itSMF 2017 September Bulletin Bulletin - September 2017 | Page 9

problem management is so embedded in the organisation that everyone is their own problem manager. People know how to solve problems, they understand that the best approach is to investigate in groups and the structured approach is the natural way to go about it.  Clearly, very few organisations will be able to adopt this approach as their starting point. When enterprises take the 'passive' approach, they are really circumventing the natural implementation approach, jumping to the end state before building skills by going through the beginning stages.'(pages 66-67) What Michael was saying when he wrote this is that many organisations see the problem manager as the governor or administrator of the process, but the actual problem solving work happens elsewhere, in the technical teams. This approach fails because untrained people are investigating and the value-add of the problem manager is limited. The solution is to swap this around and make the problem manager the leader of the effort to solve problems, even if you have to start out with a subset of problems (focussing on priority 1 problems is very common) and build from there. The critical success factor is then problem solving training for the problem manager(s). Therefore, the tried and tested path to successful problem management is: 1. Have your problem managers trained in problem solving techniques 2. Have your problem managers facilitate your problem investigations for long enough for people to get used to the structured approach 3. Encourage other team members to want to get training in the techniques. This helps build scale in the problem management practice without also employing a whole lot more problem managers. When you have enough people who can be their own problem managers, then and only then will everyone being responsible for problem management really working. Oh, and when flying, avoid the fish. * Hall, MG (2014), Problem Management, An implementation guide for the real world, BCS Learning and Development Ltd, Swindon, UK Michael Hall, Director of Real World IT, is a specialist problem manager having setup and led the practice for Deutsche Bank, Bupa and NAB amongst others. Author of Problem Management, An implementation guide for the real world, Michael has presented at itSMF Seminars and Special Interest Groups. Michael recently joined the Tingle Tree Group to coach their client’s problem managers and see their problem management practice grow from good to great. Brad Schimmel leads the IT Service Management practice at the Tingle Tree Group. A member of the Victorian itSMF Committee, he convenes the Special Interest Groups and Meetups. At the 2017 Melbourne conference, he presented how clients are realigning the Service Management practice back to the customer via Lean’s Minimal Viable Product approach. [email protected] [email protected] Did you know that being a members of itSMF Australia allows you free access to ITIL Online? itSMF Australia is proud to announce our ongoing commitment to ITIL Online Click here to Access the ITIL Lifecycle Suite ONLINE ACCESS TO THE CORE ITIL PUBLICATIONS IS JUST LIKE HAVING AN EXPERT SITTING NEXT TO YOU 9 itSMF Bulletin—September 2017