Request / Problem interrelationship enhancements needed
When you are viewing a PROBLEM, there is an "Incidents" tab that you can look at to easily see which items are associated to that problem. Never mind the fact they aren't actually INCIDENTS, but REQUESTS - which leads to the already significant confusion of Request Type in the form.
However, when viewing a REQUEST, you have no way of seeing what problem is associated to that other than clicking "View Problem". Couldn't you add a "Associated Problem" tab to any request that belongs to a problem (that wouldn't exist, otherwise). IF you are actually wanting to detach a problem it could be a bit of a convoluted process. Follow along with me...
1. Open a request (can't see what problem its associated with).
2. Click on "View Problem" within that request.
3. When done reviewing the problem, click on the "Incidents" tab to see the REQUEST (not incident) again.
4. Click on the problem you were originally opening
5. Once BACK at the original request, click "Detach Problem" link
These 5 steps could be greatly compressed if you didn't have to jump back and forth between Request and Problem. Also, you need to gain some consistency in what you call a request and an incident. I like the fact you want to put incident management/response into the product. I think you should create a separate tab, however.
Requests, Incidents, Problems
Users fill out requests. IT fills out incidents. Problems are better linked to Requests AND/OR Incidents (should be separate tabs on the Problems screen).
I also noticed that when you CLOSE a problem, the Requests/Incidents remain unchanged. The whole point of associating several individual requests to a umbrella Problem is so you can group and manage. When you close the problem, all associated REQUESTS should also be closed. It doesn't make sense to have to close them individually. Even after the PROBLEM is closed, the Request is still associated to it. An OPEN request associated with a CLOSED problem?
I think you're trying to duplicate the Magic Service Desk feature of having Tickets associated to a Whiteboard, so if you have a massive issue and lots of individual tickets come in, you can group and organize them under a "Whiteboard issue". Then, when the matter is resolved, you can close the Whiteboard and all associated tickets are also closed.
Your implementation needs a lot of work.
However, when viewing a REQUEST, you have no way of seeing what problem is associated to that other than clicking "View Problem". Couldn't you add a "Associated Problem" tab to any request that belongs to a problem (that wouldn't exist, otherwise). IF you are actually wanting to detach a problem it could be a bit of a convoluted process. Follow along with me...
1. Open a request (can't see what problem its associated with).
2. Click on "View Problem" within that request.
3. When done reviewing the problem, click on the "Incidents" tab to see the REQUEST (not incident) again.
4. Click on the problem you were originally opening
5. Once BACK at the original request, click "Detach Problem" link
These 5 steps could be greatly compressed if you didn't have to jump back and forth between Request and Problem. Also, you need to gain some consistency in what you call a request and an incident. I like the fact you want to put incident management/response into the product. I think you should create a separate tab, however.
Requests, Incidents, Problems
Users fill out requests. IT fills out incidents. Problems are better linked to Requests AND/OR Incidents (should be separate tabs on the Problems screen).
I also noticed that when you CLOSE a problem, the Requests/Incidents remain unchanged. The whole point of associating several individual requests to a umbrella Problem is so you can group and manage. When you close the problem, all associated REQUESTS should also be closed. It doesn't make sense to have to close them individually. Even after the PROBLEM is closed, the Request is still associated to it. An OPEN request associated with a CLOSED problem?
I think you're trying to duplicate the Magic Service Desk feature of having Tickets associated to a Whiteboard, so if you have a massive issue and lots of individual tickets come in, you can group and organize them under a "Whiteboard issue". Then, when the matter is resolved, you can close the Whiteboard and all associated tickets are also closed.
Your implementation needs a lot of work.