Software Bug Inspection: From Mytery to Mastery!
Tags: bug, rootcauseanalysis, testing, buginvestigation
Published: 2023-03-14 11:45:30

Finding bug is the sole responsibility of a software tester🕵️‍♀️ but is it all a tester should do? Most of the tester encounter a lot of hazardous bugs🐞 but some of them go a little further with this. They just put it up in bug tracking software and be gone to find some more. A proper tester will always put an effort to make the bugs more presentable and understandable for the developer who will eventually solve the bug. That’s where we get into investigation of bug.

In an article named "[How far to investigate](https://www.eviltester.com/blog/eviltester/rackets/016-how-far-to-investigate-defect/)",  it has been said,

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> "If people have to ask a lot of questions about the defects raised in order to fix them then, you have not gone far enough. Go as far as you can, while you are still adding value to the person who is following."
> 

🤷‍♀️Investigating a bug can be a complex and time-consuming process, but it is an essential part of the software development cycle. The goal of investigating a bug is to identify the root cause, implement a solution, and prevent the bug from recurring. Let's see some common methods to go by when we try to investigate a bug.

First, it is important to reproduce the bug. Reproducing the bug will confirm its existence and provide a starting point 🔦 for the investigation. It is also important to gather as much information as possible about the bug, including the steps to reproduce it, the environment in which it occurs, and any error messages or other output that might be relevant.

Secondly, it is important to determine the scope of the bug. Is the bug affecting only one user or system👨, or is it impacting multiple users or systems👨👨👨? Understanding the scope of the bug will help you prioritize your efforts and determine the impact 💣 of the bug.

Once you have a clear understanding of the bug, you can begin to isolate🧲 the root cause. This can involve breaking down the problem into smaller parts and eliminating potential causes one by one. Using debugging tools, such as debuggers and log files, can also be helpful in isolating the root cause.

As you investigate the bug, it is important to consider the trade-offs between the time 🕒 and resources 🔧 required to investigate the bug and the potential impact of the bug. For example, a bug that is causing significant problems for users or causing financial losses may warrant a more extensive investigation. However, a minor bug that has little impact on users may not require as much investigation.

🔊Effective communication with developers, product managers, and other stakeholders is also crucial in the investigation process. It is important to keep these stakeholders🧔 informed about the progress of the investigation🕵️‍♂️ and the potential impact of the bug.

In summary, investigating a bug can be a complex and time-consuming process, but it is an essential part of ensuring the quality of a software. By reproducing the bug, determining the scope, isolating the root cause, using debugging tools, prioritizing efforts, and effectively communicating with stakeholders, you can efficiently make sense❗❗ out of a bug.