What tools do you use to manage Change requests and Bug Reports

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+1 Q:

What tools do you use to manage Change requests and Bug Reports

The issue we have is for example the customer requests a change or reports a bug which initially gets inputed into our bug tracking software (TFS) but 10 emails back and forth later the initial description in the bug report is out of date. it's a pain to go each time and update it and most of the time it's not.

This becomes a headache as sometimes we can't give a status on a feature and the only way to know if it's been done is to run the application and see if it's there.

Is there a tool that can simplify this process? Thanks

You should set up your bug tracking software to notify appropriate people each time some one touches the bug. This way the "10 emails back and forth" are generated on changes from the software.

No, of course you don't add a client's email to the bug tracking software (JIRA, bugzilla, etc) but you do forward to the client the changes you think appropriate, and you do incorporate the client's requests into the description of the proposed fix.

Liz Albin 2010-03-10 16:41:31

Thanks Liz, Unfortunately the 10 back and forth are with the client. So it's redundant to update the bug report 10 times and when you leave it till you decide with the client what's the approach/solution to use it's bound to be forgotten and the bug report is left uncomplete

Hatim 2010-03-10 16:45:08

If you use fogbugz, it doesn't require that people have an account, and they can still track their own cases without needing to login or anything. I believe it also only sends them e-mail when the case is resolved.

SnOrfus 2010-03-10 16:51:14

+3 A:

As a point of clarification, it sounds like your process is flowing like so:

1- Client calls up "help desk" or whomever and requests a change to your software.
2- Call recipient inputs, verbatim, the request into your bug tracking system.
3- Recipient of bug contacts client and gets more details on the request.
4- After the details are worked out, often times the original request looks no longer like the actual request.

Does that seem right?

It sounds like you need to separate your bug tracking system and your CRM system and better train the people that communicate with the clients to ask better questions and log more details.

Jacob G 2010-03-10 17:01:40

Hey Jacob, that's exactly how it happens. We are a very small team and so logging everything that happens on phone conversations, meetings and emails would be by itself a full time job. A good solution would be an easy to update system, that can hook into our email and be able to attach an email conversation to an issue. Or generate a tracking number embedded in the email that can later on be used to track incoming emails related to that bug.

Hatim 2010-03-10 17:09:03

Like snOrfus' comment below, FogBugz will help facilitate this quite well in the sense that it can auto-receive and associate emails to tickets. Alternatively, do you have a Project/Product manager? Often times, that role is tasked with sussing out details on new features as well as logging or directing conversations with clients.

Jacob G 2010-03-10 17:14:24

we don't have a dedicated project/product manager, it's more like everyone does everything. Our work load doesn't justify having a full time project manager but at the same time it's gets tricky juggling all the tasks without a proper tracking tool.

Hatim 2010-03-10 17:24:08

It sounds like, at some point, someone is going to need to write some more information down. If all client communication is email based, I'd definitely switch to FogBugz for bug/feature tracking and leverage its built in tools. I'd probably also create a separate mailbox that all client communications go through and that all appropriate employees have access to. Thirdly, when developers check code files in, I'd make them enter a corresponding ticket number.

Jacob G 2010-03-10 17:36:54

FogBugz allows you to email the client through its interface, and will track correspondence through FogBugz. It will only show the client the emails to or from them, but show internal users (developers) internal bug communications as well

phsr 2010-03-10 17:06:02

ansaurus

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What tools do you use to manage Change requests and Bug Reports

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