For the rest of the world, these are just two synonyms. But in ITIL, the main IT service management framework, the distinction is crucial. Let’s find out.
Table of contents:
ITIL, a service management framework, describes an “incident” as an unexpected disruption in service. Incident management is the process of finding and fixing these issues to restore services to normal quickly. The main goal of incident management is to keep business disruptions to a minimum and ensure IT services are restored as soon as possible.
However, incidents sometimes serve as indicators of a deeper underlying issue–a problem.
ITIL’s definition for a problem is “a cause or potential cause of one or more incidents.” To determine and resolve this underlying issue, you need a separate process, i.e. problem management.
In Alloy Navigator, the comprehensive ITSM platform by Alloy Software, problem management is tightly integrated with incident management, change management, and knowledge management for effective and quick resolution.
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Incidents are defined as unexpected disruptions to a service, such as a service outage, that interrupt normal operations.
In contrast, problems refer to the underlying causes of one or more incidents. These are often identified when multiple incidents, such as recurring outages, share a common root cause.
You can look at the lifecycles of incidents and problems to make differentiating between them easier.
An incident can be resolved and closed if at least a workaround has been found. The workaround will be documented in the manner accepted within the company, for example, entered into the Known Error Database (KEDB). The problem management team will then work on this incident to address the underlying problem that caused it.
While problem resolution might involve finding a workaround, problem managers can also raise change requests when they realize the problem requires significant changes to the system or processes.
As IT processes grow and become more strategic, businesses need to look back and learn from past mistakes.
Managing incidents and problems separately allows services to be restored quickly while also working on long-term solutions to prevent future issues. This approach ensures immediate problems are resolved and underlying causes are addressed.
Finally, fixing one problem that causes many incidents saves money spent on fixing those incidents.
Many experts emphasize the need for continuous communication between the incident and problem management processes. Effective communication involves the following efforts:
One reason for the lack of connection between these teams is the distinct nature of their jobs. Incident teams act like firefighters, quickly fixing issues to restore services. In their rush, they might skip the best practices that problem management teams rely on, like thorough investigations and data collection.
This difference can cause tension. Problem management teams might believe that incident teams neglect essential procedures, while incident teams might see problem teams as overly meticulous. It’s like the rivalry between sales and marketing, where each thinks they do the harder work. In reality, both teams complement each other.
Despite this tension, it’s even more important to make sure these teams work together. This connection ensures that both immediate and long-term issues are addressed effectively.
Incident management and problem management processes are tightly connected to other ITSM processes.
IT asset management is essential for supporting incident and problem management. The ITAM team helps incident and problem teams by providing them with proper data about hardware and software assets, such as what laptops were affected by the recent incident or what switch might be causing a problem.
When problem management pinpoints the root cause of repeated incidents, it frequently leads to modifications in the IT system or processes. This is where change management plays a role by implementing the needed adjustments. By establishing a well-structured change management process, organizations can guarantee that changes are thoroughly evaluated, planned, and executed, reducing the chances of new issues or disruptions arising.
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