Problems are inevitable. Dealing with problems can be stressful. Take this course and you will learn how to track down problems efficiently and reduce that stress.
“Problem Determination" is the art of identifying where the cause of a problem can be found in a system, so that it can be fixed. Having a reputation for being able to track down the causes of problems will make you more valued. Being able to perform Problem Determination efficiently, or manage others doing Problem Determination will enhance your reputation.
This course teaches you a simple 8-step framework which can be used to manage the Problem Determination process, and techniques which will enable you to isolate problems efficiently. As you complete the sections what you have learned is reinforced by a case study and you can check your understanding using quizzes.
Whether you work on a help-desk, or as a developer, analyst or manager the skills you learn from this course will make you more effective. Problem Determination is a powerful intellectual skill which anyone with an analytical and practical mind can learn. It is a skill which once learned can be carried with you and applied to different systems and in different industries.
After taking this lecture, you will:
After taking this lecture, you will be able to answer the questions:
When you have completed this lecture, you will recognise the three phases in the method:
And you will know which steps are included in each phase.
See how much you remember about why we need Problem Determination.
This course has a case study which will allow you to practice the technique as you progress through the course. The case study is not very technical. It is based on a real life incident concerning a real system. Each "lecture" in the case study contains some exercises for you to do and at the end there is a solution. Do not be tempted to peek. The benefit of the exercises comes from experiencing the process, not getting the right answer. In real life there may not be a single right answer, in fact there may not even be an answer at all!
This is lecture introduces "the system" we are going to be looking at. You may be surprised to find that it is not a computer system. In fact it is a simple domestic plumbing installation. Part of the reason for this is that the method of problem determination taught in this course owes something to techniques used for problem determination in chemical plant, and the other part is that I experienced a real life incident which provided a suitable basis for the case study.
The lecture describes the system and provides some basic documentation (in the form of a diagram). You may find it helpful to print the diagram to use later but this is not essential. You are asked to perform two simple exercises to make sure that you understand how the system is supposed to work.
You may wonder about my background and experience. This "lecture" contains more background information about me, and tells you a number of ways you can get in touch with me.
When you have completed this lecture,
When you have completed this lecture, you will understand:
You will be able to describe the different types of evidence:
When you have completed this lecture:
Check what you remember about the activities involved in "Take Control".
When you have completed this lecture you will understand:
This "lecture" introduces the problem which we are going to have to solve.
There is even a problem with the problem! We are not sure there is a problem.
The case study takes you through the four steps of "Take Control".
At each step there is some introduction and then an exercise for you to do. When you have done the exercise, and discussed it with any colleagues if you like, then look at the debrief for that exercise before moving on to the next step.
The exercise begins in Step (0) with a "Problem Statement". You will find that the problem statement is a little vague, but believe me, there is something real and significant there.
Enjoy hunting for the source of the problem!
When you have completed this section:
When you have completed this lecture you will understand the technique: “Searching a Pipeline” , which is particularly efficient in some circumstances.
See what you remember about the two techniques you have learned for isolating the problem.
This "lecture" allows you to practice the two main techniques you have learned:
There are three exercises:
When you have completed this lecture, you will understand that somebody needs to make a conscious decision whether to hand the problem over to the specialists to identify the actual cause of the problem and how to fix it.
When you have completed this lecture, you will understand how to manage people who will be doing the actual fixing. You will know:
This lecture completes the framework. You've seen the complete picture. You know how to:
This "lecture" allows you to practice deciding "what to do next?".
There are two exercises:
Then there are two further exercises which you can use as the starting point for discussions:
See what you remember about taking action and managing the fix activity.
After completing this lecture, you will understand how to handle the situations when this technique might not be suitable:
You might imagine that it is impossible to prepare in advance for “bug hunting”, because you can't know what problems are going to be reported.
After completing this lecture you will have learned about the preparations you can make:
This "lecture" allows you to practice documenting a system.
In the exercise you will start with what you know about the plumbing system I used as the basis for the case study and produce your own summary.
I provide an example solution which is based on the situation in the real world. Don't be too surprised if there are slight differences between the one I provide and the one you have produced. That doesn't matter. The important thing is that you go through the process and then understand any differences between the two representations.
After looking at the debrief you may want to discuss the method of documenting a simple system with your colleagues. Afterwards you may try practising on the systems you know.
See what you remember about times when this technique is not suitable and how to prepare in advance.
This lecture recaps the content of the course and reminds you of the three phases:
Congratulations on completing this course:
I'm Tom Gillies and I have been a Business and Technical Analyst in the Information Technology industry for the past thirty years.
My courses are based on my real-world experiences. I am teaching as I wish I had been taught. My objective is to give you enough knowledge to make you reasonably self-sufficient, and enough experience to give you reasonable confidence, while understanding your limitations. I think you will find working at your own pace liberating and you can contact me during the course if you wish to.
I started my working life as an engineer. I have a BSc in Chemical Engineering from Aston University in Birmingham, England. As a result of my work as an engineering designer, I became interested in computing and eventually I joined IBM as a Systems Engineer, working in pre-sales for customers in the aerospace industry.
Within IBM, I moved to a consultancy group and worked directly for customers as a Business or Technical Analyst for twenty-five years. I served a wide variety of customers from large “blue chip" corporations and government departments to start-ups. I have designed, developed and maintained computer systems, large and small, on a wide variety of platforms.
In my experience of the Information Technology industry, I have found that some skills have been of lasting value. SQL is one such technical skill. Problem solving, some analysis techniques and the so-called "soft skills" are others. All of these improve your ability to communicate with both the business and technical staff make you a more valuable member of a team.
I live in the Republic of Ireland and, when I'm not working for Customers, or writing and supporting courses, I am improving my skill in the Russian language.