The only magazine that provides insight and techniques to improve results throughout software development. Its award-winning content is crafted specifically to help software professionals build better software. In-depth coverage includes testing, tools, defect tracking, metrics, and management.

Better Software is the magazine for software professionals who care about quality. Each issue brings you relevant, timely information to help you build better software. Continuing to deliver in-depth articles on testing, tools, defect tracking, metrics, and management, it's the only commercial magazine exclusively dedicated to software professionals.

Within the pages of each issue you'll find heavy hitting articles about solutions to common management problems, coverage on emerging technologies, and more. You'll benefit from expert analysis and real-world case studies in the areas of Testing & Analysis, Managing People & Teams, and Tools & Techniques.

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So, You’ve Got a Problem…
by Kelly Whitmill

Defect reports are among the most important deliverables to come out of test. They are as important as the test plan and will have more impact on the quality of the product than most other deliverables from test. Thus, it is well worth the effort to learn how to write effective defect reports.

Effective defect reports can:

    * Reduce the number of defects returned from development
    * Improve the speed of getting defect fixes
    * Improve the credibility of testers
    * Enhance teamwork between test and development

The objective is not to write the perfect defect report but to write an effective defect report that conveys the proper message and simplifies the process for everyone. This article focuses on two aspects of defect reports: the remarks (or description) and the abstract. First, let’s take a look at the essentials for writing effective remarks.

Defect Rremarks
Checklist
Here is a mnemonic to use as a mental checklist for self-inspecting your defect report. The first letter of each item on the checklist spells CAN PIG RIDE. These ten points ensure that your defect reports answer the questions that will be of most benefit to your organization:

    * Condense
    * Accurate
    * Neutralize
    * Precise
    * Isolate
    * Generalize
    * Re-create
    * Impact
    * Debug
    * Evidence

It is not just good technical writing skills that lead to effective defect reports. It is more important to make sure that you have covered the essential items that will be of most benefit to the intended audience of the defect report.

Essentials for Eeffective Defect Remarks
Condense
Say it clearly but briefly. First, eliminate unnecessary wordiness, as shown in table 1. Second, don’t add in extraneous information. It is important that you include all relevant information, but make sure that the information is relevant. In situations where it is unclear how to reproduce the problem or the understanding of the problem is vague, you will probably need to capture more information. Keep in mind that irrelevant information can be just as problematic as too little relevant information.

FROM HERE TO ACCEPTANCE TEST-DRIVEN
DEVELOPMENT 24
Acceptance test-driven development (ATDD) means different things to different people based on their experiences. These nine landmarks will help you navigate ATDD no matter where you are coming from. by Antony Marcano

A CULTURE OF TRUST 36
So, you’ve been asked to take over the leadership of a struggling, disconnected team. Now what? Discover how to create a culture where trust between team members is fostered, flourishes, and thrives. by Pollyanna Pixton
Features

Columns & Departments
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING 15
Is “Agile” Distracting You? • by Jonathan Kohl
If a process, tool, or service claims to be agile it must be good, right? Not necessarily.
Let’s look beyond the label to what really matters—value.

CODE CRAFT 16
Idioms and Idiosyncrasies • by Pete Goodliffe
Common language idioms help to show the elegance, beauty, and artistry of a piece of code. But sometimes the desire for beautiful, idiomatic code can trip us up.

TEST CONNECTION 20
It’s in the Way that You Use It • by Michael Bolton
Rapid testers think of test automation as any use of tools to support testing. With that definition in mind, it may not be the most obvious automation tool that is the most useful.

MANAGEMENT CHRONICLES 22
Exit, Stage Left • by Patrick Bailey
Many technology workers are drawn to the industry from seemingly unrelated professions.
Don’t discount the importance of the experiences these workers can bring to your team.

THE LAST WORD 47
Keys to Top-Notch Estimates • by Howard Smallowitz and George Stark Inaccurate project estimates have become the norm in the software industry. Find out how you can turn your estimates into reasonable predictions of project performance.

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Better Software magazine—The print companion to StickyMinds.com brings you the hands-on, knowledgebuilding information you need to run smarter projects and deliver better products that win in the marketplace and positively affect the bottom line.

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