Chapter 4 Check Your Understanding

1. Which of these is not an example of a difficult support problem?

a. a problem a support worker has not seen before.
b. a problem involving an angry caller.
c. problem for which the solution is not obvious.
d. All of these are difficult problems.
Answer D. All of these are difficult problems.
2. True or False? Troubleshooting technology problems is a fixed, linear
sequence of steps a supports agent follows from the initial problem
description to the resolved problem. False.
3. True or false? Problem solving, critical thinking and decision-making
are different names for the same skill. False
4. The strategy in which a listener is as engaged as the speaker in a
communication is called:
a. probing
b. active listening
c. paraphrasing
d. replicating
Answer - B. Active Listening
5. A mental model to help a troubleshooter understand and explain a
problem situation is based on:
a. metacognition
b. critical thinking
c. decision making
d. problem solving
Answer B. Critical Thinking
6. A troubleshooting process that involves selecting one alternative
from among a number of possible alternatives based on some
evaluation criteria is called Decision Making.
7. True or False? To restate a problem description using the users
exact words is called paraphrasing. False
8. Escalation is a problem-solving tool where a difficult or complex
problem is referred to a higher-level support person for resolution.
9. The ability to step back from a troubleshooting situation and analyze
ones own thinking process is called metacognition.

10. A follow-up question a troubleshooter asks to get additional

information about a problem situation is called a(n) Probe.
11. An organized collection of information, articles, procedures, tips,
and problem solutions is called a:
a. Script
b. Flowchart
c. Knowledge base
d. Newsgroup
Answer C. Knowledge base
12. True or False? A troubleshooting strategy that involves swapping a
hardware or software component whose status is unknown with one
that is known to be operational is called module replacement. True
13. Rebooting a system in an attempt to fix a problem is an example of
which of these problem-solving strategies?
a. Look for simple, obvious fix
b. Attempt to replicate a problem
c. Use a module-replacement strategy
d. View a system as a group of subsystems.
Answer A. Look for a simple, obvious fix.
14. A successful troubleshooter recognizes a dead end (or block in
progress) as:
a. a frustration
b. the end of the troubleshooting process
c. a stopping point
d. an opportunity to look at other alternatives.
Answer D. an opportunity to look at other alternatives
15. Write a paraphrase for the following problem statement: The
display on my tablet PC is blank.
The screen is blank on the display.
16. A troubleshooter who observes that a suspected faulty modem
does not work in a computers A, but operates correctly in computer B,
is confronted with a(n) contradiction.
17. A communication skill that confirms a troubleshooters perception
that a problem is fixed is:
a. Authentication
b. Verification
c. Explanation
d. Metacognition
Answer B. Verification

18. True or False? Root cause analysis is a troubleshooting strategy

designed to eliminate he symptoms of a problem. False
19. A network technology that uses authentication and encryption to
connect remote users to a company server over the Internet is a(n)
VPN (virtual private network).
20. Simplifying a problem situation by removing components from a
configuration is a strategy to eliminate or reduce the number of
variables in a problem.
21. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and blogs are examples of social
media.