Info-Tech Research Group1 Info-Tech Research Group, Inc. Is a global leader in providing IT research and advice. Info-Tech’s products and services combine actionable insight and relevant advice with ready-to-use tools and templates that cover the full spectrum of IT concerns. © Info-Tech Research Group Inc. Establish a Rigorous Problem Management Process Use the ITIL framework to implement both reactive and proactive problem management practices. Info-Tech's products and services combine actionable insight and relevant advice with ready-to-use tools and templates that cover the full spectrum of IT concerns.© Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group2 Improve service quality by decreasing the frequency and impact of incidents. Implement a rigorous Problem Management (PM) process that will eliminate recurring issues and also prevent new incidents from occurring. Introduction CIOs who find that their department’s time and resources are concentrated on managing incidents that impact the environment. Operations Managers who are seeking to improve their current problem management process by introducing standard practices for root cause analysis (RCA) and problem resolution. Infrastructure Managers who are challenged by frequent recurring incidents undermining the quality of infrastructure services. Understand the value of a standardized process for problem management. Create a culture of reporting and process adherence for the service desk and problem management staff. Collect diagnostic data that will enhance root cause analysis. Transform current problem management processes to be proactive rather than reactive. This Research Is Designed For:This Research Will Help You:

Info-Tech Research Group3 Executive Summary Leverage best practices to improve service quality Standardized logging and reporting of incidents and problems will streamline the process and prevent duplicating processes. You will be able to query this information to help with the resolution of future incidents and problems. Effective incident matching and critical incident identification and recording will help to recognize problems in real time. Accurate and comprehensive diagnostic data collection during incidents will help you get to the root cause more efficiently and effectively. Understand problem management and what it can do for you With the ever-changing and increasingly complex nature of IT shops worldwide, it is easy to get bogged down by day-to- day support and maintenance of critical business applications. Often, the same incidents are encountered over and over again, leading to frequent service disruptions, user frustration, and hindered or halted productivity. Effective problem management processes help get to the root cause of these issues, preventing recurring incidents and resolving the problem once and for all, saving time, money, and resources. Incorporate the right problem management goal state into your IT organization Goal State 1 – Fundamental Problem Management is the most rudimentary goal state, featuring a brainstorming and “best guess” approach to root cause analysis. Goal State 2 – Comprehensive Problem Management involves the collection and analysis of diagnostic data to help determine a more accurate root cause. Goal State 3 – Proactive Problem Management is the most sophisticated of the goal states, since it seeks to prevent incidents before they occur, by monitoring and reporting on events that could lead to a service-impacting issue.

Info-Tech Research Group4 Guided Implementation points in your Problem Management process Book a Guided Implementation Today: Info-Tech is just a phone call away and can assist you with your project. Our expert Analysts can guide you to successful project completion. Here are the suggested Guided Implementation points in the Problem Management project: Section 1: Gap analysis results Understand the gap between your current maturity and the identified goal state for your process design. Prepare a detailed plan to close the gaps between your current state and your desired goal state. Section 2: Gather inputs from your service desk and incident management Prepare your problem management process for success by enhancing service desk and incident management recording and data collection processes. Section 3: Setting your process foundation Develop critical foundation practices for your problem management process through development of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). These foundation practices will set up the process for success by enabling more successful root cause analysis and more timely problem resolutions. Section 4: Root cause analysis procedures Adapt your root cause analysis procedures and methods to allow for the most effective and efficient root cause identification and problem resolution. To enroll, send an to or call and ask for the Guided Implementation This symbol signifies when you’ve reached a Guided Implementation point in your project.

Info-Tech Research Group5 What’s in this Section: Sections: Make the Case for Problem Management Assess Current State and Determine Goal State Enhance Your Service Desk and Incident Management Processes Set the Foundation for Problem Management Develop Your Fundamental Problem Management Process Develop Your Comprehensive Problem Management Process Integrate Proactive Problem Management Manage Successful Problem Resolutions Implement Your Problem Management Process and Measure its Performance What is Problem Management? What is a problem? How problem management fits into the big picture. What problem management can do for you. How to get executive support for your problem management implementation project.

