Assessment Instructions:

You are to review the problem-solving strategies below and create your own strategy (you can also refer to Chapter 4 in your textbook for additional information).

How do you develop a problem-solving philosophy?

1. Use you own experience, knowledge, skills, thought process, access to information, and communication skills as the basis for your personal strategy.
2. Improve your troubleshooting skills and learn to use the problem-solving tools described in Chapter 4.
3. Analyze your troubleshooting approach. Recognize your strengths and weaknesses. For example, some support agents develop extremely good skills at finding information about a problem on the Internet. They learn to use search engines effectively and bookmark Web sites that have been useful in the past. They pride themselves on their ability to find information quickly. Other support agents develop a network of colleagues with whom they regularly exchange e-mails or phone calls about difficult problems. They are proud of the fact that if they don't know an answer, they know someone who does.

 

 

Chapter 4
Skills for Troubleshooting Computer Problems
A GUIDE TO COMPUTER USER SUPPORT
FOR HELP DESK AND SUPPORT SPECIALISTS
SIXTH EDITION BY FRED BEISSE Chapter Objectives
• The troubleshooting process and the thinking skills
required for successful troubleshooting
• Communication skills for troubleshooting
• Information resources to help solve computer
problems
• Diagnostic and repair tools used to troubleshoot
computer problems
• Strategies for troubleshooting
• How to develop your own approach to problem solving
A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 2 What Is Troubleshooting?
• Troubleshooting is the process of defining,
diagnosing, and solving technology problems
• It uses thinking and communications skills,
information resources, strategies, and methods
• Is troubleshooting:
– A step-by-step process?
– An iterative process? • Is troubleshooting:
– A scientific process?
– A creative process?
A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 3 Sequential versus Iterative
Problem-Solving Processes A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 4 Troubleshooting
as an Iterative Process
•
•
•
• A repetitive process
A creative process that requires flexible thinking
Involves several paths or approaches to a problem
Steps are repeated in a loop until a fruitful path is
found
• Avoids a hit-or-miss, trial-and-error approach to
troubleshooting A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 5 Thinking Skills Used in
Troubleshooting
• Problem solving
• Critical thinking
• Decision making A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 6 Problem Solving
• Problem solving is a process that moves from the
current state X (the problem state) to a goal state Y
(the desired state)
– Considers alternate paths to get from X to Y • The objective in problem solving is to get from X to Y:
–
–
–
– Quickly
Accurately
Effectively
Efficiently A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 7 A Problem-Solving Model A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 8 Problem Analysis
• Look for:
– Analogies: How is this problem similar to others?
– Contradictions: Two facts cannot be true at the
same time
– Use contradictions to challenge assumptions A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 9 Critical Thinking
• Critical thinking describes the cognitive skills used to:
– Analyze a problem
– Search for the underlying logic or explanation
– Find alternate ways to think about or explain an event or
problem situation • Examples of critical thinking skills:
–
–
–
– Mental models
Hypothesis testing
Creativity
Metacognition A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 10 Critical Thinking Skills
• Mental model: a conceptual picture to help
understand how a system works
• Hypothesis testing: a guess or prediction about the
cause of a problem, and a test to prove or disprove
the hypothesis
• Creativity: the ability to find a novel or innovative
solution to a problem
• Metacognition: the ability to step back from a
problem and think about your own problem-solving
thought processes
A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 11 Metacognition
• Common metacognitive questions:
– What assumptions did I make?
– Where did I go wrong in my approach?
– Why did one problem-solving approach work when
another did not?
– How could I have thought differently about this problem? A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 12 Decision Making
• Decision making is the ability to:
– Weigh the pros and cons of each alternative against
predefined criteria
– Select an alternative from among competing alternatives
– Reach a decision A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 13 Tools Troubleshooters Use
•
•
•
•
• Communication skills
Information resources
Diagnostic and repair tools
Problem-solving strategies
Personal characteristics A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 14 Communication Skills
• Most troubleshooting situations require at least
some communication with an end user or vendor
about a problem
• Types of communication skills:
–
–
–
–
–
– Basic listening (or reading) skills
Active listening
Probes
Critical questions
Explanations
Verification A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 15 How Troubleshooters Use
Communication Skills
•
•
•
• To get a basic description of a problem
To learn the user’s perspectives on the problem
To probe for additional information
To effectively communicate a solution back to the user A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 16 Basic Listening Skills
• Listen to (or read) the words a user chooses to
describe the problem
• Allow a user enough time to explain a problem
• Try to obtain as accurate a description of the problem
as possible
• Tip: Look for cause and effect, IF-THEN statements A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 17 Active Listening
• Active listening occurs when the listener is as
engaged in the communication process as the
speaker
– Contrasted with a passive receiver of information
– Active listening is two-way
– Passive listening is one-way A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 18 Paraphrasing
• Paraphrasing is an active listening skill in which you
