Defect Management

Defects determine the effectiveness of the Testing what we do. If there are no defects, it directly implies that we don’t have our job. There are two points worth considering here, either the developer is so strong that there are no defects arising out, or the test engineer is weak. In many situations, the second is proving correct. This implies that we lack the knack. In this section, let us understand Defects.

What is a Defect?

For a test engineer, a defect is following: -

• Any deviation from specification
• Anything that causes user dissatisfaction
• Incorrect output
• Software does not do what it intended to do.

Bug / Defect / Error: -

• Software is said to have bug if it features deviates from specifications.
• Software is said to have defect if it has unwanted side effects.
• Software is said to have Error if it gives incorrect output.

But as for a test engineer all are same as the above definition is only for the purpose of documentation or indicative.

Defect Taxonomies

Categories of Defects:
All software defects can be broadly categorized into the below mentioned types:

• Errors of commission: something wrong is done

• Errors of omission: something left out by accident

• Errors of clarity and ambiguity: different interpretations

• Errors of speed and capacity

However, the above is a broad categorization; below we have for you a host of varied types of defects that can be identified in different software applications:

1. Conceptual bugs / Design bugs
2. Coding bugs
3. Integration bugs
4. User Interface Errors
5. Functionality
6. Communication
7. Command Structure
8. Missing Commands
9. Performance
10. Output
11. Error Handling Errors
12. Boundary-Related Errors
13. Calculation Errors
14. Initial and Later States
15. Control Flow Errors
16. Errors in Handling Data
17. Race Conditions Errors
18. Load Conditions Errors
19. Hardware Errors
20. Source and Version Control Errors
21. Documentation Errors
22. Testing Errors