Patent ID: 8713033

Claim:
A system for managing problems comprising: a problem management system including: a first component that identifies an incident; a second component that assigns the incident to a resolution agent; a third component that isolates a root cause for the incident; a fourth component that initiates an implementation of a solution for the incident; and a fifth component that conducts a change management process for the incident; a first data store component accessible by the problem management system that maintains information related to problems underlying at least one incident; a second data store component accessible by the problem management system that maintains information related to solutions for the problems underlying at least one incident; and a monitor, with a processor and memory, that monitors the problem management system, the first data store component for problem information, and the second data store component for solution information, wherein the monitor monitors a plurality of incidents including the incident, whether new incidents are associated with an existing problem, a number and nature of queries that are made to the first and second data stores, requests for change and whether any changes have been made to any of the requests for change, activities of problem managers, a schedule for implementation of a solution to a problem, relationships between problems and whether related problem tickets are being properly associated, and changes that might be made without a request for change, wherein the monitor links a record of the incident with information for any related previous incidents and information related to at least some of the monitored items and at least one of the incident or the related previous incidents, and wherein the solution for the incident is chosen for implementation from a plurality of solutions in the second data store based on information obtained by the monitor.