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Below are the top 4 questions I ask any IT professional before engaging in a new project, new IT purchase or acquisition, new process, or anything new for that matter

• Show me how I access the front of this system/resource/website/database?
  • Want to know how to start troubleshooting a system or getting under the hood? Get access through the front door
  • It’s the best starting point
  • The way you access to systems and rtofuces might not just be through a link
    • You might need to log in through a window, pass a script with username and password or navigate through windows to the main area of the system
• Where does the code live?
  • Does it live in the container?
  • Does it live in a cloud system?
  • Does it live in a unique storage
  • The two main questions code code storage (and execution) are as follows
    • 1. You want to know firstly where the code is stored in a developer status
      • E.g. GitHub, GitLabs, BitBucket etc
    • 2. Then you want to know where in the application, program, system where the code is
      • E.g. stored as a tag, stored as a bundle, stored in /src or /app folder on the container etc
    • You don’t need to know how the code is executed or actioned, but knowing where the code is stored form development phase to the implementation/running phase is an observation skill that will be valuable
      • For example, when you troubleshoot your app, you can say to the audience, I know the code is stored in this system and to access the code in a running state, you log into this container service etc
• Who looks after what on this system?
  • Who are the guru’s that look after other parts of the system
  • What are they’re names, teams, phone numbers, emails?
  • How do I engage them and what time
    • Are there special or operational times to engage these other users
      • What happens if I need these resources during non operational times
        • (If I have specific times to reach out to these other users, and the system is burning, I can leave it as is and look during BAU hours?…. I’ve been in these positions 🙂 )
  • What are these team’s expectations when I speak to these other users?
    • Are there previous examples or tickets I can read so I know how to present the issue in the format/standard they seek?
• What are the top 5 issues of this system?
  • Even new systems have issues
  • Don’t think because they are off the shelf they are foul proof
    • Every system has deficiencies and improvements that can be made
  • Are these issues rinse and repeat
    • Do users apply break fixes and temporary remediation on the issue
      • If so what’s the long term plan to plug and fix this issue
      • Maybe your peers enjoy doing this simple work
        • (Idea time, Im going to try and find a permanent fix and annoy these people 🙂 )
  • Consider the want and desire from the business/company if they do want to fix and improve issues
    • Might show you a view of the issues and then after learning about them, thinking about how to fix (and if you’re skillful actually fixing the issue), you might then consider moving on
      • If something is broken for years and years, it’s probably time to think of an exit plan and move on to the next role/job which will have another set of issues
        • Rinse and repeat all over again

Summary:

• Get past the front door – show me how to access the system
• How does the house work – show me the code in a dev/non working state and in a live and functioning state
• Who are the guns (aka surrounding experts 🙂 ) that also manage this system – get the contacts who also help and assist on making the system function
• Every system/app/program has issues – get the top 5 issues and ask are they going to get resolved permanently or left to the ages