Incident management refers to the systematic approach for identifying, analyzing, responding to, and resolving incidents within an IT environment. Incidents include any unplanned disruptions to services, such as system crashes, network outages, or cybersecurity breaches. Effective incident management is essential for minimizing downtime, maintaining business continuity, and ensuring customer satisfaction.

The incident management lifecycle typically follows these steps:

Identification: Detecting and reporting incidents through monitoring tools or user submissions.
Logging: Documenting the incident's details in a centralized system for tracking and accountability.
Categorization and Prioritization: Classifying the incident by type and urgency to allocate resources effectively.
Investigation and Diagnosis: Identifying the root cause using troubleshooting techniques or diagnostic tools.
Resolution and Recovery: Implementing a fix to restore normal operations.
Closure: Documenting the resolution, confirming functionality, and closing the ticket.
Incident management often operates within the framework of ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) practices. Organizations frequently use tools like ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, or PagerDuty to manage incidents efficiently.

Key benefits of incident management include reduced downtime, enhanced operational efficiency, and improved user satisfaction. Additionally, it provides a structured approach to handling crises, ensuring that organizations can respond effectively to minimize damage and maintain service reliability.