Why Bug/Defect Triage is Important in Software Testing

Defect Triage

Defect triage is a strategy that prioritizes each bug based on its severity, frequency, threat, etc. In Software Testing / QA, the term triage is used to describe the severity and priority of new defects.

Defect Triage Objective & Requirement

Bug Triage’s objective is to identify, prioritize and allocate the recovery of defects. The team needs to verify the severity of the defect, make adjustments as needed, finalize the defect solution, and distribute resources. Used especially in agile project management.

Defect Triage Execution

The triage meeting frequency of the defect is not fixed. It depends on the state of the project.

Here are some significant factors that determine the frequency of triage meetings for defects:

The key factors are:

• According to the plan of the project
• Number of system defects
• Impact on the availability planning of the team members
• The health of the whole project

Defect triage meetings usually take place two or three times a week.

Defect Triage Members

In defect triage, Members are divided into two categories: compulsory and non-compulsory.

Compulsory Members

Members of the project below always participate in Defect Triage meetings.

• Project Manager
• Test Team Leader
• Technical Lead
• Development Team leader

Non-compulsory Members

• Developers
• Testers
• Business Analyst

Participant roles and duties throughout ‘Defect Triage.’

Leader of the Test Team

• Scheduled meetings for bug triage and giving notice of meetings to members.
• Build a report of defects and submit it to all members before the meeting.
• Allocate the priority and severity of the defect.
• Provide a presentation so the other participants know the root cause of the defect.
• Any meeting note is recorded and distributed to members of the meeting.

Development Lead

• Helps to prioritize the defects.

• Analyze the difficulty of a defect and clarify the risk associated because of the defect.
• Allocate jobs to the appropriate developers to repair defects.
• Upgrade defect resolution and include development notes in case of incomplete information or extra developer information.

Project Manager

• Help to prioritize the defects.
• Discuss the QA release date for the next iteration.
• Ought to ensure the relevant user group is also invited to the bug triage meeting

Events during ‘Defect Triage’ Meeting

• Test Team Leader put forth a bug report with the updated bugs. Each defect is analyzed during the defect triage meeting to see if it is given proper priority and seriousness.
• If appropriate, priorities would be rearranged.
• Defects are analyzed and measured according to the level of their severity.
• It involves discussion of defect complexity, threats, termination, reassignment of errors.
• In the bug tracking system, updates are recorded.
• Each defect would be modified by the QA engineer and discussed with each member.
• The “Comments” category is modified accurately by highlighting the key points of the meeting.

Defect triage Outcome

Defect Triage Metrics will be prepared at the end of the meeting and issued to all the attendees. This report shall serve as the minutes of the meeting, which will prove valuable for subsequent meetings.

Conclusion:

• Defect triage is a procedure where, depending on its severity, occurrence, risk, etc., each bug is prioritized.
• Defect Triage aims to determine, prioritize and allocate the resolution of defects.
• Default triage meetings are decided by project schedule, several system defects, overall project performance, etc.
• This conference would include the Project Manager, leader of the test team, Technical Lead, Development Team Leader.
• Defects are analyzed and measured according to the level of their severity.