How can you ensure incidents are resolved permanently?

1 Identify the root cause

The first step to ensure permanent incident resolution is to identify the root cause of the incident, which is the underlying factor or condition that triggered the event. Root cause analysis (RCA) is a systematic process that involves collecting data, analyzing evidence, testing hypotheses, and documenting findings. RCA helps you understand why the incident happened, how it can be prevented, and what actions need to be taken to eliminate or mitigate the root cause. RCA should be performed as soon as possible after the incident is resolved, and involve all relevant stakeholders, such as service owners, developers, engineers, and users.

2 Implement corrective actions

The second step to ensure permanent incident resolution is to implement corrective actions based on the RCA results. Corrective actions are the specific measures that address the root cause and prevent the incident from happening again. They can include changes to the configuration, code, infrastructure, process, or policy of the IT service. Corrective actions should be prioritized, planned, tested, and executed according to the change management process. They should also be monitored and evaluated to verify their effectiveness and identify any potential side effects or risks.

3 Learn and improve

The third step to ensure permanent incident resolution is to learn and improve from the incident experience. Learning and improvement are essential for continuous service quality and reliability. They involve reviewing the incident history, performance, and feedback, and identifying the lessons learned, best practices, and improvement opportunities. Learning and improvement should be shared and communicated across the IT organization and the business units, and incorporated into the service strategy, design, transition, and operation. They should also be aligned with the business objectives, customer expectations, and industry standards.

4 Automate and standardize

The fourth step to ensure permanent incident resolution is to automate and standardize the incident management and response processes. Automation and standardization can reduce human errors, speed up resolution time, and increase consistency and efficiency. They can include using tools and scripts to detect, diagnose, and resolve incidents, creating templates and workflows for incident reporting, escalation, and closure, and implementing policies and procedures for incident handling, communication, and documentation. Automation and standardization should be based on the best practices and frameworks, such as ITIL, DevOps, or SRE.

5 Collaborate and coordinate

The fifth step to ensure permanent incident resolution is to collaborate and coordinate with the other teams and stakeholders involved in the IT service delivery and support. Collaboration and coordination can improve the visibility, transparency, and accountability of the incident management and response processes. They can include establishing roles and responsibilities, defining service level agreements, setting expectations and goals, sharing information and feedback, and resolving conflicts and issues. Collaboration and coordination should be fostered by the IT leadership and culture, and supported by the tools and platforms, such as chat, email, or ticketing systems.

6 Train and educate

The sixth step to ensure permanent incident resolution is to train and educate the IT staff and the users on the incident management and response processes and best practices. Training and education can increase the knowledge, skills, and awareness of the IT staff and the users, and help them prevent, detect, report, and resolve incidents effectively. They can include providing formal courses, workshops, webinars, or e-learning modules, creating manuals, guides, or FAQs, and organizing simulations, drills, or exercises. Training and education should be tailored to the needs and levels of the IT staff and the users, and updated regularly to reflect the changes and improvements in the IT service.