Writing · Free lesson
Bug reports: write steps someone can follow
Your teammate was not watching your test. Give them the route, not just the destination.
Professor Scott MendozaThe short answer
Start with the necessary setup, then use action verbs with named objects: “Open Settings. Enter 0 in the Retry limit field. Click Save.” Keep the tested order and input. “Do the same thing” asks the reader to guess.
Each step names an action and what it acts on.
Use a setup line for conditions that must already be true, such as “Use a test account with editing permission.” Then list the actions in the order performed. Enter names the value and field; click names the control. Short imperative sentences are normal in technical instructions. Do not remove a necessary condition merely to make the report shorter.
Compare the examples
Use a test account with editing permission.
Enter 0 in the Retry limit field.
Click Save.
“Change it and try again” can be clear in a live conversation, but a standalone report needs the missing names.
Build the meaning step by step
Name the screen
Open Settings.
Preserve the tested value
Enter 0 in the Retry limit field.
Finish the sequence
Click Save.
Try it now
Make the route repeatable
Read all answers and explanations
The tested value is 0 in Retry limit. Which instruction preserves it?
Enter 0 in the Retry limit field.It names both the exact value and its destination.
You entered 0 before clicking Save. Which sequence preserves the test?
Enter 0, then click Save.Then preserves the order; reversing it changes the procedure.
Editing permission is necessary. Where does this fact belong?
Setup: use a test account with editing permission.A setup line tells the teammate what must be true before the steps.
Put it into practice
Repair the steps
Given setup: a test account with editing permission. Preserve this route: Settings → Retry limit 0 → Save.
Go there, change it and do the same thing.
See a model answer
Open Settings. Enter 0 in the Retry limit field. Click Save.
These steps explain the route. Expected and actual results belong in separate report lines.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Does minimum mean as few words as possible?
No. Remove irrelevant details, but keep the conditions and actions needed to repeat the test.
Do instructions need please in every step?
No. Neutral imperatives such as Open, Enter and Click are conventional in written procedures. A separate request to a teammate can still be courteous.
Take it into your day
Clear reproduction steps preserve setup, input and order.
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