Check the Power Strip
Effective Support Requires Addressing Technical AND Human Needs
Troubleshooting technical problems is a bit of an art form. Effective troubleshooting requires a balance of being thorough in diagnosing the root cause and providing expeditious service. It is a proportional amount of developed experience and sought after knowledge. It is weighing the human state of the end-user against the practical issues you face when addressing a problem. It is often very challenging work even for seasoned professionals but over time one can really gain appreciation for the fundamentals — that is what this story is about.
Recently, a family member asked me to troubleshoot his webcam, which had suddenly stopped working. He had recently replaced another webcam with the same symptoms. Initially, it was easy to suspect that the issue was with the computer itself, as it is unlikely that he would have had two webcams fail back to back.
Like any good troubleshooter though, I began by inventorying the different layers of the system that could be the source of the problem. I started devising tests I could use to eliminate components that could not be the source of the issue, starting with the simplest first.
Could it be the settings in the application or Windows? No, the proper video and audio input devices are selected in both the application and Windows… When in doubt, restart the computer.
Moving to hardware… If it is not the cameras, could it be the USB hub on the front of the computer? Try the hub on the back… If it is not the hub, could it be the drivers? Uninstall the USB root hub and reboot… If it is not the drivers, could a background service in Windows be malfunctioning? Do a disk check and integrity scan/repair on Windows… Restart the computer (again).
Lo and behold, it doesn’t work. Scratching my head I tell my family member, “It is either a hardware issue or a power issue... This may sound farfetched but let’s try shutting down your computer and unplugging your power strip for 30 seconds, as a last ditch effort.”
(Electronics such as your power strip and computer are made out of semi-conductors that insulate under some conditions and conduct under other conditions. Problems sometimes occur in the space between insulation and conductivity, when power “leaks” and you end up with a charge where it is not supposed to be.)
He raised his eyebrows in skepticism, shrugged and said, “You’re the expert.” After a few moments though, he plugged his power strip back in and booted up his computer. Launching Zoom, entering Settings and doing a video/audio test, we quickly determined that the camera was fixed. With a smile on his face he replied, “I am not sure why the hell that worked but it did… Thank you, Jon.”
Another story of a satisfied customer. The most interesting part of this (for me) is what you learn when you analyze my response to this problem though:
- I mostly remembered and followed the fundamentals of troubleshooting to solve the problem.
- I didn’t initially take into account one of the two most fundamental layers of a computing system, however… Every computing device relies on a power source and that power source allows it to function over time. I forgot to check the power strip!
- It took me a bit longer than I hoped to solve the problem, which was a bit of a disappointment. I did, however, clearly and logically lay out my troubleshooting steps for my customer, in a way that not only solved their problem but also enabled them to solve it for themselves in the future.
So, what can you learn from this predicament? Would I change anything about how I would handle this type of problem in the future?
Well, one thing I was trying to do as I worked on this problem is balance being thorough with my troubleshooting and being expeditious with my service. I also weighed the likelihood of the power source being the issue, along with the potential skepticism of my customer, against taking a more thorough approach.
In this situation, I should have checked the power strip first and, to be sure, the next time I help this family member with their equipment I will... In all honesty though, I wouldn’t change anything about my approach because it helped me accomplish three additional goals (beyond the obvious goal of fixing the problem) in providing quality support:
- I provided the customer a reassuring experience and taught them how to better help themselves in the future.
- Through the course of this troubleshooting process, I fixed an additional issue he had with a printer — every time I touch a computer I want it to run a little better than before, in addition to addressing the stated problem.
- I learned something about my customer’s environment and enabled myself to provide that much better support in the future.
There is always room for improvement in the way we support our customers and troubleshoot their issues. If we can successfully address both their human and technical needs, however, that is all that is really necessary for long-term success.
Learn how you can improve your troubleshooting technique through a methodical technique combining the split half method and the OSI model: https://medium.com/@jonathanasexton/what-i-wish-i-knew-about-troubleshooting-when-i-started-my-career-d69e478f5128