Defect Reporting (section 1)

 1: Definition:

1) A defect is a variance from the desired products attribute.

 2)IEEE Definition

Defect: A product anomaly. Examples include such things as

(1) omissions and imperfections found during early life cycle phases and

  (2) faults contained in software sufficiently mature for test or operation.

 

2: Defect classification:

–Based on category:

•Wrong - Incorrect Implementation

•Missing - User requirements is not built into the product

•Extra - Unwanted requirement built into the product

–Based on severity:

•Very high or critical

•High

•Medium

•Low

 

    3:Defect life cycle

 

 

4:Cause for the defects

• Improper interpretation of requirements.

• User specifies wrong requirement

• Requirements are incorrectly recorded

• Design specifications are incorrect

• Program specifications are incorrect

• errors in coding

• data errors

• Correcting a defect opens some other defect.

 

5: Steps involved in finding a defect.

Execute a test case

compare the actual output with the expected output

if it does not match, report it as a defect.

 

6: Reporting a defect

Once a defect is detected,  it should be conveyed to the project team (i.e.) to the developer, through proper channel.

The steps to reproduce the bug should be stated clearly.

More importantly we should report the bug to the developer in such a way that it doesn’t affect his ego.

We should specify the hardware which we used at the time of reproducing a defect.

We should specify the Operating System which we used  at the time of reproducing the defect.

Other than hardware and software,  the build number, version number of the application should also be included.

 If it is a web based application, add the browser using which the defect can be reproduced. 

Apart from this, one has to mention the severity of the defect, priority of the defect, person to whom it is assigned, person who posted it, and date and time of the defect being logged into the system.

Title of the defect should be specified clearly such that the developer understands the defect clearly.

Attach the screen shots to the reported defect if necessary.

Attach any mails or other relevant documents to justify your stand .

Give references to the related bugs if needed. A defect is easily identified by the defect id. Hence, in this case give the defect id as the reference.

 

7: Closing a defect

Once the defect is assigned to the developer/development  team  it will be fixed and reassigned to the tester/testing team.

Then we have to verify  whether the defect is fixed correctly and more importantly we have to check whether it reopened any new defects.

Once the tester is satisfied with the fix, then he can close the defect. If not, it should be reassigned to the developer/development team.