What is the difference between An Incident? A Problem? A Known Error? A Change?

If a refrigerator falls from the sky and lands on you… That is an Incident.

If a refrigerator falls from the sky and lands on you, bounces, and kills someone else… That is a recurring Incident.

If the refrigerator continues to fall through the earth to the core… That is a continuation of the original Incident.

Crossing the street to avoid falling refrigerators… Is a Workaround, provided by Incident Management.

If you want a hard hat to protect against falling refrigerators… Put in a Service Request to Incident Management.

When you receive your hard hat… It becomes your Asset, or Configuration Item (CI).

If refrigerators continue to fall from the sky… 3… 2 1 That is a Problem.

Why do refrigerators fall? That’s what Problem Management figures out, once they’ve addressed the falling Mack Trucks.

When Problem Management determines the source of refrigerator fallout… That is a Known Error.

When Problem Management finds a solution to stop refrigerators from falling… A Change is created to implement the solution.

Whoever has the power to make refrigerators stop falling… Is the Change Implementer.

Once the Change is deployed… Change Management informs Incident Management, who confirms the change and communicates the improvement to the victims, err.. customers.

Whatever happened to make the refrigerators stop falling should… Be documented in the Solutions Database.

If a refrigerator falls from the sky and lands on you… The Incident may be associated with Tasks: EMS may be tasked with assisting injured pedestrians. Sanitation may be tasked with recovering the refrigerator.

EMS arrives quickly after the refrigerator falls on you. EMS responds to Incident Management notifications of victims of falling refrigerators within 20 minutes, 24x7x365. This is a Service Target.

The Coroner verifies time of death, should the refrigerator prove fatal. If EMS cannot help the victim, the coroner is notified. The coroner has a service target to respond to the scene within 4 hours of the time he is notified. This is an Escalation.

Sanitation recovers debris from falling refrigerators. Sanitation has 1 week to recover the refrigerator per their Service Level Agreement with the city; however, sanitation only operates during Business Hours.

If microwaves begin to fall from the sky... Incident Management can use Knowledge Management to determine probable causes and past solutions.

The microwave and refrigerator may be related Assets… That have the same User. That have the same Parent CI, a kitchen. That have dependent assets, like soup and popsicles.

If refrigerators continue to fall from the sky… A Broadcast Bulletin should be sent as soon as possible. External broadcasts notify pedestrians Refrigerators are falling A workaround is available Internal broadcasts notify support staff they may be tasked To assist injured pedestrians To retrieve damaged refrigerators

So, if a refrigerator falls from the sky and lands on you… Who is the Customer for the Incident? Who is the Contact?

If you pushed your buddy out of the way, saving his life… Who is the Customer? Now, who is the Contact?

And, if a refrigerator falls from the sky and lands on you… Who is the Problem Manager? Is it the City, since it lands on the sidewalk? If the refrigerator falls from a building, is it the building’s manager?

Finally, if a refrigerator falls from the sky and lands on you, the door opens, something falls out and hits someone else… That is a different, related Incident of a different priority.