I would use what tools I have. I can check the Internet for more information, research through books, or brainstorm ideas with different annotations to make the whole picture clear. Gather all your colleagues and explore new ideas, two hands is better than one. With more help, you can take the first step in solving anything.
For many problems, a good first step is "go see." Often, reports of a problem are incomplete or inaccurate, or colored by a theory about what causes the problem or what should be done to fix it. First-hand observation will often provide much needed information about what the problem really is.
Another good investigation technique is to ask the person who discovered it what they were doing when it happened, and what it is they thought would happen or wanted to have happen. This will often put the problem in a new light, and may suggest a simple solution or a different approach to getting what the person wanted. Just today I was presented a problem of an "unexpected horn sound." I began my analysis assuming it was a "steady horn." I later realized that it may have been an "intermittent horn", which has completely different and unrelated causes. Had I been able to "go see", I would have learned the truth much faster.
