Problem Management
ITIL® defines a Problem as:
[the] unknown underlying cause of one or more Incidents
From this definition Problem Management can be described as processes that:
…minimize the adverse impact of Incidents and Problems on the business …[and] prevent recurrence of Incidents related to these errors …[by seeking] the root cause
If Incident Management is the engine that drives the Service Desk, then Problem Management is the fuel that powers the engine. Often confused, Incident and Problem Management are complimentary processes that operate within and behind the more visible functions of the Service Desk. In contrast, Problem Management is focused on the identification of root causes and may involve lengthy investigation or analysis; Incident Management is primarily concerned with speed and restoring services to the user as quickly as possible. In comparison, both Incident and Problem Management generate records which must be linked not only to each other but to Configuration Items (CIs) in the Configuration Management Database (CMDB). For Problem Management to be effective, various Disciplines must be permitted to interact, as depicted below. more »
