The Web Testing Companion: The Insider's Guide to Efficient and Effective Tests

Lydia Ash

Forms and Templates: Bug Template

I'm a staunch advocate of keeping a small text file template on your desktop to paste bugs into just so that you can easily fill out all pertinent information. The following is similar to the one I use, but broader so that you can alter it for your own specific project.

Server Config:

Platform: <List Windows, Unix, and so on.>

Build: <Give the build number.>

Test Bed: <Give a test bed identification or topology name.>

Client Config:

OS: <List Windows 2000, Macintosh, and so on.>

Browser: <List browser and version IE 5.5, NN 4.76, and so on.>

Description:

<Brief description of the problem, more than the title, but not too much>

Repro:

Filling in this part of the bug template may require the following steps:

0. Sometimes there is a step 0 if you have to alter a configuration of some sort or install an extra piece to get to a basal state.

1. Exact steps here-start with the very first piece (e.g., logging in to the service) if necessary to give the overview of where this issue comes into the user scenario.

2. Continue repro steps.

Result:

<List the exact result of what happens after the last step. This entry should be the bug.>

Expected Results:

<What you were expecting to have happen after the last repro step. This material should clearly identify what the difference is between the expected behavior and the observed behavior.>

Notes:

<There may be more supporting documentation you can provide, such as a description of how this affects the user, or details of the downstream effects of leaving this bug in. If supporting documents are included, name each and describe it in a few words what each is.>