A good software tester is capable of testing applications from different aspects and also possesses exceptional writing skills to report defects. Quality assurance (QA) experts, developers, and other stakeholders are involved in the software development process. The defect reports contain details of how the software application was expected to work and didn’t meet the requirements. Whether it is an unexpected error, the system hangs, or expected results are not accurate, all are defects appearing in the system. These defects are reported by testers and sent to developers for immediate action.
QA experts are responsible for handling the software defects yet they are not the only team working on defects in the agile environment. With the increasing demand for software product delivery and speed, the software testing process should be streamlined. Defect management plays an important role and goes side by side with testing efforts. Defect reports are one of the most effective ways of communicating, tracking and explaining defects to the development teams. The more logical, organized and detailed report, the more likely that developers can reproduce without any more information at hand. Defect management tools assist testers and developers in managing defects efficiently.
How to Write a Good Defect Report?
Following are a few ways to write a good bug report that can be handy for software testers:
Details and Specifications
Defect reports should have details about the defects like code, environment, and other technical information that creates a detailed description. They should be clear and easy to read. The main purpose of a defect report is to resolve a defect as soon as possible so that end-users get quality software products only. They can be reported in the following ways:
- Summary
- Description
- Platform
- Steps to reproduce
- Actual and expected results
Explain the Workflow
Testers need to be vigilant when writing the steps to reproduce. Usually, experienced testers tend to assume they know steps while inexperienced testers do not know about those steps. Preferably, you should write steps in sequence as they should be performed and be specific as to which link or command should be selected. Testers should reproduce the defect as entered and adjust them until they are correct.
Comparing Results – Expected Vs Actual
One should not assume developers know how the application is supposed to work. So, testers should ensure to document both the expected results and actual results, in separate sections. The results should be compared and any difference between the results means that the defects should be reproduced.
Provide Evidence
Testers can reproduce the defect using the steps and it appears that the report is complete. However, sometimes the evidence is required to convince other team members that the defect has been fixed. Testers can use attachments in the form of videos or screenshots to prove their results.
Conclusion
A bug-free application does not exist, which is why testers are always in search of ways to make defect management as effective as possible. Testers utilize defect management tools for fixing bugs and prepare defect reports that are sent to developers, who then fix the defects and ensure delivering quality software apps.
