How To Use Wrike as Bug Tracking Software

For product development teams, managing and tracking bugs is essential for maintaining quality. Sure, sometimes it can feel like fixing one bug just leads to even more bugs than you started out with. But as a product’s feature list grows, so does the likelihood that there will be defects or issues that need to be logged and addressed. That’s why bug tracking software is a must-have.

Having a bug tracking system in place helps developers resolve problems quickly, which can lead to better quality products and increased customer satisfaction. Learn why bug tracking is so important and how you can use Wrike to develop your own efficient bug tracking system.

What is bug tracking?

Bug tracking is a way of discovering, logging, and addressing defects and errors in a product or software environment. Bugs can occur for many reasons including human error, outdated scripts, or flawed testing processes. 

Bug tracking is how development teams find and resolve these defects. Bug tracking can also help teams identify problems in their workflows (like unrealistic deadlines that lead to human error).

Why is bug tracking important?

Bug tracking is important because software development does not happen in a vacuum. In an environment where new features and upgrades are being released to customers, there needs to be a way of monitoring the quality and stability of the product. 

In fact, poor quality products in a “thriving” company can represent 10-15% of operations costs, according to the American Society of Quality. That means an inadequate or non-existent bug tracking system can impact an organization’s bottom line.

For example, if an organization created an app that allows users to stream live radio broadcasts, a bug that caused the platform to crash on certain Android devices would be a problem — especially if it impacted advertising efforts (who would want to advertise on a buggy app that potentially missed a huge proportion of mobile users?).

Addressing this defect would be a high-priority task that could be monitored, logged, and addressed with efficient online bug tracking software. 

How does bug tracking work and what is a bug tracking system?

Bug tracking works by first making the development team aware of an issue. Next, the team lead will decide how the fix will be prioritized and which team member will be assigned to investigate and repair the issue. There may be a testing process that follows. Finally, the fix is pushed out to users and customers. 

There are a few key components to consider when developing an effective bug tracking system. A bug tracking system needs to have:

• An intake process for receiving bug reports and customer tickets 
• A way of prioritizing and assigning team members to work on reported issues
• Task hierarchies to have granular control over additional processes like testing 
• A visual way of articulating tasks that are backlogged, in progress, and completed

These processes make it easier to identify, report, and repair defects. Before tracking and prioritizing these fixes, a bug report must be written and logged.

Future Trends in Bug Tracking

Bug tracking software is continuously evolving, with new trends and technologies shaping its future. As we look ahead, several key trends are expected to redefine the landscape of issue tracking.

1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: AI and ML are set to revolutionize issue tracking. These technologies can analyze past data to identify patterns and predict future issues, helping teams to proactively address potential problems. They can also automate routine tasks, freeing up time for teams to focus on more complex issues.
2. Integration with Other Systems: As businesses use a variety of tools and platforms, the integration of bug tracking software with other systems will become increasingly important. This will provide a more holistic view of issues, streamline workflows, and improve collaboration.
3. Predictive Analytics: Advanced analytics will play a crucial role in issue tracking. Predictive analytics can provide insights into future trends, helping teams to anticipate and prepare for potential issues.
4. Real-Time Tracking and Notifications: The ability to track issues in real-time and receive instant notifications will become a standard feature of bug tracking software. This will enable teams to respond quickly to issues, improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.
5. Mobile-Friendly Platforms: With the increasing use of mobile devices, mobile-friendly bug tracking software will become more prevalent. This will allow team members to track and manage issues from anywhere, making issue tracking more flexible and accessible
6. Enhanced Security: As issue tracking often involves sensitive information, enhanced security features will be a key focus. This includes encryption, two-factor authentication, and other measures to protect data.
7. User-Friendly Interfaces: As bug tracking software becomes more sophisticated, there will be a greater emphasis on user-friendly interfaces. This will make it easier for teams to use the software, increasing adoption rates and improving efficiency.

These trends present exciting opportunities for businesses. By staying abreast of these trends, you can leverage the latest technologies to enhance your bug tracking processes, improve product quality, and deliver a better experience to your customers.

Using Wrike as bug tracking software is easy, convenient, and effective 

Our Wrike issue tracking capabilities don’t stop at receiving bug reports. Enable teams to track, prioritize, assign, test, and release bug fixes with more efficient workflows. Here’s how to do all that in five easy steps with Wrike. 

1. 1. Set up a custom request form with all the essential fields you need to process bug and issue reports. This should include fields for a brief description of the problem, operating system details, screenshots, etc. 
2. 2. These requests automatically become tasks that can be prioritized and assigned to teammates. Flagging the task/request as high priority based on predefined rules also helps team members know that they should investigate the problem urgently.
3. 3. Wrike’s task hierarchies allow you to add subtasks to any parent task, enabling teams to easily bake in essential processes like testing. 
4. 4. Custom statuses and workflows allow you to label each stage of a task’s lifecycle and change its status accordingly. Taking tasks from “backlogged” to “in progress” to “testing” to “fixed” is as simple as a few clicks. 
5. 5. Use Wrike’s Kanban Boards to track and monitor the tasks from request to resolution.

Why use Wrike as your bug tracking software?

Having an efficient bug tracking system in place enables development teams to focus on releasing high-quality products.

Wrike easily integrates with apps like GitHub and empowers teams to track, manage, and resolve issues quickly and efficiently. 

Using Wrike’s all-in-one project management platform means that organizations can manage all parts of their business from marketing and sales to IT, customer service, and development. 

Discover why teams across industries and across the world choose Wrike to manage their most important work. Sign up for a free two-week trial and get started today.