Troubleshooting

One of the skills I look for in hiring is the ability to troubleshoot. I work in a technical area where things often go wrong, less in the sense of breakdown (though it happens), but more in the sense of something working sub-optimally. To recognise it and then to systematically analyse the problem is not something you are taught, yet it is a crucial skill that makes all the difference. Troubleshooting can be very difficult for intermittent problems and very stressful if not approached in the right way.

I am thinking about this after watching an electrician at work last week: I lost all the lights with a spectacular bang. The first man, local to the apartment complex, did his best but missed the problem: at least he quickly called his mate who arrived within the hour (try that in London!), and then went about the task in a way that really impressed me. The problem was ultimately simple: a sealed long-life fluorescent bulb that must have arced inside and drawn a heavy current to trip the breakers. He reproduced it with an equally loud bang. Fortunately he worked with full precautions!

He recommended I change the "no-name" long-life bulbs for named brands like Philips or Panasonic. Photographers will know that light bulbs have a colour temperature, so I used the opportunity to change from "operating theatre" white to a warmer light — much better!

So a problem became an opportunity - so often the case.