Problem management process overview

The problem management process includes the activities that are required to identify and classify problems, diagnose the root cause of incidents, and determine resolutions to related problems. The process ensures that the resolution is implemented through the appropriate control processes, such as change management.

Problem Management includes the activities that are required to prevent the recurrence or replication of incidents. It enables you to form recommendations for improvement, maintain problems, and review the status of corrective actions.

Proactive problem management encompasses problem prevention, ranging from the prevention of individual incidents (for example, repeated difficulties with a particular system feature) to the formation of higher-level strategic decisions. The latter may require major expenditures to implement, such as investment in a better network. At this level, proactive problem management merges into availability management. Problem prevention also includes the information that is given to customers for future use. This information reduces future information requests and helps to prevent incidents caused by lack of user knowledge and training.

The following figure provides a general overview of the problem management processes and workflows. These workflows are described in detail in Problem Management Workflows.