Chapter 6

Solving and Preventing Incidents and Problems

To succeed as a service desk analyst, resolving incidents effectively and efficiently is required. Incident management processes ensure that incidents are handled quickly, correctly, and consistently, with the goal of restoring services as soon as possible to minimize disruptions to company systems, networks, applications, and products.

Service desk analysts rely on strong problem solving skills within an incident management framework. The best analysts collect comprehensive data, analyze the issue methodically, and develop actionable solutions. Effective diagnostic techniques include asking targeted questions, replicating the customer’s actions, and utilizing diagnostic tools.

Key Terms

  • Incident Management: The process of managing and resolving incidents to restore services quickly.

  • Incident Owner: The individual responsible for ensuring an incident is resolved and customers are kept informed.

  • Root Cause Analysis: Techniques to identify the fundamental cause of a problem.

  • Problem Management: Processes to investigate and eliminate root causes of recurring incidents.

  • Five Whys: A technique for identifying the root cause of a problem by asking "why" iteratively.

When immediate resolution is not possible, an incident owner ensures the issue is resolved within the promised time frame, keeping customers informed throughout the process. Ownership is essential to prevent incidents from being overlooked, which could lead to customer dissatisfaction.

Once resolved, all pertinent data must be recorded to allow for accurate reporting and trend analysis. This data supports problem management, enabling organizations to identify and eliminate root causes of recurring incidents using advanced techniques like brainstorming, Five Whys, cause and effect analysis, Pareto analysis, and Kepner-Tregoe problem analysis.

When problem management is conducted effectively, incidents are reduced, providing analysts with opportunities to focus on more complex issues and develop new skills. A deep understanding of incident and problem management processes, coupled with robust problem-solving abilities, is crucial for success in a service desk environment.