Meaning – The term problem determinations, refers to the process of determining the source of a problem; for example, a program component, machine failure, telecommunication facilities, user or contractor-installed programs or equipment, environmental failures such as a power loss, or user error.
Problem determination is a systematic approach to solving a problem. The goal is to determine why something does not work as expected and explain how to resolve the problem.
The first step in the problem determination process is to describe the problem completely. Problem descriptions help you and the IBM Support person know where to start to find the cause of the problem.
Example of usage – “Determining where the problem originates is not always easy, but it is one of the most important steps in resolving a problem. Many layers of technology can exist between the reporting and failing components. Networks, disks, and drivers are only a few of the components to consider when you are investigating problems.”