Defect lifecycle in Testing Fundamentals - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is a defect in software testing?

A defect is a flaw or bug in the software that causes it to behave unexpectedly or incorrectly.

beginner

Name the typical stages of a defect lifecycle.

The typical stages are: New, Assigned, Open, Fixed, Retest, Closed, Reopened, and Deferred.

beginner

What does the 'Assigned' status mean in a defect lifecycle?

It means the defect has been assigned to a developer or team to investigate and fix.

intermediate

Why might a defect be marked as 'Deferred'?

A defect is marked 'Deferred' when it is decided to fix it later, usually because it is low priority or not critical for the current release.

intermediate

What happens when a defect is 'Reopened'?

It means the defect was thought to be fixed but the problem still exists or reappeared, so it is reopened for further work.

Which status indicates a defect has been fixed and is ready for retesting?

A Open

B Fixed

C Closed

D New

The 'Fixed' status means the developer has resolved the defect and it is ready for the tester to retest.

What does the 'Closed' status mean in the defect lifecycle?

A Defect is assigned to developer

B Defect is rejected

C Defect is new and unassigned

D Defect is fixed and verified

'Closed' means the defect has been fixed and verified by the tester, so no further action is needed.

If a defect is found again after being closed, what status should it be changed to?

A Deferred

B New

C Reopened

D Assigned

When a defect reappears after closure, it should be 'Reopened' for further investigation.

Which status means the defect is acknowledged but will be fixed in a future release?

A Deferred

B Fixed

C Closed

D Rejected

'Deferred' means the defect fix is postponed to a later release.

Who usually changes the defect status from 'New' to 'Assigned'?

A Project Manager or Lead

B Developer

C Tester

D End User

The project manager or lead assigns the defect to a developer, changing the status to 'Assigned'.

Explain the journey of a defect from discovery to closure.

Think about the steps a bug goes through in a project.

Why is it important to track the defect lifecycle carefully?

Consider how tracking helps the team and product quality.

Practice

1. Which state in the defect lifecycle indicates that a bug has been found but not yet assigned to a developer?

easy

A. New

B. Fixed

C. Retest

D. Closed

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the meaning of 'New' state

   The 'New' state means the defect is just reported and has not been assigned yet.

2. Step 2: Compare with other states

   'Fixed' means the bug is corrected, 'Retest' means testing the fix, and 'Closed' means the bug is resolved and accepted.

3. Final Answer:

   New -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   New = Bug found but unassigned [OK]

Hint: New means just found, not assigned yet [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing 'New' with 'Open' or 'Assigned'
• Thinking 'Fixed' means bug is new
• Mixing 'Retest' with initial bug discovery

2. Which of the following is the correct order of states in a typical defect lifecycle?

easy

A. New -> Assigned -> Open -> Fixed -> Retest -> Closed

B. Fixed -> New -> Assigned -> Open -> Retest -> Closed

C. New -> Open -> Assigned -> Fixed -> Closed -> Retest

D. Assigned -> New -> Open -> Fixed -> Retest -> Closed

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall the standard defect lifecycle sequence

   The typical order is New (reported), Assigned (developer assigned), Open (work started), Fixed (bug fixed), Retest (testing fix), Closed (bug resolved).

2. Step 2: Match the options with this sequence

   New -> Assigned -> Open -> Fixed -> Retest -> Closed matches the correct order exactly; others have states out of order.

3. Final Answer:

   New -> Assigned -> Open -> Fixed -> Retest -> Closed -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Lifecycle order = B [OK]

Hint: Follow the bug from report to closure in order [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing 'Assigned' and 'Open' order
• Placing 'Fixed' before 'Assigned'
• Confusing 'Retest' and 'Closed' positions

3. Consider this defect lifecycle snippet:

defect_states = ['New', 'Assigned', 'Open', 'Fixed', 'Retest', 'Closed']
current_state = 'Fixed'
next_state = defect_states[defect_states.index(current_state) + 1]
print(next_state)

What will be the output?

medium

A. Fixed

B. Retest

C. Open

D. Closed

Solution

1. Step 1: Find the index of 'Fixed' in the list

   'Fixed' is at index 3 in defect_states list.

2. Step 2: Calculate next_state using index + 1

   Index 3 + 1 = 4, so next_state = defect_states[4] which is 'Retest'.

3. Final Answer:

   Retest -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Next after Fixed = Retest [OK]

Hint: Index +1 gives next lifecycle state [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Choosing 'Closed' instead of 'Retest'
• Confusing index positions
• Assuming current_state prints itself

4. A tester reports a defect and marks it as 'Closed' immediately without retesting. What is the likely issue in this defect lifecycle process?

medium

A. Opening defect after fixing

B. Assigning defect before it is New

C. Reopening defect without fixing

D. Skipping the Retest phase

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the defect lifecycle phases

   After fixing, the defect should be retested before closing to confirm the fix.

2. Step 2: Identify the problem with skipping Retest

   Marking as 'Closed' without retesting skips verification, risking unresolved bugs.

3. Final Answer:

   Skipping the Retest phase -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Retest must happen before Close [OK]

Hint: Always retest before closing a defect [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Closing defect without verification
• Confusing 'Closed' with 'Fixed'
• Ignoring defect assignment order

5. A defect is marked as 'Reopened' after failing retest. Which of the following best describes the next correct step in the defect lifecycle?

hard

A. Mark the defect as 'New' again and wait for retest

B. Close the defect immediately as it failed retest

C. Assign the defect back to the developer for fixing

D. Skip fixing and move to 'Retest' again

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand 'Reopened' state meaning

   'Reopened' means the defect was fixed but failed retesting, so it needs fixing again.

2. Step 2: Determine the next lifecycle step

   The defect should be assigned back to the developer to fix the issue properly before retesting.

3. Final Answer:

   Assign the defect back to the developer for fixing -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Reopened = Assign to developer [OK]

Hint: Reopened defects go back to developer for fix [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Closing defect after failed retest
• Resetting defect to 'New' incorrectly
• Skipping fix and retesting again