* The timing is unfortunate. How about Friday afternoon just before you are about to leave on a holiday-sound familiar? It has happened to everyone.

* Significant change occurred. It may seem obvious while reading a book, but when you're in the battle, changes like an operating system patch, an Oracle database patch, an application patch, or even an additional module or application can escape everyone's attention. Think about what could have possibly changed, because it will help you understand what you are technically observing.

* Surprise! Change is fine as along as we anticipate it. Even unanticipated change is OK if we allow room for the unexpected. But what really causes problems is a complete surprise that no one was expecting. That punch-in-your-gut surprise when you first arrive in the morning can be enough to throw everyone into a tizzy. If there is no surprise, people have enough time to prepare and respond to the situation, which is then less likely to become an intense firefighting situation.