Diving Deep into Problem Management in ISO 20000

Hey there, IT aficionados!

Ever stumbled upon a pesky IT issue and thought, “This feels familiar?” Well, meet the unsung hero of IT management: Problem Management. ISO 20000 gives us a crystal-clear roadmap to manage problems efficiently, ensuring they don’t repeatedly hamper our services. Let’s dive in!

What’s a Problem Anyway?

In the vast IT universe, a ‘PROBLEM’ is the cause of one or more real or potential incidents. Essentially, while incidents are the disruptive events we notice, problems are the lurking culprits behind them.

The Core of Problem Management

The essence of Problem Management is to identify and get to the bottom of the root causes of problems. The aim? To ensure we’re not stuck in a loop of recurring incidents affecting our services in the future. Imagine Problem Management as the detective in your IT story – always looking for clues to prevent the next incident!

Journey of a Problem in ISO 20000

1. Registration & Classification: Just as you would book an appointment, problems need to be registered and classified. This gives a clear view of the issue at hand.
2. Prioritization: Not all problems have the same impact. So, prioritizing ensures the big baddies are tackled first.
3. Escalation (if needed): Some problems are above our pay grade. These might need experts or higher authorities to weigh in.
4. Resolution (where possible): The golden step. Here, the root cause is addressed, and if necessary, an RDM (Request for Change) might be raised to correct it.
5. Closure: Once addressed, it’s essential to close the loop to avoid clutter.

ISO/IEC 20000-1 Says…

The standard states, “the organization must analyze data and trends from incidents to identify problems.” This means, rather than waiting for issues to compound, proactive analysis can help in predicting and preventing potential problems. After identifying a problem, delve deep to find its root cause and determine actions to prevent its occurrence or recurrence.

There you have it! With ISO 20000:2018 as our guide, Problem Management becomes less of a challenge and more of an organized, strategic process. So, the next time an incident pops up, remember there’s a whole methodology waiting to help you solve and prevent it. Happy problem-solving!