How is a defect reported?

Once the test cases are developed using the appropriate techniques, they are executed which is when the bugs occur. It is very important that these bugs be reported as soon as possible because, the earlier you report a bug, the more time remains in the schedule to get it fixed. Simple example is that you report a wrong functionality documented in the Help file a few months before the product release, the chances that it will be fixed are very high. If you report the same bug few hours before the release, the odds are that it won’t be fixed. The bug is still the same though you report it few months or few hours before the release, but what matters is the time. It is not just enough to find the bugs; these should also be reported/communicated clearly and efficiently, not to mention the number of people who will be reading the defect.

 

What are defect tracking tools?

Defect tracking tools (also known as bug tracking tools, issue tracking tools or problem trackers) greatly aid the testers in reporting and tracking the bugs found in software applications. They provide a means of consolidating a key element of roject information in one place. Project managers can then see which bugs have been fixed, which are outstanding and how long it is taking to fix defects. Senior management can use reports to understand the state of the development process.

 

How descriptive should your bug/defect report be?

You should provide enough detail while reporting the bug keeping in mind the people who will use it – test lead, developer, project manager, other testers, new testers assigned etc. This means that the report you will write should be concise, straight and clear. Following are the details your report should contain:

• Bug Title
  
• Bug identifier (number, ID, etc.)
  
• The application name or identifier and version
  
• The function, module, feature, object, screen, etc. where the bug occurred
  
• Environment (OS, Browser and its version)
  
• Bug Type or Category/Severity/Priority
  Bug Category: Security, Database, Functionality (Critical/General), UI
  Bug Severity: Severity with which the bug affects the application – Very High, High, Medium, Low, Very Low
  Bug Priority: Recommended priority to be given for a fix of this bug – P0, P1, P2, P3, P4, P5 (P0-Highest, P5-Lowest)
  Bug status (Open, Pending, Fixed, Closed, Re-Open)
• Test case name/number/identifier
  
• Bug description
  
• Steps to Reproduce
  
• Actual Result
  
• Tester Comments
  

 

What does the tester do when the defect is fixed?

Once the reported defect is fixed, the tester needs to re-test to confirm the fix. This is usually done by executing the possible scenarios where the bug can occur. Once retesting is completed, the fix can be confirmed and the bug can be closed. This marks the end of the bug life cycle.

 

What are types of Test Reports?

The documents outlined in the IEEE Standard of Software Test Documentation covers test planning, test specification, and test reporting. Test reporting covers four document types:

1. A Test Item Transmittal Report identifies the test items being transmitted for testing from the development to the testing group in the event that a formal beginning of test execution is desired. 
   Details to be included in the report - Purpose, Outline, Transmittal-Report Identifier, Transmitted Items, Location, Status, and Approvals.
2. A Test Log is used by the test team to record what occurred during test execution. 
   Details to be included in the report - Purpose, Outline, Test-Log Identifier, Description, Activity and Event Entries, Execution Description, Procedure Results, Environmental Information, Anomalous Events, Incident-Report Identifiers
3. A Test Incident report describes any event that occurs during the test execution that requires further investigation. 
   Details to be included in the report - Purpose, Outline, Test-Incident-Report Identifier, Summary, Impact
4. A test summary report summarizes the testing activities associated with one or more test design specifications.
   Details to be included in the report - Purpose, Outline, Test-Summary-Report Identifier, Summary, Variances, Comprehensiveness Assessment, Summary of Results, Summary of Activities, and Approvals