Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting is the process of identifying a problem and implementing a solution. Since problems and solutions are common across many occupations and industries it is useful to have a basic troubleshooting system.

Identify the problem - This seems obvious, but it's surprisingly common for people to address what they THINK the problem is, instead of what the problem actually is.
- Trust your indications. It doesn't matter what the problem is, if you know there's a problem that means something is trying to tell you what it is. Maybe it's gauges in a mechanical system, or readings in an electrical system, or error messages in a software system, or someone yelling at you in a social system. Do not dismiss what these indications are telling you.
- When you think you know what the problem is, ask "Why?" If your car is on fire, you might think the problem is as simple as "my car is on fire" until you ask "Why?" Cars are not supposed to be on fire, so there is probably a good reason. Maybe it's because your car got too hot, or maybe it's because it was built by a company run by an idiot billionaire who skimped on safety features. Finding the root cause of the problem by asking "Why?" will save time and money you would otherwise waste on addressing a mere symptom of a deeper problem.
Identify potential solutions - There's rarely one correct solution to a problem. Problems, like people, are often weird and troublesome in ways that aren't easy to address.
- It may be tempting to burn everything down and start over from scratch. While this solution seems simple and easy, it is actually not so straightforward. Humankind spent centuries building what we have now, and it would not be easy to rebuild all this from first principles. Consider a smaller solution first, like targeted assassination of key figures who are ruining the world.
Try the easiest solutions first - This is counterintuitive, because the easiest solution is rarely the one that seems most effective. However, complex systems can be difficult to predict, and sometimes unplugging it and plugging it back in really will work even if you're absolutely, positively sure it won't help.
- There is an old joke about a drunk man who lost his keys in the bushes, but is looking for them under the streetlight because it's easier to see there. This drunk man is performing proper troubleshooting. While he is distracted under the streetlight, his sober friend can retrieve his keys from the bushes and ensure he does not drive home drunk. This is identifying the root problem.
Continue trying solutions from least to most drastic - When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the solution.
- This is the inverse of trying the simplest solution. At this point, you are trying complicated things that you're sure can't possibly affect the problem. Try solutions that merely rule out potential corrective avenues. Ask yourself "why?" again and see if what you've learned thus far changes your answer. Maybe the real solution is something unobtainable like "Get rid of this piece of crap entirely" and all you can do is whatever keeps this piece of crap working one more day.
Convince yourself the problem is not so bad - Maybe you have tried everything you can think of, or at least everything you feel like trying. Despite this, the problem is still there. Maybe that's okay after all. Maybe we just have to live with the problem, and work around it. Instead of addressing the problem directly, maybe we can just quietly warn others about it and keep it from being alone with young women.
- Maybe this problem doesn't affect enough people to warrant serious concern, like a pandemic that merely kills a few million people that were probably going to die anyway. Maybe it's a game bug that only ever happened once during QA testing. It will probably be fine once orders of magnitude more people are playing. If not, well your players just gave you a lot more testing data to use.

If you follow this process, you're guaranteed to no longer have a problem by the end. Maybe because the problem is solved, or maybe because the problem is the new normal. The important thing is, don't worry about it any more. It's fine.

It will be fine.

Everything is okay.

We're okay.

It will all be over soon.