Google It!

To start off my series in problem solving i figured I would begin with some of the simplest steps. If you have a problem, see if anyone else has had that problem. This is such an obvious step that http://lmgtfy.com/ will happily help you make fun of someone who didn’t do this step, and xkcd produced a handy flowchart. Even so it needs to be mentioned…

Pick some keywords you think describe your problem and make a search. Open a few promising links.  If you don’t find any relevant information then search again. If get unrelated information try eliminating generic terms, and adding specific terms, such as brand names, product types, or program names. Searching “error 12″ won’t be nearly as effective as searching “error 12 quicktime windows xp” is much more specific.
Don’t forget synonyms and acronyms, if a user posts a question on a forum they may ask about their “chevy” or their “chevrolet”. Forum’s are especially helpful because not only will they provide valuable information, you can see how others have been troubleshooting that problem.

Sometimes these searches will solve your problem, but more often than not, they will only get you 90% of the way there. So slow down, and rather than looking for a “solution” look for information, read methods and collect facts, not opinions. Lastly don’t forget to check for a date on any forums or documents, nothing is worse spending an hour implementing a “fix” only to realize that it is inaccurate and out of date.

The Recap:

• Be as detailed in your search as possible
• Search, and search again
• Try different search terms…Synonyms, and Acronyms
• Look for information, not just “solutions”

This post is part of my Series: How To Troubleshoot Everything