science

Rapid problem resolution diagnosis

Rapid problem resolution diagnosis is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Rapid problem resolution diagnosis rather than just read about it. In short: Rapid problem resolution diagnosis (or RPR diagnosis) is a method of problem diagnosis designed to determine the root cause of IT problems. History The method was originally developed by Advance7 in 1990 as Advanced Network Troubleshooting, with the first fully documented version produced in 1995.

Key takeaways

Rapid problem resolution diagnosis belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Rapid problem resolution diagnosis to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Rapid problem resolution diagnosis from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Rapid problem resolution diagnosis (or RPR diagnosis) is a method of problem diagnosis designed to determine the root cause of IT problems.

History The method was originally developed by Advance7 in 1990 as Advanced Network Troubleshooting, with the first fully documented version produced in 1995. Early versions included problem management guidance but this was removed over time as the method became more closely aligned to ITIL, and the method name was changed to Rapid Problem Resolution (RPR). RPR is now focused on Problem Diagnosis based on Root Cause Identification. Due to the highly practical nature of the Supporting Techniques and the ever changing IT landscape, Advance7 continues to develop RPR to keep it relevant to current IT environments. Until November 2007 Advance7 made the RPR material available to its employees only, although a limited number of other IT professionals had been trained in the use of the method. In late 2007 the company announced its intention to make RPR training and material more widely available. In March 2009 the TSO added a significant amount of RPR information to the ITIL Best Practice Live website within the areas dealing with Problem Management. In September 2011, Advance7 published RPR: A Problem Diagnosis Method for IT Professionals which fully describes version 2.03 of the method.

Overview RPR deals with failures, incorrect output and performance issues, and its particular strengths are in the diagnosis of ongoing & recurring grey problems. The method comprises:

Core process Supporting techniques The core process defines a step-by-step approach to problem diagnosis and has three phases:

Discover Gather and review existing information Reach an agreed understanding Investigate Create and execute a diagnostic data capture plan Analyse the results and iterate if necessary Identify root cause Fix Translate diagnostic data Determine and implement fix Confirm root cause addressed The supporting techniques detail how the objectives of the core-process steps are achieved, and cite examples using tools and techniques that are available in every business.

Standards alignment RPR has been fully aligned with ITIL v3 since RPR 2.01 was released in April 2008. RPR fits directly into the ITIL v3 problem management process as a sub-process. Some organisations handle ongoing recurring problems within incident management, and RPR also fits into the ITIL v3 incident management process as a sub-process. COBIT also defines a problem management process (DS10) with key activity of Perform root cause analysis. RPR is a superset of this step in that it defines a process that covers all of the activities needed to perform Problem investigation & diagnosis, including Root Cause identification.

Limitations and considerations RPR has some limitations and considerations, including:

RPR deals with a single symptom at a time RPR identifies the technical root cause of a problem, it can't be used to identify the non-technical root cause with people, process, etc. RPR is not a forensic technique and so historical data alone is rarely sufficient The Investigate phase requires the user to experience the problem one more time

See also ITIL v3 problem management ITIL v3 incident management COBIT Grey problem

Further reading Offord, Paul (2011). RPR: A Problem Diagnosis Method for IT Professionals. Advance Seven Limited. ISBN 978-1-4478-4443-3. RPR presentation to the British Computer Society

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Rapid problem resolution diagnosis

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Rapid problem resolution diagnosis claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Rapid problem resolution diagnosis before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Rapid problem resolution diagnosis ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Rapid problem resolution diagnosis

In research: Rapid problem resolution diagnosis appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Rapid problem resolution diagnosis in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Rapid problem resolution diagnosis is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Information technology management, Problem solving, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Rapid problem resolution diagnosis outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Rapid problem resolution diagnosis in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Rapid problem resolution diagnosis means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Rapid problem resolution diagnosis out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Rapid problem resolution diagnosis in simple terms?

Rapid problem resolution diagnosis (or RPR diagnosis) is a method of problem diagnosis designed to determine the root cause of IT problems. History The method was originally developed by Advance7 in 1990 as Advanced Network Troubleshooting, with the first fully documented version produced in 1995.

Why does Rapid problem resolution diagnosis matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Rapid problem resolution diagnosis?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Rapid problem resolution diagnosis.