You can add root cause for the problem.

Symptoms (Manager or Creator) - You can add symptoms which can help to

identify the problem.

Identify (Manager or Creator) - You can add a identification note and also

check the linked incidents and changes from here.

Resource management (Resource Manager)- Resource manager can

analyse the cost associated for hardware ,software , installation etc that may be

required to resolve problem.

Instructions - You can add instructions for reference for staff.

Internal manpower in hours - You can calculate the approx hours

required to resolve the problem.

Total costs - Total cost that would be required for resolving the problem.

Hardware cost - Hardware cost required to resolve the problem.

Software cost - Software cost required to resolve the problem.

Installation costs - Installation cost required to resolve the problem.

Training costs - Training cost required to resolve the problem.

Maintenance costs - Maintenance cost required to resolve the problem.

Proposed date ( Delivery Manager)-

Proposed delivery date - Expected delivery date for problem

Risk assessment (Risk Assessment Manager)- Risk assessment manager

can identify the risk associated like what would be the downtime schedule and

for how many hours.

Instructions - You can add instruction for reference.

Expected downtime start - You can specify the start time for downtime

Expected downtime end - You can specify the end time for downtime.

Downtime hours - You can specify total hours of downtime.

ROI (ROI Manager) - You can add instructions related to Return on Investment.

Instructions - You can add instructions for ROI here.

Approvals (Problem Manager)

Approved by - You can specify the name of person who is going to

approve this stage.

Stage 3 - Action [Managed by Problem Manager] :

Impact :

Instructions - You can define details like impact associated with

problem and instructions for the same.

Stage 4 - Close [Managed by Problem Manager]:

Permanent solution :

Staff can find out the permanent solution by diagnosing the

problem.

Problem Review : You can add review for the problem. While adding review you can select various options like the problem is solved well, didnot solved well, can do better for next, failure prevention, upplier involvement present. Also you can write description for the review.

Close time - You can specify the problem close time here

Problem details : Here you get an overview of the details which you have added while creating the problem and details which you have added under timeline like description, root cause,impact ,symptoms , workaround solution etc.

Audit log : Here you can see all the changes made to the problem right from its creation till date like if you have changed the status of problem or allocated to a staff or added as a known problem etc.

Assign a problem record to a staff : Problem can be assigned to a staff while creating the problem you will get an option to assign it to a staff.

This can be automated using ITIL automation from admin setting :

Eg: You want to assign a new problem to a staff.

• Event : Select a New problem
• Criteria : Add Match and/or conditions
• Action : Select the staff member name whom you want to assign a new problem.

The above can be used for the escalation.

For eg: when staff fails to resolve the problem you can define the escalation rule such as on problem overdue, select the criteria and assigned to second level support. Or even you can send the notification to the assigned staff.

Steps to link assets,Incidents ,change ,task with a problem -

• Open the problem Incident from problem listing page for which you want to link assets,Incidents ,change or task .
• Within the Problem request, please click on icon available under top right corner and you will get options to link CI ,Incidents ,change or task with problem.

Steps to close or reply the linked Incidents with a problem-

• Open the problem Incident from problem listing page for which you want to close or reply all linked Incidents.
• Click on gear icon available under top right corner and you will get options to close or reply all linked Incidents. Once you click on it you can even send the solution you found out for problem to client.

Notes for the problem : You can add notes on the problem for the staff members. For eg: if there is some important information that you want to convey to the problem management team you can add the notes. This notes are viewed by all the staff members.

Delete a Problem request: You can delete a problem from the listed problem. Click on the small drop down icon on problem listing page to delete.

Filters : Problem list can be filter for quick access from filter icon on the top right corner of the Listing page. You can search using domain, impact, priority, status, problem current stage.

Even, you can see the filters based on the status of the problem from "All" drop down.

Archiving Data for Problems

You can archive the Problem requests and keep only the required ones in the Problem management folder.

To Archive a Problem click on Admin Settings >>> System >>> Archive

On the Archive page:

Click on the option on the top right corner of the page.

Click on Settings.

Click on Archive.

The below details need to be selected under the Archive option.

Archive data before: Here you can define the date before which you want to archive the Problem requests.

Archive date from: You need to select the option "Problems" here.

Status: Here you can define if you want to archive the Problems belonging to a particular status.

Then click on Calculate.

You would get Total data count to be Archived.

Then click on Archive

Note: The data after archive can be viewed in the Archive folder under Problem management, but cannot be modified. You need to restore it back to make modifications.