What does the term incident management refer to?

Incident management specifically refers to the process of handling interruptions in service and restoring normal operations as efficiently as possible. This involves identifying the incident, categorizing it, prioritizing it based on the impact on the business, and then coordinating the resolution efforts to restore service. The primary aim of incident management is to minimize downtime and disruption, ensuring that users can return to their normal activities as quickly as possible.

In the context of IT service management, incident management is crucial for maintaining service quality and user satisfaction. It typically involves a predefined set of procedures and workflows designed to tackle incidents effectively, often guided by best practices such as those found in the ITIL framework.

This focus on restoring normal operations distinguishes incident management from other functions. For example, while creating new software pertains to development processes, maintaining systems involves more regular upkeep rather than addressing unforeseen disruptions. Similarly, training support staff, although important, does not fall under the umbrella of incident management.