Info-Tech Research Group6 ITIL defines a problem as “the unknown cause of one or more incidents.” Define problem management Problem management is the process within service management that is responsible for determining root cause of incidents and coordinating problem resolutions that minimize service impact and prevent incident recurrence. The primary objective of problem management is to prevent problems and resulting incidents from happening. Eliminate recurring incidents and minimize the impact of incidents that cannot be prevented. A problem can consist of the following: ◦ A set of recurring incidents. ◦ A critical incident that impacts a large number of end users or that has a highly disruptive and negative impact on the business. ◦ System reports that identify abnormal operations or functionality. An incident is defined as “unplanned interruption to an IT service or reduction in the quality of an IT service.” What is problem management? What qualifies as a problem? Remember to lay the foundation with incident management. It is important to note that all of these problem conditions are first logged as incidents, and through review and identification are qualified as problems and escalated to problem management. Incident vs. Problem Management: Incident management is dedicated to service restoration, while problem management focuses on root cause analysis and reducing incident occurrence.

Info-Tech Research Group7 Understand how problem management fits into the big picture of service operations Integrate problem management into your service management practices to improve overall service quality.

Info-Tech Research Group8 Implement problem management to address the chronic issues causing negative impact to your organization Poorly executed or absent problem management processes can lead to an array of negative consequences for both the IT department and the larger organization. Sorry honey, I have to work late…again. As an IT department Time and effort wasted resolving recurring incidents. High percentage of the IT budget is dedicated to firefighting. Lack of confidence in the IT support structure. Lack of confidence in the IT platforms (hardware/software). As a Company Service disruptions causing slow or halted productivity. Frustrated end users. Critical incidents having a negative impact on the bottom line. Negative perception of the IT department by the business.

Info-Tech Research Group9 Understand how problem management will improve service quality and decrease support costs A rigorous problem management process will decrease incidents and increase efficiency of IT staff. Reporting on process performance measures will assist in reinforcing the value of the process for all stakeholders. Fewer total incidents Fewer recurring incidents Fewer critical incidents Faster determination of root cause More accurate determination of root cause Faster problem resolution Less time/effort spent on resolving recurring incidents Less time/effort spent on root cause analysis Less time/effort spent on problem resolution Fewer total incidents Fewer recurring incidents Fewer critical incidents Faster determination of root cause More accurate determination of root cause Faster problem resolution Less time/effort spent on resolving recurring incidents Less time/effort spent on root cause analysis Less time/effort spent on problem resolution Benefits of Problem Management

Info-Tech Research Group10 Take control of your service portfolio by integrating strong problem management practices Problem Management allows you to successfully run your service portfolio, preventing recurring and critical incidents from running you! Don’t get run over by the volume of incidents and problems facing your IT organization. High rates of recurring incidents force the IT department to concentrate the majority of its time on firefighting. On average, IT departments report that nearly 70% of their time and resources are spent maintaining and fixing current infrastructure/applications, thereby reducing time available for development projects. A formalized problem management process will: Help reduce total time spent by IT staff on incidents and problems. Improve the quality of the service portfolio.

Info-Tech Research Group11 Leverage the value of problem management to provide benefits to IT and the business Implementing a problem management process will enhance the quality of IT services, and also provide significant benefits to the organization. ITBusiness Increased Time for Development Ability to improve and streamline processes. Capacity to undertake new projects. Facilitates innovation. Increased User Productivity Less outages and service disruption means users can focus on their tasks without worrying about the next failure or crash. Decreased IT Support Costs Streamlined process and proactive monitoring will lead to less of a strain on service support, and subsequently lower costs. Increased User Satisfaction Less overall outages and system failures as well as a faster and more transparent incident management system will restore trust in IT. $

Info-Tech Research Group12 Info-Tech Research Group Helps IT Professionals To: Sign up for free trial membership to get practical solutions for your IT challenges Quickly get up to speed with new technologies Make the right technology purchasing decisions – fast Deliver critical IT projects, on time and within budget Manage business expectations Justify IT spending and prove the value of IT Train IT staff and effectively manage an IT department “Info-Tech helps me to be proactive instead of reactive – a cardinal rule in a stable and leading edge IT environment. - ARCS Commercial Mortgage Co., LP Toll Free: