Modern computer technology has created a vast array of complex systems and processes for developing products and services, providing consumers with better a version of practically everything that they purchased even ten years ago. However, with increasingly complex technology has come the drawback that the technology initially possess more flaws that older, less complex technology, making a technological solution for addressing these problems a necessity. One example of how modern technology has a sister form of technology that polices it can be seen in the software development business.
While software programs are the keystone of a software company’s business, producing software that contains as few defects or “bugs” as possible is essential to long-term success, which means that issue tracking software is essential to both the life cycle of a software program and the business interests of its developer. However, for companies that are considering investing in bug tracking, it’s important to know the difference between issue tracking and defect tracking tools. Like bug tracking programs, defect tracking software allows users to generate automated reports of problematic software issues. But defecting tracking differs from bug tracking in that it isn’t limited to the reporting of software issues. In addition to software issues, defect tracking software can also be used for reporting on a variety of hardware issues across a broad range of consumer electronics. Defect tracking software can also be used to enhance help desk support by diagnosing dependency chain problems.
The management software used by most help desks is predicated on issue tracking tools and not bug tracking tools. When a consumer reports an issue, the issue is delegated to a product expert who goes about resolving it and the resolution process is documented the same as if a software bug were being addressed. In the manufacturing industry, defect tracking software is used to provide authorizations for returned products; that is, after the customer reports a defect in a product, he or she receives a shipping tag so that the product can be returned after the seller authorizes the return.
The basic point of defect tracking software is to create and maintain a chain of responsibility to see product problems from their reporting stage to their final resolution in an efficient manner. In addition to providing the consumer with progress updates, issue tracking software lets management teams observe the defect resolution process in terms of what people are working on what problems. Also, defect tracking provides re-developers of products with a list of issues that the product is currently experiencing, which helps decrease manufacturing defects and can even lead to new product development if the reports show that people use the product in an unintended capacity. Like bug tracking, defect tracking follows an issue reporting and resolution process, but unlike bug tracking, it apples to a wider variety of products.
Issue tracking software and defect tracking software share similarities. But defect tracking differs from bug tracking in that it addresses a wider variety of issue reporting situations. In doing my research for this article, I found a wealth of information on hosted issue tracking at AdminiTrack.com.
