A curated playbook of problem-solving and stress-management mnemonics. Acronyms that compress workflows into actionable steps—for incidents, RCAs (root cause analysis), design decisions, and high-stress situations.
Note: This is a field guide/playbook with opinionated workflows (e.g., STOP → TRACE → DEBUG → 8D) rather than a traditional awesome list of external links. It focuses on battle-tested mnemonics with detailed guidance, real-world scenarios, and proven pipelines.
Warning
Avoid Cognitive Overload: Choose ONE framework matching your situation. Don't memorize all—reference as needed. Using multiple simultaneously reduces effectiveness.
Quick links: 📥 Downloads · 🎯 Scenarios · 📚 Sources · 🔧 CLI · 📋 Table of Contents
Jump to: Quick Reference · Categorized Index · Problem Solving · Pipelines · Common Mistakes · Contributing
| Situation | Use These | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Crisis/Emergency | STOP, BREATHE | 2-5 min |
| Stress/Overwhelm | PACE, CALM, ARIES | 5-10 min |
| Argument/Conflict | BREATHE, PAUSE, WAIT | 3-7 min |
| Root cause needed | 5 Whys, ICEBERG, 8D | 30 min–4 wks |
| Problem solving | IDEA, PREPARE, PADDER | 15-60 min |
| Strategic analysis | SWOT, PESTEL | 1-4 hrs |
| Team coordination | RACI, 8D | Ongoing |
| Technical debugging | TRACE → DEBUG | Variable |
Crisis? → STOP → TRACE → DEBUG → 8D | Quick decision? → IDEA → DICE → FATE
- Awesome Mnemonics
- 🚨 Quick Reference
- Table of Contents
- 📑 Categorized Index
- Who Uses This?
- CLI
- Quick Start (SRE / Infra)
- 🔄 Mnemonic Selection Flowchart
- 🧩 Problem Solving Techniques
- 📊 Problem Analysis
⚠️ Problem Resolution Threats- 🗣️ Communication & Conflict
- 🧘 Stress & Resilience
- 🔧 Infrastructure & Systems Engineering
- 🔗 Proven Mnemonic Pipelines
- 📊 Pipeline Selection Matrix
- 💡 Pro Tips
- 🎯 Common Mistakes
- Selection Self-Check
- Still Stuck?
- 🤝 Contributing
- 📥 Release Versions
- Sources & References
Browse by category; each entry links to full definition and when-to-use guidance.
Incidents, troubleshooting, ops decisions. STOP · IDEA · TRACE · DEBUG · DICE · FATE · PEST
Deep investigation, recurring issues, prevention. ICEBERG · 5 Whys · Ishikawa · 8D Approach · A3 Problem Solving · PADDER · PREPARE
Architecture, planning, technical decisions. SCALE · SWOT · PESTEL · SET
Team dynamics, conflict resolution, and collaboration RACI · WAIT · BREATHE · PAUSE
Stress, burnout, resilience. PACE · ARIES · CALM · SHINE
No entries yet — be the first. One-line PR, e.g. **[Acme](https://acme.com)** — SRE uses STOP→TRACE→DEBUG. How.
mnemonic — look up pipelines and search mnemonics by topic.
Install: pip install git+https://github.com/StewAlexander-com/Awesome-Mnemonics.git
Examples: mnemonic pipeline crisis · mnemonic search network · mnemonic search stress -o json
Alias: alias incident='mnemonic pipeline crisis' in ~/.zshrc
- Runbook — Copy incident-response-runbook.md (STOP→TRACE→DEBUG→8D) into Confluence, wiki, or runbook store.
