A QA team is required to document all issues found during the testing process. They need to look out which data points are worthy enough to be tracked and fixed. When you start the testing process, you only find the issues in the areas which you targeted and the points and requirements for which you created the test cases. Testing is not about collecting the information, looking out for irrelevant issues, or filling the database which only consumes your time and space of the system. It needs to be done in an intelligent way so that you don’t end up wasting time in testing areas that were not part of the scope. 

You need to have a defect tracking software to start with the process. At this point, it is not relevant which defect tracking software you choose because most of the paid tools are doing a pretty good job and can meet the expected requirements without any sort of issue. These tools have a perfect set of fields to meet your testing needs as they are specifically designed for a certain purpose. There are rare chances that you need to make any changes in the tool to customize it. Below mentioned are a few tricks and techniques and which might help you to track bugs effortlessly. 

Document your testing requirements

All the primary data which you had from the starting of the project can prove to be useful. Use that complete data to create baseline documentation and create testing requirements. For instance, you have information regarding the browsers, internet speed, and connections used by most of your visitors. That information can help you to come up with an effective testing strategy. 

Install Necessary Tools

Low cost or free tools can also meet your testing requirements, try to incorporate them in your initial testing years. Download free simulators and emulators or opt for free trial versions to ensure the best testing practices. 

Design Acceptable Testing Protocols

While creating different pages in the application, it is important to consider that they are aesthetically pleasing and user friendly. Functionalities should also come across in a similar way through all the browser or on the devices. Usually, testers face the challenges regarding design elements on different platforms and it may come up as a failure point.

Come about testing protocols that can save you from unnecessary or repeated change requests. 

Confirm Fixes and Track Bugs from Time to Time

All bugs and their fixes should be properly documented so that they can be easily traced and reports can be maintained regarding the areas which require attention and the ones which were solved. This is also an important aspect of long term maintenance.

Communicate

There are a lot of aspects that require detailed discussions and the team should communicate timely to cater to such areas. For instance while deciding the priority of the bug, assigning tasks to available resources, or while classifying bugs or features, team leads and managers should be kept in the loop and their viewpoint should also be considered. To deal with practical issues, it is also mandatory to have discussions between testers and developers. As a rule of thumb, the entire team can put forward their precise suggestions regarding the project and avoid general chatter.

Make Decisions based on Collaborations

Make clear and transparent modes of communication between the people who are reporting the errors and the ones who are fixing it. Usually, bugs are reported by the testers or the end users which are then communicated to the developers or designers based on priority. One on one communication should be maintained in this process so that nothing skips through the process. 

Prioritize the Bugs

If you are dealing with a large-sized software then it surely means that your bug log is big too. At that point, you need to quickly make decisions to solve the problem timely. A calculative and quick decision can save you from software paralysis and the situation becomes tolerable rather than something which might result in a system crash. Bugs need to be prioritized based on the level of urgency and critical aspects.

Wrap Up

With the right combination of team and tools, bugs can be encountered and fixed timely. It is crucial to have a defect tracking software which can deliver desired accurate results. With this simple guide comprised of an effective checklist and noteworthy tools, you can go a long way.