Handling of Major Incidents

An Incident may become a Major Incident when a large number of users is involved and when it is expected to be resolved with great urgency or when a disastrous situation (disaster) is being dealt with. When other similar Incidents related to the Major Incident appear, they can be linked to the Major Incident as Subordinate Incidents.

Handling of Major Incidents comprises several sections:

• Section 1: Creating a Major Incident
• Section 2: Creating a Major Incident Quickly using the 'Me Too' button
• Section 3: Subordinate Incidents and Problem linking to the Major Incident
• Section 4: Creating Subordinate Incident for Major Incident in the 'Accept Call' window
• Section 5: Support Request (Major Incident Team)

• Section 6: Solving the Major Incident

Creating a Major Incident

Use case scenario: An incident occurs. Log the incident as if creating a Quick Ticket: The Call acceptance editor is filled with logged user information (normally end user or customer) and description. The incident has to be created quickly. It shall not be opened for editing right away.

To create a Major Incident:

1. Continue with the opened Call acceptance editor.
2. Make the Classification: Ticket Class = 'Incident'.
3. Make the categorization: Choose a ticket type from the list.
4. Click the Quick Create Ticket button.

   An incident is created and assigned a unique ticket number (with prefix IN-).

   According to configuration the Call acceptance editor is cleared or closed.

5. Go to the 'Incidents' catalog, locate the created incident and open it in the editor.

   Note that usually a person who is going to solve the Incident takes the initiative at the moment.

6. In the editor, you can create a new Ticket Description detailing the problem.

   If the character of the incident meets the criteria of the Major Incident, select the 'Major Incident' check box.

7. Proceed with the Incident using the buttons below: Assign Incident, Wait for Change or Incident Solved.

Disaster (Major Incident)

Since Valuemation v.4.5, a Master Incident can be also marked as a 'disaster' using the 'Disaster' check box available on the Master page of the Incident editor. This gives the Major Incident a higher level withing the other Major Incidents.

If selected, then a supporter should also link an Emergency RFC / Change ticket using the Assigned RFCs reference view below.

Please see also the 'Development of a Detailed Recovery Workflow (for Service Continuity and Disaster Recovery activities)' topic in the ITSCM Manager.

Creating a Major Incident Quickly using the 'Me Too' button

In the End-User Business View, a user can take advantage of a separate 'Major Incidents' InfoObject when creating a new Major Incident.

When the end-user finds that he has got the same problem like the one reported by an existing Major Incident (which he can see in the 'Major Incidents' InfoObject), he can create a new subordinated Incident very quickly:

1. Select an existing Major Incident in the Major Incidents InfoObject.
2. Click the 'Me Too' button.

   A new ticket with the same ticket description, ticket type and impact will be created.

   The ticket will be related to this Major Incident as a Subordinate Incident.

Subordinate Incidents and Problem linking to the Major Incident

If incidents of the same type occurs, they can be linked to the Major Incident as Subordinate Incidents under the Subordinate Incidents tab in the Incident Editor.

It is also possible to create a Problem which will be linked with the Major Incident. To do so, go to the Assigned Problems tab and create a Problem using the 'Create' button.

Creating Subordinate Incident for Major Incident in the 'Accept Call' window

If a Major Incident already exists, it hasn't been closed yet and a new incident meeting the Subordinate Incident criteria appears, you can create it as a Subordinate Incident under the existing Major Incident directly in the Call Acceptance window.

Please see the 'Create Incident for Major Incident' topic for details.

Support Request (Major Incident Team)

Sometimes a further assistance is needed for the Major Incident solution from technical experts thus a request to support the resolution of a Major Incident may arise.

On the 'Involved Supportgroups' tab of the Incident editor, you can create a new (or add the existing) support group of experts which will provide such an assistance. Usually this support group is called a 'Major Incident Team (MIT)" which stands for a dynamically founded team of IT Manager and technicians controlled by the Incident Manager.

To create a new Major Incident Team:

1. On the Involved Supportgroups tab, click 'New'.

   A new 'Support Group' window appears.

2. Write the name of the new support group (e.g. Major Incident Team) and fill-in the other mandatory fields.
3. On the Members tab below, assign the members of this team.
4. Click 'OK' to assign the new Major Incident Team to the Major Incident.

Solving the Major Incident

When the Major Incident (including its Subordinate Incidents) is solved and needs to be closed:

1. Use the Incident Solved button located at the bottom of the Incident editor.
2. You will be asked to fill in the Ticket Description.

   Fill in the description and click 'OK' to proceed.

3. Now a "Should all subordinated incidents be solved too?" warning message about the Subordinate Incidents appears.
4. Click 'OK' to proceed.
5. As soon as the Major Incident is solved, all of the Subordinate Incidents will be also closed automatically.