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What is Defect Reporting in QA?

Defect Reporting is the process of identifying, documenting, and communicating bugs or issues found during the software testing process.

This involves capturing all relevant information about the defect to ensure that developers can understand the problem and address it in a timely manner.

Defect reports act as a crucial part of the software development lifecycle, enabling teams to track, fix, and verify issues, ensuring the final product meets quality standards.

Purpose of Defect Reporting

Documentation
Provides detailed information about defects, ensuring that they can be reproduced, tracked, and resolved.

Communication
Serves as the communication tool between QA testers and developers, ensuring that everyone is aligned on the issues.


Transparency
Keeps stakeholders aware of the state of the software and any existing issues, improving decision-making.


Issue Tracking
Ensures that all defects are systematically addressed and helps to prioritize critical issues based on their severity and impact.


Quality Improvement
Helps identify patterns in defects, providing insights into areas that require improvement.

Key Components of a Defect Report

Defect ID:

A unique identifier for the defect, typically assigned by the defect tracking system.

Example: D-101

Summary:

A brief, clear description of the defect.
Example: "Unable to log in with valid credentials."

Description:

A more detailed explanation of the defect, including steps to reproduce the issue, the expected outcome, and the actual outcome.

Steps to Reproduce:

Open the login page.
Enter the username "user123" and password "pass@123".
Click "Login".

Expected Result: User should be redirected to the dashboard.

Actual Result: User stays on the login page with an error message.

Severity:

Defines the impact of the defect on the system, typically rated as Critical, High, Medium, or Low.

Example:
Critical: Prevents users from using the core functionality of the system.
High: Major functionality issue but a workaround exists.
Medium: Minor issues that do not affect the system's overall functionality.
Low: Cosmetic or trivial issues that don't impact functionality.

Priority:

Indicates how urgently the defect should be fixed, typically rated as High, Medium, or Low.

Example:
High: Should be fixed immediately.
Medium: Should be fixed before the next release.
Low: Can be fixed in future releases.

Environment:

The environment in which the defect was discovered, including operating systems, browsers, devices, or configurations.

Example:
OS: Windows 10
Browser: Google Chrome Version 92
Device: Desktop PC

Steps to Reproduce:

A clear set of steps for the developer to follow in order to replicate the defect.

Example:
Open the website.
Navigate to the login page.
Enter "user123" and "pass@123" in the login fields.
Click the "Login" button.

Expected Result:
A description of what should happen if the system works correctly.

Example:
User is logged in and redirected to the dashboard page.

Actual Result:
A description of what actually happened when the defect was encountered.

Example:
The user stays on the login page and an error message is displayed.

Attachments (Optional):

Screenshots, error logs, or video recordings that show the defect or error encountered.

Example
Screenshot of the error message displayed after login attempt.

Status
The current state of the defect, indicating whether it has been resolved, is pending, or is under investigation.

Possible values

New, In Progress, Resolved, Closed, Reopened.

Assigned To
The developer or team responsible for addressing the defect.
Example: Assigned To: John Doe (Developer)

Example of a Defect Report

Defect ID: D-101
Summary: Unable to log in with valid credentials.
Description:

Steps to Reproduce:

Open the login page.

Enter username "user123" and password "pass@123".

Click "Login".

Expected Result: User should be redirected to the dashboard.

Actual Result: User stays on the login page with an error message.

Severity: High
Priority: High
Environment:

OS: Windows 10

Browser: Google Chrome Version 92

Device: Desktop PC

Status: New
Assigned To: John Doe (Developer)
Attachments: Screenshot of error message.

Best Practices for Defect Reporting

Be Clear and Concise
Ensure the defect description is straightforward and easy to understand, so developers can quickly grasp the issue.

Include Reproducible Steps

Provide exact steps for reproducing the defect. The clearer the instructions, the faster the resolution.

Prioritize Appropriately

Classify defects based on their severity and priority. This ensures critical issues are resolved first.


Attach Evidence

Whenever possible, attach screenshots, logs, or videos to show the problem clearly.


Use Consistent Terminology

Ensure standardized defect terminology is used across teams to avoid confusion.


Follow-Up Regularly

Track the status of defects and follow up with developers to ensure timely resolution.


Avoid Duplicate Reporting

Before submitting a defect, search the defect management tool to ensure the issue hasn't already been reported.


Clear Communication

Ensure open communication between testers and developers to facilitate the fast resolution of defects.