restate in your own words what you heard a user say
• Used to resolve misunderstandings and get a clear
problem description
• Example:
– End-user description: “I don’t know what happened, but
the program doesn’t work.”
– Support specialist paraphrase: “Let me make sure I
understand. The program used to work, but now it
doesn’t?”
A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 19 Probes
• Probes are follow-up questions designed to elicit
additional information about a problem
• A sequence of probes often clarifies a problem
situation
• Example:
– “When your computer crashes, is it always running the
same program, or different ones?” A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 20 Critical Questions
• Critical questions are designed to elicit important
additional information from a user
– Challenge assumptions a support specialist might make
– Often reveal information a user wouldn’t have thought to
relate
– Questions to try when you’re stuck A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 21 Five Critical Questions
1. Has this system or component or feature ever
worked?
2. Have you ever had this problem before?
3. Can this problem be replicated?
– Is it repeatable? 4. What were you doing just before you first noticed
the problem?
5. Have you made recent hardware or software
changes to your device?
A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 22 Explanations
• Explanations involve a support specialist describing
the solution to a problem so a user understands:
– Why the problem occurred
– The steps required to resolve it A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 23 Verification
• Verification is a communication skill in which a
support specialist makes sure that a user agrees that
a problem has been resolved satisfactorily A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 24 Information Resources
for Troubleshooting
•
•
•
•
•
Personal experience
Scripts and check lists
Knowledge bases
Coworkers and other professional contacts
Support vendors and contractors
Escalation and team problem solving A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 25 Troubleshooting Resource: Personal Experience
• Based on a support agent’s education, career
background, and previous experiences
• Search personal knowledge for information about a
problem or for similar problems
• Tip: Develop a problem solution notebook
– Make notes after a problem is solved
– Organize notes by symptoms, equipment type, date, etc. A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 26 Troubleshooting Resource: Scripts and Checklists
• A script lists questions to ask and follow-up probes
• Organized as:
– A flowchart
– A decision tree • Arranged in a logical sequence
• Covers the most common paths to solve a problem
• Example: see Figure 4-4 on page 161 A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 27 Troubleshooting Resource: Knowledge Bases
• A knowledge base is an organized collection of
information that is a resource in problem solving
–
–
–
–
– Articles
Procedures
Tips
Pointers to information
Solutions to previous problems A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 28 Examples of Knowledge Bases
•
•
•
•
•
• Vendor manuals
Trade books
Trade periodicals and journals
Online help
Websites
Search engines A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 29 Search Engine Guidelines
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8. Use keywords that are nouns
Use present tense verbs
Include vendor name, model number, version number
Include operating system and version
Put quotes around phrases
Put + sign before essential keywords
Put – sign before keywords to eliminate
Refine searches with Boolean operators
– AND, OR, NOT A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 30 Troubleshooting Resource: Coworkers and Other Professional Contacts
•
•
•
• Coworkers (“another set of eyes”)
Social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn)
Discussion forums (access to other users and professionals)
RSS feed (Real Simple Syndication): a service that
aggregates information from web resources and delivers it
to subscribers in a convenient format
• Newsgroups: Internet discussion groups where participants
with common interests in a topic post messages
• ListServs: sends automated email messages to subscribers
based on interest in a topic
A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 31 Troubleshooting Resource: Support Vendors and Contractors
• May have seen a baffling problem before and be able
to offer suggestions to resolve it
• Outsourcing: an agreement with a support services
vendor for problem-solving assistance, for a fee
– Handle incidents that require special expertise
– Provide backup to in-house support staff when the volume
of incidents is heavy A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 32 Troubleshooting Resource: Escalation and Team Problem Solving
• Escalation is the referral of a difficult or complex
problem to a higher support level for resolution
• Team approach to problem solving
– Mutual problem-solving assistance
– The entire team owns the problem, not an individual A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 33 Diagnostic and Repair Tools
• Software utilities that help troubleshoot
technology problems
• Categories:
–
–
–
– General-purpose and remote diagnostic tools
Hardware problem diagnosis
Software problem diagnosis
Network problem diagnosis A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 34 General-Purpose and
Remote Diagnostic Tools
• Remote access utilities help support users in distant
locations
– Support agents can:
• View a remote user’s screen
• Enter commands on a user’s system
• Communicate with user via chat window • Examples:
–
–
–
–
– TeamViewer
LogMeIn
Rapid Assist
pcAnywhere
GoToMyPC A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 35 General-Purpose and
Remote Diagnostic Tools
• Virtual Private Network (VPN): technology that uses
the Internet to connect remote users to corporate
servers
– Employs strong user authentication and encryption
– Provides better security than standard Internet protocols
(http)
– Often includes tools for remote access to user PCs A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 36 Hardware Problem Diagnosis
Utilities
•