- CLI —
pip install git+https://github.com/StewAlexander-com/Awesome-Mnemonics.gitthenmnemonic pipeline crisis - Alias —
alias incident='mnemonic pipeline crisis'in~/.zshrc
┌─────────────┐
│ Problem? │
└──────┬──────┘
│
┌────────────┼────────────┐
│ │ │
┌────▼───┐ ┌────▼───┐ ┌────▼────┐
│ Quick? │ │Complex?│ │ Stress? │
└────┬───┘ └────┬───┘ └────┬────┘
│ │ │
┌────▼────┐ ┌────▼─────┐ ┌───▼────┐
│ IDEA │ │PREPARE/ │ │ STOP → │
│ + │ │ICEBERG+ │ │ PACE │
│ STOP │ │ 5 Whys │ └────────┘
└─────────┘ └──────────┘
Summary: Quick? → IDEA+STOP · Complex? → PREPARE/ICEBERG+5 Whys · Stress? → STOP→PACE
Full definitions for each mnemonic; Categorized Index above to browse by use case.
P - **Prioritize** the problem
R - **Research** & brainstorm solutions
E - **Evaluate** available options
P - **Plan** steps to resolve issue
A - **Act** on the plan
R - **Reflect** on results
E - **Evaluate** and revise plan as necessary
When to use: Strategic planning; medium complexity, multi-stakeholder; needs structure. Time: 1–2 hr. Complexity: ★★☆. Not for outages—use STOP→TRACE→DEBUG first; PREPARE in post-mortem.
🔗 Combines well with: RACI, SWOT, ICEBERG
📋 Example: Infra migration: PREPARE for structure, RACI for roles, SWOT for cloud provider choice.
P - **Pinpoint** problem
A - **Analyze** data and look for patterns
D - **Develop** solution & consider other ways to solve the issue—try to have more than one option
D - **Design** action plan
E - **Execute** action plan & Monitor Results
R - **Reevaluate** and refine plan as needed
When to use: Data-driven; pattern identification. Pairs with 8D D3 (Interim Containment) for quick fixes. Time: 15–60 min. Complexity: ★★☆.
🔗 Combines well with: IDEA (simpler), 8D (formal), A3 (one-page PADDER for sharing)
📋 Real-world example: Recurring server crashes - Pinpoint timing, Analyze logs for patterns, Develop interim solutions (restart service) + permanent fix (increase memory), Monitor effectiveness
I - **Identify** issue(s)
C - **Collect** data and analyze situation
E - **Examine** possible (root) causes
B - **Brainstorm** solutions
E - **Execute** solution(s)
R - **Review**, evaluate, and adjust solutions
G - **Gather** feedback
When to use: Complex, deep analysis; surface symptoms hide root causes; escalate from IDEA when complexity grows. Time: 30–60 min. Complexity: ★★★.
🔗 Combines well with: 5 Whys, Ishikawa (fishbone for Examine), 8D, IDEA (escalate if needed)
📋 Real-world example: Network performance degradation - Identify slowness, Collect metrics (latency, packet loss), Examine causes (routing changes, bandwidth saturation), Brainstorm solutions, Execute, Review with team, Gather feedback from users
I - **Identify** problem
D - **Develop** Solution
E - **Execute** Solution
A - **Assess** Solution
When to use: Quick, simple; crisis—use STOP first if stressed. Time: 2–5 min. Complexity: ★☆☆.
🔗 Combines well with: STOP (crisis), PREPARE/ICEBERG (escalate)
📋 Real-world example: User can't access VPN - Identify (connection error), Develop (reset credentials), Execute (send new password), Assess (confirm access restored)
- Keep asking why until root causes are identified
When to use: Root cause analysis; 8D D4; combine with ICEBERG for deep dives. Time: variable. Complexity: ★★☆.
🔗 Combines well with: ICEBERG, Ishikawa (branches, then "why" on each), 8D
📋 Real-world example: Deployment failures - Why? Pipeline failed. Why? Tests timed out. Why? Database slow. Why? Index missing. Why? Schema change didn't include migration. Root cause: Missing migration validation step
Cause–effect; map multiple causes to one problem. Pairs with 5 Whys.
1. State the problem (head of the fish)
2. Choose categories (e.g. 6 M's: Machine, Method, Material, Manpower, Measurement, Milieu/Environment)
3. Brainstorm causes in each category (bones)
4. Drill into "why" for significant causes (use 5 Whys on branches)
5. Identify root causes to address
When to use: Multiple causes (5 Whys may miss branches); 8D D4 or ICEBERG Examine; brainstorm across people, process, tech, environment. Time: 30–60 min. Complexity: ★★☆.
