Common questions about Diagnostic Assistance (DAVO) — what it is, who it’s for, and how it helps you diagnose vehicles right the first time.
What is Diagnostic Assistance?
Diagnostic Assistance (DAVO) is diagnostic decision-support software for professional vehicle technicians and garages. It guides you through a structured, case-based process so you measure the right thing, the right way, at the right time, with the right tool — helping you reach an accurate diagnosis the first time.
Who is Diagnostic Assistance for?
It is built for independent garages, workshops and automotive technicians who carry out fault diagnosis — from individual technicians who want a reliable method to multi-technician workshops standardising how their team diagnoses faults.
What problem does it solve?
It reduces misdiagnosis, wasted time and costly comebacks by removing guesswork and cognitive bias from diagnosis and replacing them with a consistent, evidence-led method that works the same way every time.
How does Diagnostic Assistance work?
You open a “case” and work through eight guided steps: from observations and confidence factors, through a ranked hypothesis list and the elements to test, to a prioritised test list, measurement and analysis, results, and a case summary. At each stage the system suggests what to test and what a good result should look like.
What is the 4 Rights framework?
The 4 Rights are the principle at the heart of DAVO: measure the Right Thing, the Right Way, at the Right Time, with the Right Tool. It keeps every test focused and meaningful instead of random.
How is it different from a fault-code reader or technical service bulletins?
A code reader tells you which circuit reported a fault, and service bulletins describe known patterns. Diagnostic Assistance instead guides your reasoning for the specific vehicle in front of you, using a hypothetico-deductive method and vehicle-specific data, so you confirm the actual cause rather than replacing parts on a hunch.
Do I need special equipment to use it?
No. Diagnostic Assistance works alongside the test equipment you already use, such as a multimeter or oscilloscope. It tells you what to measure and what to expect; you take the readings with your existing tools.
Who created Diagnostic Assistance?
It is developed by Technical Topics Ltd, drawing on more than 40 years of hands-on automotive diagnostic training and real-world case experience.
How do I get started and what does it cost?
Diagnostic Assistance is currently onboarding new workshops. Register your interest through the contact page and the team will be in touch about access and pricing.