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Book Details
Abstract
Problem management is the one IT service management process that tends to return more benefits more quickly than any of the others. This book offers practical, real-world guidance on all aspects of implementing and running an effective problem management function. Offering advice and recommendations tailored to different types of organisations, it gives IT practitioners, consultants and managers the tools to add real value to their businesses.
This is essential reading for anyone who wants to take problem management seriously. I thoroughly recommend it.
James Bourgerie
Michael covers problem management from soup to nuts. Regardless of the maturity of your problem management process, this book will improve it. A must read!
Joseph Gallagher
Problem management is the one IT service management process that tends to return more benefits more quickly than any of the others. Based on the author’s extensive experience and backed up by suggestions and ideas from other practitioners, this book offers practical, real-world guidance on all aspects of implementing and running an effective problem management function, from proposition and justification of the function to different ways of organising it. Offering advice and recommendations tailored to different types of organisations, it gives IT practitioners, consultants and managers the tools to add real value to their businesses.
Michael Hall has over 25 years' experience in IT, developing and leading teams, managing change programmes and implementing service management. A specialist in service operations, he implemented problem management as a global function at Deutsche Bank. He is a Chartered IT Professional (CITP) in Service Management.
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover | Cover | ||
| Copyright | iv | ||
| CONTENTS | v | ||
| FIGURES AND TABLES | viii | ||
| AUTHOR | ix | ||
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | x | ||
| INTRODUCTION | xi | ||
| WHAT THIS BOOK IS ABOUT | xi | ||
| WHAT THIS BOOK IS NOT ABOUT | xi | ||
| WHY READ THIS BOOK? | xii | ||
| BIASES | xii | ||
| SECTIONS | xii | ||
| CONVENTIONS USED IN THIS BOOK | xiii | ||
| SECTION 1 - INTRODUCING PROBLEM MANAGEMENT | 1 | ||
| 1 WHAT IS PROBLEM MANAGEMENT? | 2 | ||
| OBJECTIVES | 2 | ||
| SCOPE | 2 | ||
| PROBLEM MANAGEMENT IS DIFFERENT FROM INCIDENT MANAGEMENT | 5 | ||
| 2 FACTORS FOR SUCCESS | 7 | ||
| CHALLENGES | 7 | ||
| MANAGEMENT SUPPORT | 12 | ||
| TRAINING | 12 | ||
| STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT | 12 | ||
| COMMUNICATION | 13 | ||
| CONSISTENT APPROACH | 14 | ||
| AGREEMENTS | 14 | ||
| 3 DEVELOPING THE BUSINESS CASE | 17 | ||
| WHY HAVE PROBLEM MANAGEMENT? | 17 | ||
| WHY IS A STRUCTURED APPROACH TO PROBLEM MANAGEMENT REQUIRED? | 18 | ||
| SETTING OUT THE VALUE PROPOSITION | 20 | ||
| THE PLAN | 25 | ||
| THE CALL TO ACTION | 27 | ||
| SAMPLE BUSINESS CASES AND PLANS | 27 | ||
| SECTION 2 - IMPLEMENTING AND RUNNING PROBLEM MANAGEMENT | 28 | ||
| 4 THE IMPLEMENTATION PROJECT | 29 | ||
| IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH | 29 | ||
| PHASE ZERO: PLANNING AND PREPARATION | 30 | ||
| PHASE ONE: START-UP | 41 | ||
| PHASE TWO: CONSOLIDATION | 43 | ||
| PHASE THREE: STEADY STATE | 49 | ||
| FURTHER READING: ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE ISSUES | 50 | ||
| 5 ORGANISING PROBLEM MANAGEMENT AS A FUNCTION | 51 | ||
| THE ORGANISATIONAL MODEL USED | 51 | ||
| PEOPLE AND SKILLS | 59 | ||
| MAPPING THE PROBLEM MANAGEMENT TEAM TO THE PROCESS | 65 | ||
| GOVERNANCE AND PROBLEM ADVISORY BOARD | 75 | ||
| 6 REALISING THE BENEFITS OF PROBLEM MANAGEMENT | 79 | ||
| COMMITMENTS | 79 | ||
| CLASSIFICATION AND ROOT CAUSE CODE STRUCTURES | 80 | ||
| FIX THE PROBLEM | 85 | ||
| MAKE RESULTS AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE USE | 87 | ||
| EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION | 90 | ||
| 7 METRICS, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND REPORTING | 98 | ||
| INTRODUCTION | 98 | ||
| KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS | 100 | ||
| METRICS | 107 | ||
| REPORTING | 109 | ||
| 8 TOOL REQUIREMENTS | 113 | ||
| MANAGING THE WORKFLOW | 114 | ||
| MANAGING THE INFORMATION | 116 | ||
| REPORTING AND COMMUNICATION | 117 | ||
| AIDS TO SELECTION | 117 | ||
| 9 WHERE NEXT FOR PROBLEM MANAGEMENT? | 118 | ||
| PROBLEM MANAGEMENT WITHIN IT | 118 | ||
| PROBLEM MANAGEMENT OUTSIDE IT | 121 | ||
| WHERE TO NEXT FOR PROBLEM MANAGERS? | 122 | ||
| SECTION 3 – PROBLEM MANAGEMENT PROCESS AND TECHNIQUES | 123 | ||
| 10 PROCESS OVERVIEW | 124 | ||
| STATES | 125 | ||
| 11 DETECT AND LOG PROBLEMS | 128 | ||
| DETECTING PROBLEMS | 128 | ||
| REACTIVE PROBLEM MANAGEMENT | 129 | ||
| PROACTIVE PROBLEM MANAGEMENT | 131 | ||
| LOGGING PROBLEMS | 137 | ||
| 12 ASSESS, PRIORITISE AND ASSIGN PROBLEMS | 138 | ||
| ASSESS THE PROBLEM | 138 | ||
| CATEGORISATION | 139 | ||
| PRIORITISATION | 140 | ||
| ASSIGNMENT | 143 | ||
| 13 INVESTIGATION AND DIAGNOSIS | 144 | ||
| MAJOR INVESTIGATION FRAMEWORKS | 145 | ||
| SUPPORTING INVESTIGATION TOOLS | 147 | ||
| OTHER DEFINITIONS OF PROBLEM, PROBLEM MANAGEMENT, ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS | 149 | ||
| ROOT CAUSE QUALITY: GETTING TO 'REAL' ROOT CAUSES | 149 | ||
| 14 ERROR RESOLUTION | 151 | ||
| FIND A SOLUTION | 152 | ||
| THE SOLUTION PROPOSAL | 153 | ||
| APPROVAL | 154 | ||
| IMPLEMENTATION | 154 | ||
| 15 CLOSING PROBLEMS | 156 | ||
| REVIEW | 156 | ||
| THE DEFERRED STATE | 157 | ||
| CLOSURE | 159 | ||
| MAJOR PROBLEM REVIEW | 160 | ||
| CONCLUSION | 161 | ||
| ONLINE RESOURCES | 162 | ||
| SAMPLE BUSINESS CASES | 162 | ||
| SAMPLE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN | 162 | ||
| SAMPLE LAUNCH AND FAMILIARISATION TRAINING | 162 | ||
| ROOT CAUSE CODES | 162 | ||
| FURTHER READING | 163 | ||
| REFERENCES | 166 | ||
| INDEX | 170 | ||
| Back Cover | 176 |