🔗 Combines well with: 5 Whys, 8D D4, ICEBERG, A3 (fishbone on A3)
📋 Real-world example: Uptime drop - Problem (head): "Services unreachable." Bones: Method (recent deploy), Machine (high CPU), Manpower (config change). Drill with 5 Whys on "recent deploy" → missing health-check in pipeline. Root cause: CI didn't run post-deploy checks.
Industry standard in automotive/manufacturing, adapted for IT incident management
D1 - **Form** a team
D2 - **Describe** the problem
D3 - **Interim** Containment Action (the "band-aid")
D4 - **Root** Cause Analysis & Escape Point(s)
D5 - **Permanent** Corrective Actions
D6 - **Implement** & Validate Corrective Actions
D7 - **Prevent** reoccurrence(s)
D8 - **Congratulate** your team and close the loop (closure & celebration)
When to use: Critical incidents, formal resolution; documentation and prevention; team coordination (D1: RACI). Time: 30 min–4 wks. Complexity: ★★★.
🔗 Combines well with: PADDER (D3), 5 Whys+Ishikawa+ICEBERG (D4), A3 (one-page 8D), RACI (D1)
📋 Real-world example: Data breach incident - Form security response team (RACI roles), Describe scope, Contain (disable compromised accounts), Analyze root cause (5 Whys: phishing → no MFA → insufficient training), Implement MFA, Validate with penetration test, Prevent (mandatory security awareness), Celebrate team response
Toyota's single-page (A3 size) structured problem-solving. Plan–Do–Check–Act on one sheet for clarity and alignment.
1. Background & problem statement
2. Current state / gap
3. Goal / target state
4. Root cause analysis (use 5 Whys or Ishikawa)
5. Countermeasures
6. Implementation plan & follow-up (Check)
When to use: Share problem and plan on one page; lighter than 8D; recurring/medium severity; socialize ICEBERG or PADDER output. Time: 1–2 hr. Complexity: ★★☆.
🔗 Combines well with: 5 Whys, Ishikawa (root cause box), 8D (A3 summarizes), ICEBERG, PADDER
📋 Real-world example: Sprint overruns - A3: Background (delivery slipping), Current state (scope creep, no Definition of Done), Goal (predictable sprints), Root cause (5 Whys → no intake prioritization), Countermeasures (backlog refinement + DoD), Plan (next 2 sprints). Share with product and eng leadership on one page.
Poor planning produces pitiful products. — Use as a reminder during planning; don’t skip PREPARE.
Frameworks for scope and impact.
Roles and responsibilities in problem-solving.
R - **Responsible** (does the work)
A - **Accountable** (final approval)
C - **Consulted** (provides input)
I - **Informed** (kept updated)
When to use: Role confusion; 8D D1 (Form a team); end of WAIT→BREATHE→PAUSE for conflict. Time: ongoing. Complexity: ★☆☆.
📋 Example: Infra upgrade: R=DevOps, A=Infra Manager, C=Security, I=All devs.
External factors that impact a problem or decision.
P - **Political**
E - **Economic**
S - **Sociocultural**
T - **Technological**
E - **Environmental**
L - **Legal**
When to use: Strategic planning, external factors; SCALE validation; architecture, compliance. Time: 1–4 hrs. Complexity: ★★☆.
📋 Real-world example: Cloud migration planning - Political (vendor lock-in concerns), Economic (cost optimization), Technological (API compatibility), Legal (data sovereignty requirements)
Internal and external factors for a problem or decision.
S - **Strengths**
W - **Weaknesses**
O - **Opportunities**
T - **Threats**
When to use: PREPARE's "Evaluate options" step; SCALE design validation; strategic decision making. Time: 1–4 hrs. Complexity: ★★☆.
