The IT Skeptic - problem

ITSM incident and problem: two names for three things

skeptic — Fri, 25 Jul 2014 10:59:19 +0000

Debate around the definitions of Incident and Problem never seems to end.
Here's my take on the fundamental issue that fuels the endless arguments: we have two entities trying to do three jobs.

When a service breaks, we have to deal with three things in support:

Measuring problem management

skeptic — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 01:07:33 +0000

How best to measure your Problem Management practice?

ITSM in Cherry Valley

skeptic — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 16:51:30 +0000

I'm getting lots of positive feedback about my series of articles for The ITSM Review, which use a train crash in Cherry Valley, Illinois as a case study for understanding incident and problem management. (It is part of a wider theme of my articles for The ITSM Review using railroad examples for service management).

It always mystifies me that people (and ITIL) don't grok this simple model: incident management is about users, problem management is about causes.

How ITIL gets Incident vs Problem wrong

skeptic — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 20:08:26 +0000

In ITIL, we don't separate Incidents from Problems properly. This causes a muddy and confused definition of both. Join me as I try one more time to make this clear.

Riddle me this: matching ITIL theory to the real world

skeptic — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:53:12 +0000

Calling all you ITIL theorists, philosophers, pontificators and pundits. Marty is back: our follower from the real world, trying to make sense of ITIL on its home grounds, the operations of big iron batch computing. Marty asks what happens after a service is restored? What does ITIL call the function of undoing the damage done while a service was unavailable? I have a view - of course - but I'm going to stay quiet - for a while- and hear what everyone else thinks. So have at it.

ITIL Problem versus Risk

skeptic — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 08:44:45 +0000

It was one of the great ITSM philosophers, Jan van Bon who first explained to me that Problem Management is but a special case of Risk Management.

In a purist theoretical sense he is right, but on a practical level I think the distinction is useful. It is certainly entrenched.

Problem detection is everyone's duty

skeptic — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 08:27:43 +0000

When a train rolls by, the guys on shovels and brooms, track gangs, crews on the ground, crews on other trains, clerks, station-masters, everyone stops and watches the train and waves to the crew on board. Lazy? Hell no.

Shit happens, or how I learned to love the incident

skeptic — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:43:04 +0000

Complex systems are by definition broken. They will always break and sometimes they will break when everybody did what they are supposed to. Fixing the problem won't necessarily reduce the risk of another incident.

We should create the problem record right up front in an incident

skeptic — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 08:55:02 +0000

A BOKKED post three months ago drew a lot of attention. It was about the disconnect between Incident and Problem Management in ITIL V3 Service Operation. [See also the ITIL Wizard stirring the pot about Major Incidents] I've just discovered a response to that post which has popped my brain with its simplicity and clarity

ITIL V3 Service Operation disconnect between Incident and Problem Management

skeptic — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 08:40:26 +0000

There seems to be a major disconnect between ITIL V3 Incident and Problem Management.

Say it ain't so!! ITIL V3 Incident and Problem processes do not determine the affected service

skeptic — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:15:17 +0000

This BOKKE (body of knowledge known error) has been posted for a day or so, hundreds of views. I was sure someone would say "no you idiot, service impact analysis is right here" but not one. It seems to be true.

Incidents overwhelm problems

skeptic — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:49:51 +0000

Problems suffer from the important/urgent dilemma. They are very important but struggle to get attention in the less mature shops over the incoming bombardment of incidents.

This is over simplistic but cute

Defining terms in Root Cause Analysis - let's be clear what we mean

skeptic — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 22:35:12 +0000

We have a great discussion going regarding Root Cause. As usual so much comes down to precise definition of terms. What does Root Cause mean?

Root Cause Analysis can't be done by machines

skeptic — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 03:51:27 +0000

Vendors are making a fuss about their Root Cause Analysis (RCA) features in their tools. People Process Things once again: who says Root Cause is in the technology?