A primer on bug reporting with a basic framework of rules and ideas to guide the tester into ensuring maximum ROI on every defect they report.

1. BUG REPORTING 101
Created by Jonathan Ross.

2. THERE IS ONLY ONE RULE …
 BE UNDERSTOOD.
 If your bug report is not understood, nothing can be fixed.
 If your bug report is misunderstood, things can get broken.
 Stage 1 in fixing any bug is reporting the problem.

3. OK SO MAYBETHERE ARE SUB-RULESTOO
 Before we delve into that, let’s take a brief intermission to examine which bugs
get fixed and which don’t:
Bugs that get fixed Bugs that don’t get fixed
BIG IMPACT affecting many end users CNR: Hard / Impossible to reproduce.
EMBARRASSING: Does not convey
professionalism.
Need strange steps to reproduce.
QUICK FIXES. NO PERCEIVEDCUSTOMER IMPACT.
MONEY FEATURES EDGE CASES.
LATE DISCOVERIES: Near to release and
risk greater instability.

4. THE SUB-RULES
1. ONE ISSUE PERTICKET: Do you know why? .. Not <because I’m Batman>
2. TITLE HAS MEANING:
1. Can the Developer fix the bug NOW from the information you gave them?
2. Will you / another tester understand the bug in 3 months time?
3. Did you use the right terminology?
4. To paraphrase Jules from Pulp Fiction, “If you say <feature> doesn’t work one more
time…”
Say Facebook Login
doesn’t work one more
time.
I dare you …

5. STEPS, STEPS AND MORE STEPS
 Can I reproduce the bug using the steps written in the bug report?
 Did I miss out a step?
 Did I add irrelevant information / steps?
 Did I include the account / test data / media used when the bug occurs?
 Severity

6. MISSION STATEMENT / AIM / GOAL
 Any bug report will provide the developer with ALL information needed to: -
 Understand the scenario(s) it occurs in.
 Be able to reproduce the bug themselves.
 Have all added information (screen captures, logs etc) if the description or steps are not
sufficient.
 Be able to fix the specific issue without losing time or asking for more information.
FAILURE IS
NOT AN
OPTION

7. TO SUM UP…
1. 1 issue : 1 ticket
2. Title has meaning (remember Jules and be precise)
3. Clear Detailed Description
4. Steps to reproduce: steps – expected – actual
5. Detail, detail, detail: Account, test data, media, screenshots, logs
6. Severity: do NOT cry wolf. (see bugs that do and don’t get fixed):
1. Have your severity scale defined (keep it on your desk and visible).

8. A,B,C
 Good morning now check your More Info’s, Retests and …

9. BLESSYOU BING
With thanks to…
 Bing search
 MSDN
 Youtube clip of Apollo 13
 Glengarry Glen Ross for the clip every office worker with targets to reach must see.