- New bugs, enhancements and features (AKA Issues) are submitted to the bug-tracking tool by the testing team or product manager.
- The product manager or team leader sets priority and severity to each new Issue and assigns the Issue to a specific programmer.
- The programmers fix the Issues that have been assigned to them. The fixed Issues' status is changed to Fixed in the bug-tracking tool.
- R&D releases a new internal version with the new features and fixed Issues.
- The testing team checks whether all Issues that have been marked as fixed are really fixed.
- The testing team closes the Fixed Issues in the bug-tracking tool. New bugs are submitted - go back to No. 1.
[size="5"]What should you look for in a bug-tracking tool:
- Email notifications - whenever an Issue is assigned to a group member. It is very useful that your bug-tracking tool would send an automatic email notification informing the programmer that a new Issue has been assign to her.
- File attachments - the ability to attach screen shots, text file etc. that provide the other team member with a clear description and example about the problem that has been reported.
- History Trail - automatically tracks and displays all changed made in a specific Issue from the moment that the Issue has been submitted throughout its life cycle.
- Full customization - It is important that your bug-tracking tool enables you to fully customize the different forms, which are used for submitting Issues, according to your special needs.
- Powerful reports - a report engine that enables you to search your Issue list for different words and phrases, create focused reports with only the Issues that interest you (using AND/OR/NOT), set the fields that should be included in your Report Query and set the fields that should be displayed on you Issue Report.
- Submitting issues directly from your website - this option enables your customers or team members to submit Issues to your bug-tracking tool using a form that is placed on your website, without the need to login to the tool.
- Web-based - enables access to the tool and Issue list from different locations using only a browser.
[size="5"]Setting Priority and Severity
Priority: A priority classification of a software error is based on the importance and urgency of resolving the error. The priority classification is as follows:
- Immediate - The bug should be resolved immediately.
- High - This bug should be resolved as soon as possible in the normal course of development activity, before the software is released.
- Medium - This bug should be repaired after serious bugs have been fixed.
- Low - It can be resolved in a future major system revision or not be resolved at all. Severity: A severity classification of a software error is based on the degree of the error impact on the operation of the system. The severity classification is as follows:
- Critical - The bug causes a failure of the complete software system, subsystem or a program within the system.
- High - The bug does not cause a failure, but causes the system to produce incorrect, incomplete, inconsistent results or impairs the system usability.
- Medium - The bug does not cause a failure, does not impair usability, and does not interfere in the fluent work of the system and programs.
- Low - The bug is an aesthetic, is an enhancement or is a result of non-conformance to a standard. Elementool - www.elementool.com - The leading Web-based Bug Tracking Tool