Problem management is a crucial IT service management (ITSM) process focused on identifying and addressing the root causes of incidents. Unlike incident management, which deals with immediate responses to disruptions, problem management digs deeper to understand the underlying issues that lead to these incidents.
While the immediate response to an incident might involve fixing a corrupted database entry or a rewritten configuration file, these are merely surface-level issues. True experts in IT service know that the real value lies in uncovering the deeper causes behind these problems. It’s not just about what went wrong, but why it went wrong. What were the contributing factors? What conditions led to the incident? These are the critical questions that problem management seeks to answer.
Problem management goes beyond just resolving incidents. It’s about thoroughly investigating and understanding the root causes of issues, and then implementing solutions to prevent future occurrences. This approach involves continuous and collaborative efforts across various teams—IT, security, and software development. It ensures that the process of identifying and addressing issues isn't confined to a single department but is integrated throughout the organization.
Problem management works in conjunction with incident management and other ITIL practices to create a comprehensive ITSM strategy. While incident management focuses on resolving disruptions as they occur, problem management aims to prevent those disruptions by addressing their root causes. This collaborative approach helps ensure that services remain stable and reliable, minimising the impact on users and the business.
In ITIL, a problem is defined as the root cause or potential cause of one or more incidents. While incident management and problem management share similar behaviours and goals, they serve distinct purposes. Incident management is focused on resolving disruptions to restore service quickly, whereas problem management aims to identify and eliminate the underlying causes of these disruptions.
For example, if a recent deployment causes a service outage, rolling back the deployment might resolve the immediate issue, but it does not address the underlying problem. Effective problem management digs deeper to prevent future incidents by addressing the root cause.
Despite their differences, problem management and incident management are increasingly intertwined. When no incidents are occurring, IT teams can focus on problem investigations. This proactive approach leads to service improvements and better quality overall. Problem management becomes invaluable by reducing the frequency and impact of future incidents, ultimately enhancing organizational performance.
Change management involves planning, tracking, and implementing changes to minimise service disruption. When a change leads to issues or downtime, both incident and problem management processes come into play. The change is analyzed to understand what went wrong and how to prevent similar problems in the future.
Knowledge management involves creating and maintaining a repository of solutions, documentation, and workarounds. A robust knowledge management practice supports problem management by providing quick access to information that can resolve incidents faster and prevent future issues. Together, these practices enhance service quality and efficiency.
Service request management deals with user requests for services such as application access, software enhancements, or information. Distinguishing between a service request and an incident can be challenging. Before ITIL V3 in 2007, these were both categorised as incidents. Now, ITIL defines an incident as an unplanned interruption or reduction in the quality of an IT service, while a service request is a formal request for something specific, such as information, advice, or a password reset.
When executed effectively, problem management offers numerous advantages for a business, enhancing overall efficiency and service quality. Here’s how:
By addressing the root causes of incidents, problem management enables teams to respond more swiftly to future disruptions. Establishing and applying best practices for problem analysis streamlines the process, allowing for quicker resolution of similar issues down the line.
Preventing incidents saves substantial amounts of time and money. Gartner reports that downtime can cost organizations over $300,000 per hour, with costs potentially soaring for web-based services. By mitigating the root causes of incidents, problem management helps avoid these costly disruptions.
With fewer incidents to manage, teams can redirect their focus and resources towards creating new value for customers. Effective problem management reduces the frequency of disruptions, allowing teams to concentrate on innovation and productivity.
Organizations that embrace problem management encourage their teams to investigate and learn from incidents. This continuous learning process fosters a culture of improvement and innovation. However, it’s crucial that problem management isn’t confined to a siloed team but is integrated into everyday operations for maximum impact.
Problem management not only resolves incidents but also drives service enhancements. By addressing the root causes of performance issues, it leads to valuable improvements in service quality, benefiting the entire organization.
Effective problem management reduces the frequency of incidents, leading to higher customer satisfaction. Frequent incidents can erode customer trust, but by minimizing repeat problems, businesses build stronger, more reliable relationships with their customers.
At Atlassian, we advocate for integrating problem and incident management processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. Separating these processes can lead to a backlog of unresolved issues, where problems get lost or neglected. By bringing problem management closer to incident management, teams can address and resolve issues more effectively.
Here’s a breakdown of the core steps in the problem management process:
The first step is proactively identifying problems before they cause incidents. This involves spotting potential issues early and finding workarounds to prevent future disruptions.
Once problems are detected, they need to be categorized and prioritized. This helps teams stay organized and focus on the most critical and high-value problems first.
The next step is to investigate and diagnose the root causes of the problems. This involves understanding what’s causing the issues and determining the best approach for remediation.
In ITIL, a "known error" is a problem with a documented root cause and a workaround. Recording this information in a known error database helps reduce downtime by providing solutions if the problem triggers an incident again.
If the problem cannot be immediately resolved, a temporary workaround may be created. This helps minimise the impact on the business and avoid customer-facing incidents until a permanent solution is found.
The final step is to resolve the problem and close it. A problem is considered closed once its root cause has been addressed and it can no longer lead to future incidents.
Integrating problem management with incident management is key to success. When problem management operates separately, it can become a bottleneck or focus on issues beyond its control, such as problems from external vendors.
By merging problem and incident management practices, teams can address the causes of incidents in real-time and prevent future issues. For example, fixing a software issue involves not only resolving the immediate incident but also identifying and correcting poor code to prevent future problems.
To excel in problem management, consider these key strategies:
Relying solely on reactive, root-cause analysis can be limiting. Recognize that multiple factors often contribute to incidents. The most effective teams adopt a holistic view, considering all possible causes and practising blameless analysis to identify underlying issues.
Encourage a culture where team members freely share information about problems and incidents without fear of punishment. Open dialogue helps uncover the full scope of issues and promotes collaborative problem-solving.
Focus on resolving problems that impact the most valuable services for your organization. Addressing these issues first ensures that you’re enhancing the services that deliver the highest value and have the greatest impact on your business.
Employ the "5 Whys" method, developed by Taiichi Ohno, to dig deeper into the root causes of problems. This technique involves asking "why" multiple times to uncover the fundamental issues behind incidents. For practical guidance, refer to the Atlassian Team Playbook.
Promote knowledge sharing within and across teams. By disseminating insights and lessons learned, you help other teams avoid similar issues and enhance overall organizational learning.
Effective problem management is an ongoing process. Even top-performing organizations experience incidents. The key is to continuously refine your approach, learn from each incident, and reduce the impact on your team and customers.
Establish a systematic approach for tracking follow-up actions. Utilize ITSM software to prioritize tasks, monitor progress, and link incident issues to their corresponding problems, ensuring that follow-up actions are completed and effective.
In essence, incidents can be seen as opportunities to invest in the future reliability of your services. Effective problem management not only resolves current issues but also drives valuable service improvements by addressing the root causes behind incidents. By adopting these tips, you can enhance your problem management processes and foster a culture of continuous improvement.