KISS: Keep it simple, stupid. And remember, communication is king.
When defining your audience, if they are not from the craft, avoid using technical jargon. People tend to trust clear and simple language more if they don't understand the topic.
You don't have to be a poet, but also don't be overly simplistic. Find a balance.
If you're new to this or inexperienced, remember STUSS:
Stick to the script
Remind the person you're helping that, like a doctor, you can only help them as well as they cooperate with you. Problem-solving is a joint venture between you and the other party.
Keep calm and professional
To solve a problem:
Define the problem
Collect information
Analyze the information
Eliminate irrelevant information
Propose a hypothesis
Test the hypothesis
Solve the issue
Document your findings for future reference using:
a Wiki (e.g. MediaWiki)
a Ticket system (e.g. Jira)
a Git-based system (e.g. GitLab, Gitea)
Reflect on your findings and optimize your approach
If you're new to the subject:
Learn from your peers or ask for help
Share your findings
Ask powerful questions to direct the flow of the interaction
Use reference numbers to speed up the process
Always strive to share your findings and knowledge with your peers. Remember that no one is as efficient as all of us.
Add examples or real-life scenarios to help the reader understand the concepts better.
Be mindful of the context and the audience you are communicating with. Adapt your language and approach accordingly.
Always strive to be clear, concise, and professional in your communication.
Use powerful questions to direct the flow of the interaction and gather the necessary information.
Continuously reflect on your findings and optimize your approach.
Keep your documents and records organized and easily accessible for future reference.
Collaborate with your peers, share your knowledge, and learn from others.
Remember that problem-solving is a joint venture between you and the other party. Clear communication, active listening, and mutual cooperation will lead to better results.
Here is a summary:
Gather information: Collect information about the problem, including symptoms, error messages, and any recent changes made to the system.
Identify the problem: Use the information gathered to identify the problem and determine its scope.
Research possible solutions: Search for possible solutions to the problem, including knowledge bases, forums, and documentation.
Implement a solution: Implement the solution that seems most likely to solve the problem.
Test the solution: Verify that the solution has resolved the problem by testing the system and observing the results.
Document the problem and solution: Document the problem, the solution implemented, and any other relevant information for future reference.
Continuously review and improve the methodology: Continuously review and improve the methodology by collecting feedback from users and IT staff, and by monitoring the efficiency of the methodology over time.
It's also important to have a clear escalation process in place, as well as a clear communication with the end user, to make sure the problem is understood and to keep the end user informed about the process and the status of the issue.
For further reading:
https://www.comptia.org/blog/troubleshooting-methodology
https://www.comptia.org/content/research/a-functional-it-framework
