What Is a Troubleshooting Guide and 6 Steps to Create a Troubleshooting Guide

Every business dreams of smooth running every day without interruptions. So that everything worked exactly as it should and there would be no stoppages to the day-to-day functions. But, there comes a time when something will go wrong at some point.

And sometimes this requires the employees to solve problems. Most commonly, this is a troubleshooting situation. The importance of documentation in troubleshooting cannot be overstated. It is not a nice-to-have; it is a must-have. Detailed and well-written documentation can save you from serious troubles.

What Is a Troubleshooting Guide?

Troubleshooting helps identify the symptoms, eliminate the potential cause of the problem, and require confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state.

A troubleshooting guide is a structured set of guidelines that lists common problems and offers problem-solving to failed products or processes on a mechanism or a system. This guide is a type of technical documentation.

Any troubleshooting expert will tell you the importance of documentation in troubleshooting and how it is impossible not to have it or have a useless set of guidelines.

Why Is Troubleshooting Important?

The importance of troubleshooting documentation must not be undermined, and every company that seeks sustainability must place enough importance on well-written and constantly updated documentation.

• It is unwise to rely solely on memory and experience in troubleshooting, because customers want the very best in troubleshooting documentation, too, and the lack of it can be viewed as incompetence.
• Troubleshooting documentation explains the technical jargon so that anyone reading it can understand what would need to be done in case of a specific problem.
• Explicitly worded documentation is vital to improve efficiency. So, even if memory fails under pressure, the troubleshooting staff can quickly recover from that by referring to the documentation, which has been used to record previous solutions.
• The importance of documentation in troubleshooting and other areas enhances the fact that it is a recording of a crucial and creative process that focuses on problem resolution and problem prevention. It helps teams work collaboratively on customer issues or internal troubleshooting issues for quicker solutions. It provides a pathway for even a new member and customer to resolve problems, where applicable.
• Neat documentation can provide valuable information for the future, remove problems and stumbling blocks for the present, and ensure quality fixing of issues. Many companies rely on documentation to track history and identify strategies for improvement.
• The enhanced efficiency level in troubleshooting within the customer service team increases their trust and loyalty towards the company and its brand.
• Well-written documentation leads to increased productivity and staff with a genuine feeling of self-worth since they will be dealing with happy customers. Additionally, documentation doesn’t just assist employees—it still plays a role in improving the same processes over time through further refinement and replacement of outdated solutions.

How to Write a Troubleshooting Guide?

If you are getting started writing a troubleshooting guide, consider these six things for each procedure:

Step 1. Identify Common Troubleshooting Scenarios

Make a list of common troubleshooting scenarios that you can address first.

Step 2: Define the Problem Clearly

Clearly outline the issue. It could be something obvious, like an error code appearing on the screen, or a more complex user experience problem, such as a device unexpectedly shutting down. Understanding the full context helps in finding an accurate solution.

Step 3: Determine the Fastest Path to Resolution

Develop a structured set of questions that guide users through the troubleshooting process efficiently. Start with general issues, then narrow down potential causes. Begin with the most common solutions before addressing more obscure problems.

Step 4: Structure the Guide for Easy Navigation

Ensure that the troubleshooting steps flow logically. Organize the guide so that users can easily follow it, leading them from problem identification to resolution.

Step 5: Include Visual Aids

Use screenshots, diagrams, or flowcharts to enhance clarity. Visual aids help employees and users understand each step and reduce mistakes during the troubleshooting process.

Step 6: Test the Guide

Validate the troubleshooting guide by testing it in real scenarios. Ensure it effectively leads users to the correct resolution. If necessary, refine the steps based on feedback to create a comprehensive and reliable guide.

Example of a Troubleshooting Guide

A short, concise article can quickly guide customers to fast problem resolution. This example can help you see the structure of the basic requirements, such as defining the problem, including the affected environments, explaining the solution.

Basic Feature	Problem	Options
General software issues	Windows displays a blue screen during startup	Windows may automatically restart after displaying a blue screen, as shown below. You may also get a Windows startup menu upon reboot. If you do, choose ‘Start Windows Normally’ and see if the problem goes away. It may be a one-off glitch.
General software issues	Cannot login to Windows	Ensure you are using your correct DIDE username and password. Check that Caps Lock/Num Lock isn’t on by mistake. Check that your password is what you are expecting it to be by typing it into the Username box. This allows you to see what you are typing in case your keyboard is set to another locale, for example. Check that the ‘Logon to’ box shows DIDE as the domain (only if your computer is on the DIDE private network). Check the network cable is securely plugged in at both ends. Try logging on to another computer to see if your account works on that. Ask someone else to logon to your computer to see if they can or not.
General software issues	Issues with Microsoft office	For Office 2007, run the Microsoft Office Diagnostics tool: Click on Start -> All Programs -> Microsoft Office -> Microsoft Office Tools -> Microsoft Office Diagnostics. Click on Continue to start the tests and repair any problems found For Office 2010, run the Repair tool: Click on Start -> Control Panel -> Programs & Features (or Add/Remove Programs in Windows XP). Click on ‘Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010’ and then click on the Change button in the toolbar. Choose Repair and click on Continue.

For other technical writing examples, see our article Unexpected Technical Writing Examples.

Conclusion

Not having proper and streamlined documentation, especially within the troubleshooting realm, can lead to failure in resolving issues efficiently. Whether dealing with a complex machine or a simple software glitch, well-structured documentation is crucial. Proper documentation fills in missing information, reduces usability issues, and provides clarity about technical processes. It also enables non-technical customer service staff to appear knowledgeable on troubleshooting matters, ensuring smoother problem resolution.

Good luck with your technical writing!
ClickHelp Team
Author, host and deliver documentation across platforms and devices

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