Perform initial data collection
The process for collecting information about a reported problem is a critical step in the troubleshooting process. When you follow a prescribed series of steps, it helps you to define the nature of the problem clearly, and then determine the specific cause.
Ask the right questions
The process starts when the Teams administrator or helpdesk staff report a problem to you. To define a problem’s cause clearly, you must question the Teams administrator or helpdesk team thoroughly and precisely.
Ask the “who” questions
Ask the following “who” questions, if the incident record does not provide this information:
- Who’s affected by the problem?
Also, check the helpdesk ticketing system to determine:
- Who’s worked on this problem, or one like it, previously?
- Who else has the same problem?
Ask the “when” questions
Ask the following “when” questions so that you can establish a timeline that includes when a problem occurred and any activities that might relate to the problem:
- When did this problem first occur, and when has it occurred since?
- When were any changes made to client devices, such as operating system or app installs and updates?
- When were configuration changes made to Teams or Microsoft 365?
- When were network configuration changes last made?
Ask the “what” questions
Check the incident record to determine the answers to the following “what” questions, so that you can determine what the Teams administrator or helpdesk staff thinks could be the problem’s cause and what solutions the Teams administrator or helpdesk staff already attempted. Check the open incident record to determine:
- What does the Teams administrator or helpdesk staff suspect might be the problem?
- What steps, if any, did the Teams administrator or helpdesk staff already take to attempt resolution?