TROUBLESHOOTING SKILLS

“PROBLEM-SOLVING IS A UNIVERSAL JOB SKILL THAT APPLIES TO ANY POSITION AND EVERY INDUSTRY. WHILE EVERYONE IS TASKED WITH SOME FORM OF PROBLEM-SOLVING IN THEIR WORKPLACE, NOT ALL EMPLOYEES ARE GOOD AT IT.”  (from “What are problem-solving skills and why are they important?” in CareerBuilder)

So much for the general description.  Let’s look at the issue from an industrial skills training point-of-view.

The ultimate test for instrument technicians, electricians and electronic technicians, as well as mechanics and millwrights will be their troubleshooting skills.

While most maintenance tasks in a plant are routine, knowing how to systematically think through a problem is vital to a plant’s operating efficiency.

Acquiring troubleshooting skills equips the worker with strategic thinking that can be applied to the analysis of problems in any industrial system.  Developing logical thinking skills and the ability to create a personal troubleshooting outlook will prove valuable under any troubleshooting situation.

Developing logical thinking should arm one with the ability to proceed effectively through the following essential steps in the troubleshooting process:

Ο How to define root cause problem solving.
Ο How to describe the basic progression involved in any troubleshooting procedure.
Ο How to obtain information about any malfunctioning system.
Ο How to compare problem symptoms to normal operation.
Ο How to describe sources of information concerning normal operations.
Ο How to describe sources of information concerning the background of a problem.
Ο How to recognize the difference between a symptom and a cause.
Ο How to develop a troubleshooting plan.
Ο How to recognize the importance of schematics while troubleshooting.
Ο How to describe the steps necessary to repair a problem.
Ο How to describe the steps that can be taken to prevent future trouble.


Developing logical thinking skills is the bottom line test of any good maintenance technician.  Individuals with excellent logical thinking skills are worth their weight in gold.  They’re the ones who keep American industry humming!

More on Wednesday  –  –  –

  — Bill Walton, co-Founder, ITC Learning

  November 27, 2017

  www.itclearning.com/blog/  (Mondays & Wednesdays)

  “THE WORLD RELIES ON THE HANDS OF ITS MEN AND WOMEN”

 (This is a personal blog.  Any views or opinions represented in this blog are personal and belong solely to the blog owner, jhbillwalton@gmail.com, an independent consultant.  They do not represent those of people, institutions or organizations that the owner may or may not be associated with in a professional or personal capacity.)