The Major Incident Process

Swiftly identify the root cause of the incident and explore initial mitigation strategies.

The designated receiving team is allocated a duration of one hour for the primary investigation.

In many circumstances, it's more efficient to promptly restart a particular component or service instead of in-depth diagnostics.

Should the initial investigation require external expertise or additional support, the Major Incident Manager (MI Mgr) may be consulted.

Ensure coordinated and effective incident handling.

If the service disruption persists beyond one hour without a resolution, the incident owner is mandated to engage the MI Mgr.

The MI Mgr assumes responsibility for overseeing the recovery process and facilitating communications, even if there's an anticipation of imminent resolution.

Determine the gravity of the situation and decide on the course of action.

The MI Mgr evaluates whether the ongoing situation qualifies as a major incident based on predefined criteria.

This evaluation ensures that the MI process isn't initiated unnecessarily, preventing resource wastage.

Perform an in-depth analysis and involve higher tiers if needed.

The investigating team is given a predetermined window to delve deeper into the incident.

The primary focus remains on service recovery, with root cause analysis being a subsequent priority.

All significant findings and updates are meticulously recorded.

Restore normalcy and keep stakeholders informed.

The MI Mgr holds the reins, supervising all efforts aimed at service restoration.

While the MI Mgr might seek external assistance, they remain the central figure guiding the overall recovery process.

Facilitate effective team communication during the crisis.

If the situation demands, the MI Mgr assembles the concerned teams for urgent review meetings.

These meetings are focused on framing the problem, prioritising actions, and assigning ownership to ensure swift resolution.

Keep major stakeholders in the loop.

The MI Mgr leads the communication efforts, updating stakeholders about the ongoing progress.

Updates are structured and provided in a consistent, standard format.

Inform stakeholders once the service is restored.

Post restoration, the MI Mgr disseminates information to all concerned parties, possibly enlisting support from the Help Desk.

Document the incident and its handling for future reference.

The MI Mgr drafts a comprehensive report capturing the incident's impact, significant events, follow-up actions, and, if discerned, the root cause.

This report is shared within 24 hours of incident closure. If the root cause remains elusive, the problem management process is triggered.

Close the incident record and complete the process

The MI record is formally closed, recording the location of the MI report and any follow-up activities.