Stop Writing Useless Bug Reports – Do This Instead!

 

✅ How to Write an Effective Defect Report (Step-by-Step)

🧩 1. Clear & Specific Title

• Keep it short but descriptive.
• Bad: “App not working”
• Good: “Login fails with 500 error when using invalid email format”

📄 2. Unique Bug ID

• Use a clear and consistent format (usually auto-generated by tools like Jira or Bugzilla).
• Example: BUG-1032_Login_500_Error

🧪 3. Steps to Reproduce

List each step clearly. Assume the reader knows nothing.

EX:

• 1. Open the login page
• 2. Enter `user@@gmail.com` in the email field
• 3. Enter valid password
• 4. Click "Login"

📸 4. Expected vs Actual Result

✅ What is the Expected Result?

The expected result is what the system should do when a specific action or input is given, based on the requirements, user stories, or design specs.

🔍 It's how the system is supposed to behave.

🧪 Example:

Scenario: You enter a wrong password and click "Login"

✅ Expected Result:

Error message appears: Incorrect password. User stays on login screen.

❌ What is the Actual Result?

The actual result is what the system actually does during the test — which might match the expected result, or it might not (indicating a bug).

🧪 Example:

Scenario: You enter a wrong password and click "Login"

❌ Actual Result:

• Page freezes and shows a blank white screen with no error.

🖼️ 5. Screenshots / Logs / Recordings

• Attach images or videos using tools like Loom, Jira screen capture, or console logs.
• Mark the area of the bug clearly.

⚙️ 6. Environment Details

Specify the test setup where the bug occurred:

• - App Version: 3.2.1
• - OS: Windows 11 / Android 13
• - Browser: Chrome 132.0
• - API Environment: Staging
• - Build: 2025.07.09

🧠 7. Bug Severity & Priority

Define the impact of the bug:

✅ What is Severity?

everity describes how serious the defect is in terms of system functionality or impact.

It reflects the technical impact of the bug on the application.

🧪 Think: “How badly is the system broken?”

🛠️ Severity Levels (Common Examples):

Severity Level	Description	Example
Critical	System crash or data loss; no workaround	App crashes when clicking "Submit"
High	Major feature is broken; workaround may exist	Payment fails, but retry works
Medium	Minor functional issues	Alignment issue in UI, incorrect tooltip
Low	Cosmetic or non-blocking issue	Typo in About page, logo not centered

🚦 What is Priority?

Priority indicates how quickly the bug should be fixed, based on business needs, deadlines, or customer visibility.

It reflects urgency, not necessarily severity.

🧪 Think: “How soon should we fix it?”

🚨 Priority Levels (Common Examples):

Priority Level	Description	Example
High	Must be fixed ASAP (blocks release or key flow)	Bug in login page
Medium	Fix in the next sprint/release	Cart total doesn’t update on page refresh
Low	Can be deferred or fixed later	Minor font inconsistency in FAQ section

📚 8. Additional Notes (Optional but Valuable)

Add logs, error codes, or hints.
Suggest related modules affected.
Mention if the issue is intermittent or always reproducible.

📋 ✅ Sample Defect Report Template

Title:	Payment fails with error 502 on Safari browser
Bug ID:	PAY-2031
Reported By:	Hashanthi (QA)
Environment:	- App Version: 2.9.4 - Browser: Safari 17.0 - Platform: macOS Sonoma
Steps to Reproduce:	1. Go to checkout 2. Select card payment 3. Enter valid details 4. Click "Pay Now"
Expected Result:	Transaction succeeds and confirmation page loads
Actual Result:	Blank page + 502 Bad Gateway error
Attachments:	- Screenshot: `error_502_checkout.png` - Console Log: `safari_console.txt`
Severity:	Major
Priority:	High
Notes:	- Works fine on Chrome/Firefox - Might be CDN or browser-specific issue