What is meant by "temporary workarounds" in incident management?

In the context of incident management, "temporary workarounds" refer to quick fixes that address an immediate problem or provide relief while a more permanent solution is being developed. These workarounds allow services to continue functioning or minimize disruption until a comprehensive solution can be implemented. They are especially important in incident management because incidents can cause unexpected interruptions, and organizations need to maintain operations even during these disruptions.

Temporary workarounds are typically not intended to be long-term solutions, as they may not fully resolve the underlying issue. Instead, they focus on enabling users to perform their tasks or maintain system functionality in the short term. This approach helps mitigate the impact of the incident on business operations, allowing time for experts to analyze the situation and implement a more sustainable fix.

In contrast, other concepts such as long-term solutions or documented procedures do not capture the essence of what a temporary workaround is. Long-term solutions imply a definitive fix, whereas incident management is often about immediate and practical responses to maintain service continuity. Similarly, documented procedures for future incidents and escalation protocols serve different purposes within the overall framework of incident management and do not represent the nature of temporary workarounds. Thus, the definition of these quick, immediate measures is precisely what makes them vital in incident response