How to write bug reports so devs fix twice as fast

Devs aren't slow because bugs are hard. Often they're slow because the report can't be reproduced.

A good bug report kills the ping-pong of "can't see it", "send more screenshots", "which environment?". Goal: open ticket → start fixing, not two hours of detective work.

Template (copy to Jira / Linear / GitHub)

## [Module] Short wrong-behavior summary

**Environment**
- URL:
- Build/version:
- Browser + OS:
- Account/role:

**Steps to reproduce**
1.
2.
3.

**Expected**
...

**Actual**
...

**Frequency:** always | often | once
**Suggested severity:** S1–S4 + one-line reason
**Impact:** who hurts, how many, workaround?
**Attachments:** screenshot, video, HAR, request id

Bad vs good

❌ Bad

"Checkout broken, fix ASAP."

Dev asks: which browser? which user? blank page, 500, or disabled button?

✅ Good

[Checkout] Mobile Safari — Paid but UI stays Pending

• Env: staging, build 512bd8d, iPhone 15 / Safari 17, buyer@test.local
• Steps: Login → Cart 1 item → Pay 4242… → Redirect /orders → Refresh immediately
• Expected: Order #1234 Paid within 30s
• Actual: Pending after 2 min; Network shows webhook 200 but GET /orders still pending
• Freq: 3/3 with early mobile refresh
• Impact: users think payment failed; ~5 support tickets/week

Same bug — fix time can easily halve.

AI draft, QA review

Workflow I recommend:

1. QA captures rough notes while testing (bullets, messy is fine).
2. Paste into AI with:

From the QA notes below, write a standard bug report with:
Title, Environment, Steps, Expected, Actual, Severity, Impact.
Do not invent steps not present in the notes.

Notes:
[paste here]

3. QA reviews for 2 minutes: steps accurate? severity fair? any sensitive data leaked?
4. Dev gets the ticket.

AI saves 10–15 minutes of formatting. QA still signs off — only they have full context.

Quick severity (stop debating)

One sentence of impact beats abstract priority arguments.

Attachments worth sending

• Screenshot with URL + visible timestamp
• Video < 30s, single repro path
• HAR or request id for API issues
• Console errors, full red line copied

Skip the unordered gallery of 40 images.

What devs need after reading

If QA checks these before submit:

• Can I reproduce without asking back?
• Do I know which module likely owns this?
• Do I know pass criteria when fixed?

Three ticks = report is good.

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Save the template as a snippet. Next bug: measure time from ticket open to dev comment "reproduced".