•
•
•
• Analyze and detect defective hardware components
Identify performance problems
Recover some lost data
Document and optimize configuration information
Examples:
–
–
–
–
– PC Diagnostics
PC-Doctor
Seatools
Ultimate Boot Disk
CheckIt Diagnostics A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 37 Software Problem Diagnosis
Utilities
• Identify configuration information
• Identify and repair configuration and performance
problems
• Examples:
–
–
–
–
– Advanced SystemCare
Windows Registry Cleaner
Windows Repair
Toolwiz Care
System Mechanic A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 38 Network Problem Diagnosis
Utilities
•
•
•
•
• Identify network connectivity and configuration problems
Monitor network operation and performance
Identify some security breaches
Help recover from network problems
Examples:
–
–
–
– OpManager
OpUtils
Network Performance Monitor
PRTG Network Diagnosis A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 39 Problem-Solving Strategies
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• Look for a simple, obvious solution
Attempt to replicate the problem
Examine the configuration
Initiate a root cause analysis
View a system as a group of subsystems
Use a module replacement strategy
Apply a hypothesis-testing approach
Restore a base configuration A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 40 Strategy: Look for a Simple, Obvious Solution
• Most computer problems are simple
– Develop a check list of possible explanations or
solutions
– Check for disconnected cables
– Reboot the system
– Reinstall the software
• Tip: Don’t spend too much time looking for an explanation for
N=1 problems (those that rarely reoccur) A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 41 Strategy: Attempt to Replicate the Problem
• Replication is the process of trying to repeat a problem
in the same or a different situation or environment
• Try moving a problem to a different computer or
another user
• Examine results:
1. The problem also appears in a different environment
2. The problem is localized; only occurs in a specific
environment A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 42 Strategy: Examine the Configuration
• Many problems occur because a combination of
hardware and software does not work well together
• Check on hardware and software
– Installation requirements
– Possible incompatibilities
– Mobile device settings options A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 43 Strategy: Initiate a Root Cause Analysis
• Root cause analysis is a strategy that looks beyond
the visible symptoms of a recurring problem to
search for an underlying cause
– An iterative process
– Asks a series of Why? questions • Steps:
1. Identify (in writing) what the problem is
2. Describe (in writing) why the problem occurs
3. Return to step 1 until the root cause of a problem is
identified
A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 44 Strategy: View a System as a Group of Subsystems
• Sketch a block diagram of the subsystems and their
relationship to each other
• Start:
– At either end of a chain of subsystems
– In the middle of the chain • Trace the problem forward or backward A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 45 Strategy: Use a Module Replacement Strategy
• Module replacement involves replacing a suspected
defective hardware or software component with one
that is known to work
– Swap out suspect hardware components
– Reinstall software packages • Tip: Don’t spend too many resources trying to repair an
inexpensive, inoperative device – replace it. A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 46 Strategy: Apply a Hypothesis-Testing Approach
• Formulate a hypothesis—a guess or prediction—about
the cause of the problem
– Best guesses (hunches) are based on prior experience
– Approach uses critical thinking skills
– Tip: Try brainstorming with others to develop alternate
hypotheses • Design an experiment (a test) to see if a hypothesis is
true or false
– Look for contradictory evidence A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 47 Strategy: Restore a Base Configuration
• Eliminate variables or factors that can make a
problem complex or complicated
– Remove hardware components to simplify a configuration
– Disconnect a system from a network to observe its
standalone operation A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 48 Personal Characteristics of
Successful Troubleshooters
•
•
•
• Exercise patience and persistence
Enjoy the problem-solving process
Enjoy working with people
Look for learning opportunities
– Tip: Subscribe to an online trade publication that offers a
broad perspective on trends in the computer industry A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 49 Develop Your Own
Approach to Problem Solving
• Identify the strengths you bring to each problem
• Identify areas for improvement in problem solving
• Identify which tools and skills have been successful in
solving past problems
• Identify information resources that have proven
useful in past situations
• Tip: A problem-solving approach is improved by the
metacognition process (self-examination) A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 50 Chapter Summary
• Successful troubleshooting relies on an understanding
of the troubleshooting process and uses thinking skills
• The troubleshooting process is:
– Iterative
– Creative • Thinking skills for troubleshooting include:
– Problem solving
– Critical thinking
– Decision making A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 51 Chapter Summary (continued)
• Troubleshooting uses several skills and tools
–
–
–
–
– Communication skills
Information resources
Diagnostic and repair tools
Problem-solving strategies
Personal characteristics of troubleshooters A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 52 Chapter Summary (continued)
Problem-solving strategies:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8. Look for a simple, obvious solution
Attempt to replicate the problem
Examine the configuration
Initiate a root cause analysis
View a system as a group of subsystems
Use a module replacement strategy
Apply a hypothesis-testing approach
Restore a base configuration A Guide to Computer User Support for Help Desk and Support Specialists, Sixth Edition 53