Article | February 7, 2019

6 Tips To Write An Ideal Bug Report

By Ray Parker

Report

A bug report plays an imperative role in delivering a bug-free software. A bug report can be written by anyone but not everyone can produce an effective bug report.

Keeping this scenario in mind, we are presenting you 6 tips to write an ideal bug report.

  1. Write Clear, Concise and To the Point Report

Your bug report must be precise and concise and the developer should be able to understand the type of the bug. They are required to understand three main things regarding the bug:

  • Reproduction steps of the bug
  • The anticipated outcome
  • The actual outcome
  1. Detailed Examination to Provide Better Context to The Developer

Being a tester, it is your responsibility to report the bug immediately after detecting it. However, modern practices suggest that it is always better to further investigate so that the bug is able to offer enhanced context to the developer in the bug report. A bug tracking tool plays an important role in streamlining this process.

You are advised to reproduce the bug prior to listing down the steps to analyze:

  • If the bug occurs just for one time
  • This bug is the result of some factor
  • The bug is able to provide better context to the developers
  1. Communication Between the Developer and The Tester is Very Important

If you are not sure regarding an issue you are encountering or a bug, you can discuss it with the developer. The developer also requires more clarification about a bug report which perhaps appears unclear to them or has questions regarding a bug that cannot be reproduced. Therefore, testers are required to be present and responsive to assist in fixing the issue in the most effective manner.

  1. The accuracy of The Bug Reports Is Significant

It is significant for the testers to offer developers with the most accurate bug reports. This because time is the core when it comes to mobile app development. Submitting incomplete or inaccurate bug reports can deteriorate the quality and throw the developers in a loop. It wastes their time and finally breaks trust between the developers and the tester.

  1. Install In-App User Feedback

Installing In-app user feedback plays an imperative role to gather feedback in the bug reporting process. This is because you would not want to interrupt your user’s experience by asking them to uninstall the app. This type of feedback is good because it is coming from users who are currently using your mobile app, offering you with the user feedback based on the actual usage.

  1. Shake-to-Send User Feedback

Some of the in-app feedbacks software development kits (SDKs) provide developers with the choice to permit users to submit feedback just by shaking their smartphones. This is the best technique to have some friction for the user to trigger or prompt a feedback form. This enables users to submit feedback in the simplest method possible, permitting them to offer you more feedback.

Author Bio:

Ray Parker is an entrepreneur and internet marketer with over 9 years of experience in Search Engine Optimization, Creative Writer and Digital Marketing.