How to solve an IT issue you don’t understand yet

I work in IT and there are a lot of technical problems that arrive on my desk that I don’t understand…yet.

This used to disrupt my workflow and hold up my day, making me feel less confident in my abilities and also waste time.

If this sounds like something you also have trouble with, read on for my general problem solving process for technical issues in the IT workspace.

1. Identify the exact issue and isolate when it happens.
   • Instead of generalizing the issue as “This user’s email doesn’t work,” or “That user’s computer keeps turning off,” find out specifics.
   • For example, is the user’s email not showing the most recent emails in the Outlook app, but their online Outlook is up to date? (An issue with the Outlook app) And when the computer turns off, is it doing that when a lot of programs are running or when only one program is running? (Maybe an issue with the computer itself or a problem with just one app or process)
   • Getting into the specifics of the issue will help you understand possible causes and aid in your search for a solution.
2. Try solutions that have worked for you before.
   • Go back to the troubleshooting basics, if it’s a software or firmware issue, have you tried restarting the computer or unplugging and plugging back in the equipment?
   • If it’s a networking issue, have you tried pinging the system?
   • Sometimes the most confounding issues just have a simple solution.
3. Look through your team and company’s documents.
   • There might be an email about expected outages or someone on the team might have already typed up a knowledge article about your issue or a similar one. 
4. Ask the internet for a solution.
   • A simple Google search with the name of the system or program you’re working in with a brief description of the issue often helps. ChatGPT and other AI software can also be helpful.
5. Ask your team for their input.
   • If you have a group chat with your team, post the question there. This might be something your coworkers have seen before. Also, if they have seen that issue come up as well, it might be part of a larger issue that may require collaboration and need to be addressed on a larger scale.
6. Ask your direct supervisor.
   • This is now the time to turn to your direct supervisor or manager. Even if they don’t know the answer, they might be able to point you in the direction of someone who does. Also, if they don’t know the answer, it might be something that’s not in your responsibilities or in the scope of your team.

I hope this article helps you with troubleshooting and solving IT issues that you might come across at work. 

When you do find the resolution, be sure to document it. This will help you and your team find the solution more quickly the next time it comes up.

Cover Photo by @haley.mcgee.photos on Instagram