📋 Real-world example: Choosing deployment strategy - Strengths: automated rollback, Weaknesses: longer deployment time, Opportunities: canary testing, Threats: increased complexity
Good, Fast, Cheap: pick 2; the third suffers. (Fast+Cheap≠Good, Fast+Good≠Cheap, Good+Cheap≠Fast.)
When to use: Set expectations; end of SCALE→SWOT→PESTEL; architecture trade-offs. Time: quick. Complexity: ★☆☆.
📋 Real-world example: Urgent security patch — Good+Fast ⇒ not cheap (overtime). Set expectations with leadership.
Blockers before they derail.
D - **Delay**
I - **Incompetence**
C - **Conflict**
E - **External** factors
When to use: IDEA→DICE→FATE triage; blockers before execution; risk in PREPARE phase. Time: 10–30 min. Complexity: ★☆☆.
F - **Funding**
A - **Allocation** of resources
T - **Time**
E - **Expertise**
When to use: Resource validation in triage; feasibility; after DICE to validate resources. Time: 10–30 min. Complexity: ★☆☆.
P - **Political**
E - **Economic**
S - **Social**
T - **Technological**
When to use: External threats to solutions; how to combat/remove. Time: 15–30 min. Complexity: ★☆☆.
Calm, productive in difficult conversations.
B - **Breathe** deeply and slowly
R - **Remain** rational and listen
E - **Empathize** with the other person's problem
A - **Ask** questions to understand
T - **Take** a break if needed
H - **Hold** back from reacting
E - **Express** yourself calmly
When to use: First when tensions rise (breathing regulates); WAIT→BREATHE→PAUSE→RACI; if break needed → PAUSE. Time: 3–7 min. Complexity: ★☆☆.
🔗 Combines well with: WAIT, PAUSE, STOP
📋 Real-world example: Stakeholder disagrees with technical approach in meeting - Breathe deeply (regulate emotions), Remain rational, Empathize with their concerns, Ask clarifying questions, Take 5-minute break if tension escalates, Hold back defensive reactions, Express technical rationale calmly
P - **Put** things in perspective
A - **Acknowledge** your feelings and theirs
U - **Understand** that you don't have to act/react right away
S - **Step** Away from the situation
E - **Evaluate** options and plan before acting
When to use: When BREATHE isn't enough—need physical separation; "Step Away" connects to WAIT; combine with STOP for immediate stress de-escalation. Time: 5–20 min. Complexity: ★☆☆.
🔗 Combines well with: BREATHE (first step), WAIT (listen before speaking), STOP (stress response)
📋 Real-world example: Heated debate about architecture decision - Put in perspective (not life-or-death), Acknowledge both viewpoints have merit, Don't decide now, Step away for lunch break, Evaluate pros/cons offline, Return with structured comparison
"Why am I troubled / talking?" — Choose the right response; often listening is better.
When to use: Before speaking; first in WAIT→BREATHE→PAUSE→RACI. Use BREATHE to regulate, then WAIT to choose. Time: instant. Complexity: ★☆☆.
🔗 Combines well with: BREATHE, PAUSE
📋 Example: Accusatory email: Ask "Why troubled?" (ego?) and "Why talking?" (defend or resolve?). BREATHE+PAUSE; respond later with facts.
Calm and connected under pressure.
P - **Physical** activity
A - **Avoiding** unhealthy behaviors
C - **Coping** skills
E - **Emotional** awareness
When to use: First in PACE→ARIES→CALM→SHINE; immediate stress. Time: 5–10 min. Complexity: ★☆☆.
S - **Step** back
T - **Take** a deep breath
O - **Observe** what is happening
P - **Pull** back and put things in perspective
When to use: First response to ANY crisis—immediate stress management; start of STOP→TRACE→DEBUG→8D crisis chain; use with IDEA for quick problem resolution. Time: 2–5 min. Complexity: ★☆☆.
- Going through motions - Rushing through STOP without actually calming. The "Take a deep breath" must be intentional - pause for 3-5 seconds.
- Stopping at STOP - Using STOP but not proceeding to next step (TRACE/IDEA). STOP is the foundation, not the solution.
