Analyzing and Interpreting Test Results - Software Testing: Testing Across the Entire Software Development Life Cycle - page 180

action not verifi ed, then testing still provides no real value to the development
effort. The success of incremental defect discovery requires defect tracking from
discovery through correction to retesting and verifi cation that correction has been
achieved.
Defect tracking can be accomplished with a variety of reporting tools ranging
from a simple spreadsheet to an elaborate defect management tool. Either way, the
organized entry and tracking of simple information pays great dividends toward the
success of defect correction efforts. Figure 12.2 demonstrates how an unsuccessful
test case attempt causes one or more defect log entries that can be tracked to correc-
tion with simple metrics.

Figure 12.2 Example defect tracking log from unsuccessful test case attempts

Because the severity code is meant to be an aid in determining which de-
fects in the tracking log to correct next, at least three different kinds of sever-
ity codes can be found in use either singly or in combination. The first kind
of severity code indicates severity relative to testing, that is, “Is this a testing
showstopper?” The second kind of severity code indicates severity relative to
development, that is, “Is this a development showstopper?” The third kind of
severity code indicates severity relative to completing development, that is, “Is
this a shipping/deployment showstopper?” The trend is toward capturing all
three severity codes for each defect and use the one that makes the most sense
depending on how close the development project is to completion. The closer
the project comes to completion, the more important the shipping showstopper
severity code becomes.