How to Document a Computer Problem

If you've ever worked on a computer, you've probably run into a problem at one time or another. To solve the problem, you must know how to document it. Follow a few tips, and you'll be a whiz at documenting computer problems.

Instructions

1. Pinpoint the problem. If you are working on several computer software programs at once, close the unaffected programs. Shut down or disable any miscellaneous programs that are running in the background, such as email notifiers.

2. Reproduce the occurrence. You've got to be able to make the problem happen again. It may take several attempts to recreate the problem because it occurs randomly.

3. Document. Once you reproduce the problem, write down everything you did to make the problem occur. Documenting the problem may be time-consuming, but you must detail every mouse click and keyboard stroke used to duplicate the problem. The better the documentation, the easier it will be to troubleshoot.

Tips & Warnings

• Learn the difference between features and problems. Sometimes the issue may be a software or computer feature.