🔗 Combines well with: BREATHE + PAUSE (breathing techniques), IDEA (quick problem solving)
📋 Real-world example: Production alert at 2 AM - Step back (don't panic), Take deep breath (reduce adrenaline), Observe (read alert details), Pull back perspective (assess severity before waking team), Then proceed to TRACE for diagnostics
A - **Avoid** unnecessary stress
R - **Relax** and take breaks
I - **Incorporate** physical activity into your routine
E - **Eat** a healthy diet
S - **Sleep** well
When to use: Lifestyle in PACE→ARIES→CALM; long-term stress recovery. Time: 2–4 weeks. Complexity: ★★☆.
C - **Confidence:** Believe in your abilities and strengths
A - **Awareness:** Stay conscious of your thoughts and feelings
L - **Logic:** Use rational thinking to overcome doubts
M - **Mindfulness:** Practice being present and focused
When to use: Builds long-term resilience and confidence; use after PACE or ARIES for comprehensive stress management; confidence connects to SHINE. Time: 5–10 min (ongoing). Complexity: ★☆☆.
🔗 Combines well with: SHINE, PACE, ARIES
S - **Stay** present, in the moment
H - **Have** a healthy positive perspective
I - **Identify** and do positive activities
N - **Nourish** positive relationships
E - **Express** yourself
When to use: End of PACE→ARIES→CALM→SHINE; ongoing positivity; links to CALM. Time: ongoing. Complexity: ★☆☆.
Infra and DevOps.
T - **Test** connectivity (ping, traceroute)
R - **Review** logs and metrics
A - **Analyze** packet captures
C - **Check** configurations
E - **Escalate** with documented evidence
When to use: With PREPARE and 8D; T for quick, A for deep; document for 8D D2. Time: variable. Complexity: ★★☆.
🔗 Combines well with: PREPARE, 8D
S - **Security** by design
C - **Capacity** planning
A - **Automation-first**
L - **Load** balancing
E - **Error** handling/resilience
When to use: SWOT for design validation; PESTEL for external factors; SET for trade-offs per component. Time: 1–4 hrs. Complexity: ★★☆.
🔗 Combines well with: SWOT, PESTEL, SET
D - **Define** the problem (what changed?)
E - **Examine** error messages/logs
B - **Break** down into components
U - **Understand** data flow
G - **Generate** hypothesis and test
When to use: 5 Whys + ICEBERG; start with D (often misstated); with TRACE for network/system. Time: variable. Complexity: ★★☆.
🔗 Combines well with: 5 Whys, ICEBERG, TRACE
Ordered chains of mnemonics for end-to-end workflows (e.g. crisis, conflict, root cause).
STOP → TRACE → DEBUG → 8D
When: Production outages, system failures, critical incidents · Time: 1–4 hr
Flow: STOP → TRACE → DEBUG → 8D
Why: STOP stabilizes; TRACE gathers evidence; DEBUG structures analysis; 8D prevents recurrence.
WAIT → BREATHE → PAUSE → RACI
When: Team disagreements, tense meetings, stakeholder conflicts · Time: 5–20 min
Flow: WAIT → BREATHE → PAUSE → RACI
Why: WAIT prevents escalation; BREATHE regulates; PAUSE creates space; RACI clarifies roles (often the root cause).
ICEBERG → 5 Whys → PADDER → RACI
When: Recurring issues, complex systems, post-incident · Time: 1–2 hr
Flow: ICEBERG → 5 Whys → PADDER → RACI
Why: ICEBERG structures; 5 Whys drill to root cause; PADDER plans; RACI ensures accountability.
SCALE → SWOT → PESTEL → SET
When: Infrastructure planning, architecture reviews, capacity · Time: 2–4 hr
Flow: SCALE → SWOT → PESTEL → SET
Why: SCALE sets requirements; SWOT evaluates; PESTEL finds external risks; SET manages expectations.
PACE → ARIES → CALM → SHINE
When: Long-term stress, approaching burnout, lifestyle reset · Time: 2–4 weeks (habit formation)
Flow: PACE → ARIES → CALM → SHINE
Why: PACE (immediate); ARIES (lifestyle); CALM (resilience); SHINE (sustainable).
