Abstract
Our study focuses on network engineers' experiences when they troubleshoot complex problems in distributed data and communication networks. Currently, these troubleshooters lack truly useful support for this complex problem solving. To identify socio-cognitive demands of this nonroutine troubleshooting, we conducted interviews with advanced network troubleshooters and analyzed transcripts of real time troubleshooting and post-mortem discussions among troubleshooters from diverse domains. Findings show that ad hoc cross domain collaborations are vital to the success of complex troubleshooting and that collaborators need better support for discussing responsibility in human and organizational terms and for recognizing strategic gaps, detailed issues and trade-offs they must negotiate for problem conditions.
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