THE SEVEN-STEP METHOD
Follow the problem.
Keep the evidence.
A practical way to move from “it isn’t working” to the next useful question. The same structure will guide the channel’s narrated video cases.
01
The call
Start with the symptom.
What is the user trying to do? What happens instead? Get the exact error, time, and scope before choosing a cause.
02
The map
Follow the request.
Sketch the stops between the user and the answer. Include the browser, computer, network, name lookup, application, and its dependencies.
03
The checks
Say what each test proves.
Record the test, where it ran, when it ran, and the result. A successful check answers one question. Write that question down.
04
The gap
Find the unanswered question.
Compare a working case with a failing one. Look for a difference in the path, device, account, location, or time.
05
The find
Connect evidence to the cause.
Test the suspected cause with a controlled change where safe and authorized. Repeat the user’s original action to verify the result.
06
The handoff
Give the next team a head start.
Share the symptom, scope, exact times, tests, results, and the next unanswered question. Make your evidence easy to follow.
07
The habit
Keep one useful lesson.
Turn what you learned into a better question, a repeatable check, or a small improvement to the documentation.
THE PRINCIPLE
Respect the check.
Understand its limits.
A passed test is useful evidence. It is not a promise that every part of the user’s experience works. Ask which question the test answered, then decide what still needs to be measured.
BRING YOUR CURIOSITY
A better question.
A better next check.
Have a confusing symptom or a topic you want explained? Help shape a future case.