IDEA → DICE → FATE
When: Quick wins, time-critical decisions, feasibility check · Time: 10–30 min
Why: IDEA (fast frame); DICE (blockers); FATE (resources).
| Your Situation | Pipeline | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| 🚨 System down NOW | STOP → TRACE → DEBUG → 8D | Systematic crisis response |
| 😤 Team conflict escalating | WAIT → BREATHE → PAUSE → RACI | De-escalation + role clarity |
| 🔁 Same issue keeps happening | ICEBERG → 5 Whys → PADDER → RACI | Deep root cause + prevention |
| 🏗️ Designing new infrastructure | SCALE → SWOT → PESTEL → SET | Complete planning framework |
| 😰 Feeling burned out | PACE → ARIES → CALM → SHINE | Comprehensive stress recovery |
| ⚡ Need quick decision | IDEA → DICE → FATE | Fast feasibility assessment |
- Don’t skip steps — Each mnemonic builds on the previous.
- Document at each stage — STOP→TRACE→DEBUG; each step feeds the next.
- Branch when needed — If IDEA reveals complexity, switch to ICEBERG → 5 Whys.
- Start with STOP when emotionally activated.
- Teach your team — Shared vocabulary speeds collaboration.
| Mistake | Problem | Fix | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jumping to solutions | Skip STOP/WAIT when stressed → bad decisions | STOP first in crises; WAIT before reacting | 2 AM alert: SSH without STOP → wrong reboot. STOP (30 s) → assess → TRACE. |
| Wrong pipeline | IDEA won’t fix systemic issues | ICEBERG → 5 Whys for recurring | Weekly DB timeouts: IDEA (restart) → returns. ICEBERG+5 Whys → missing pool config → permanent fix. |
| Incomplete execution | 8D stopped at D3 (band-aid) | Always reach D7 (Prevent Reoccurrence) | — |
| Solo hero | No RACI → no accountability if you’re out | RACI in 8D D1 (Form a team) | — |
| Analysis paralysis | PREPARE→ICEBERG→5 Whys→8D for simple issues | Start with IDEA; escalate if complexity emerges | — |
| Wrong tool | SWOT for root cause; 8D solo | Use 5 Whys/ICEBERG for root cause; 8D requires team (RACI) | — |
| Multiple frameworks | Using several at once → confusion | Pick ONE matching your situation | — |
- Framework matches my situation type?
- I have required time/resources?
- Using ONE framework only?
- Can explain each step?
- Simplify: One-sentence problem description
- Return to Quick Reference table
- Start with IDEA (simplest framework)
- Seek domain-specific expertise if needed
This is a curated playbook, not a link collection. We focus on battle-tested mnemonics with complete definitions, not external resources.
Submission criteria:
- ✅ Battle-tested — Used in production, real incidents, or engineering decisions
- ✅ Provable/actionable — Not just motivational, must have concrete steps
- ✅ Cross-references — Should link to related mnemonics where applicable
- ✅ Real-world context — Include actual usage examples
- ✅ Memorable — The acronym/pattern should be easy to recall under pressure
See CONTRIBUTING.md for full guidelines and submission template.
Suggested GitHub topics for discoverability: 8d-methodology, swot-analysis, pestel, systems-engineering, incident-response, root-cause-analysis, problem-solving, mnemonics, sre, devops, stress-management, framework
v2.9 (2026-01-31) — Docs: Jump to nav, Sources consolidation; release artifacts regenerated. CHANGELOG
ZIP (all formats): Complete · Quick Reference
By format: Complete — PDF DOCX RTF MD · Quick — PDF DOCX RTF MD. releases/README for details.
📚 For complete citations, confidence ratings, and attribution, see SOURCES.md.
🎯 For real-world scenarios showing how frameworks chain together, see SCENARIOS.md.
Legend: ✓ documented; ⚠ adapted; ℹ curated. ★★★ strongly validated; ★★ industry standard; ★ curated. SOURCES.md is the single source of truth for detailed citations.