Enhance Bug Reports: Screen Recording for Developers
Feedspace logo

Feedspace

Feedspace logo

Enhance Bug Reports: The Power of Screen Recording for Developers

bug report
Table of Content

Half a developer’s life is about fixing bugs… and the other half goes into interpreting bug reports! But kidding aside, it does take up a significant amount of time and resources. Don’t you think?

Bug reporting plays a crucial role in upholding quality and functionality. Yet, there is still scope to optimize the entire process to save time and resources. And today, we are going to see how screen recording for bug reports provides a better solution.

Bug Reporting- Not that easy

For any debugging process, reproducibility is crucial. So, once the developers can recreate the bug, working on it becomes easier. Yet, it is hardly a cakewalk.
Usually, users or testers encounter bugs. Then they create bug reports so that developers can reproduce the issue.
A clear bug report consists of detailed instructions on what exactly the issue is and how to get it. To achieve this goal, detailed context, instruction, and description are necessary.
It is all about maintaining clear communication. You have to pack the report with information, and still make it easy to read.
Moreover, if the developer doesn’t understand it, there can be so much back and forth. That too for one bug!
Be it WFH or WFO, you can’t ping your workers or go to their desks all the time to understand what the bug report says.
Moreover, we don’t want to annoy our users by asking them to repeat themselves, do we?
Hence, the reports must be clear the first time. But, writing such clear copies is not easy.
Image (12)

Why do you need to bid farewell to traditional bug reporting?

Wherever we work, the format or the style for bug reporting can change. Yet, the basic elements of written content and images for support don’t change.
Here’s why we need to find alternatives to this traditional bug-reporting method.

Lack of clarity

In written communication, there is plenty of scope for misinterpretation. Written descriptions can be subjective, vague, or incomplete. Further, adding screenshots can help. But, the reports still lack context.

Time-consuming

Traditional bug reports can be effective. Only when you write them in detail. But, writing so much is time-draining. Moreover, it’s not a one-time event.
Testers have to do this for many bugs. It is not feasible to write such detailed reports daily for several bugs.

Room for error

The written content can be vague and confusing, which leaves room for misinterpretation. And without proper understanding, it is tough to reproduce the bug.
Furthermore, errors in writing instructions or adding images can lead to undesired outcomes. Seeing these issues makes us wonder, is there a better way? Turns out, there is.

Introducing screen recording for bug reports

Screen recording offers various advantages over traditional bug-reporting methods. Let’s see why.
But, before that, let’s understand what it means!
Screen recording means we record videos of finding bugs on our mobile or desktop devices. That’s it 🙂
Okay, now let’s move on to the why section.

Better understanding

Screen recording for bug reports can capture the exact sequence of actions that lead to the bug. Developers can watch it and understand exactly what the issue is and how to recreate it.
They can observe user interactions, behavior, and error messages that appear in real-time. This detailed context eliminates trial and error.

More accuracy less time

How long can recording your actions take? It is going to be very less than writing detailed reports. And the amount of time it will take to provide such clarity also reduces!

No room for error

With screen recording for bugs, there is no possibility of misunderstanding instructions. Hence, no chance of misinterpreting the report and making errors.

Better organization

Screen recordings also help with bug triage and prioritization. Moreover, developers can assess the severity and impact of the bug with recordings. It enables them to prioritize bug fixes.

Bonus benefit!

Now, this benefit comes with Feedspace’s video feed feature. Feedspace provides a “screen recording with audio” feature.
That means testers and users can record themselves speaking while recording the screen. It will be like they are explaining each bug in real-time to the developers.
Image (11)

Screen recording for bugs- A better solution for documentation too!

Screen recordings are invaluable documents! Moreover, they create a detailed historical record of bugs. It includes their reproduction steps, UI behavior, and error messages. And this documentation is useful for KTs, onboarding, or revisiting past issues.
Furthermore, these screen recordings for bug reports reduce reliance on written documents. This can also reduce the chances of reintroducing resolved bugs.
Now that we know how beneficial screen recording is, let’s check how to maximize its benefits.

Best practices while using screen recording for bug reports

To leverage the power of screen recording for bug reports, developers can use tools. There are free and paid applications available that provide screen recording features. You can explore which suits you and your company best. Let’s look at a checklist to enhance the process of screen recording for bug reports.
  • Capture the entire process leading to the bug. The more detailed journey you capture, the clearer it is.
  • Adding voice narration or text annotations for more context and explanation. This is useful for users and testers to mention their views.
  • Ensure that you record a good-quality video without problems like buffering or lagging. (unless that is the problem you want to report :)).
Now, even if screen recording is a better solution for bug reports, people are hesitant to make the change. But, why?reports.

Why are people hesitant to use screen recording for bug reports?

Even if screen recording is an effective solution, there is hesitation to go for it. We understand that. And so, we will analyze the reasons and find solutions to them.

Too much setup

We will have to set up some kind of screen capture software. And from there, finding the video and sharing it with the developer can become a huge task.
But, platforms like Feedspace make it easier. You can signup with Feedspace and start recording. And as for sharing it with the team, you can share the link to the recording. You can also add this link for documentation as well.

Too much space needed

Videos take up a lot more space than text. But, you won’t have to worry about that when using platforms like Feedspace! These platforms give you a place to store, collect, and manage your video recordings.

How to start screen recording for bugs with Feedspace?

It becomes easier to adopt a new habit if it is simple. And Feedspace has worked on that.
  • Sign up on Feedspace
  • Create a project for video feeds.
  • After that, you can create a video feed page that you can share with users and testers to record bugs.
  • While recording, you can select the “screen recording with audio” option.
  • Now, you can provide audio as well to provide exact information while recording.
  • And all you have to do is share the link for the video feed and you’re gtg!

In conclusion

Screen recording has emerged as a powerful tool for enhancing bug reporting. With screen recordings, developers can reproduce, and resolve issues with efficiency.
The advantages of screen recording extend beyond bug resolution. It promotes better collaboration, documentation, and knowledge transfer within development teams..
To leverage the power of screen recording, companies can use platforms like Feedspace.
These platforms make bug reporting easier and faster. Furthermore, these platforms help you streamline the process and create high-quality products.

Frequently Asked Questions

It refers to capturing a video recording while reproducing a bug. Further, this is a valuable technique to provide detailed visual evidence. Screen recording enhances communication between users, testers, and developers.

To use screen recording for effective bug reporting:

  1. Reproduce the bug,
  2. select a reliable recording tool,
  3. define the bug scenario, narrate your actions, capture relevant details, and
  4. keep it concise.

You have the option to re-record your bugs before submitting your video on Feedspace. Moreover, Feedspace provides screen recordings with audio. So, you can record your voice while creating bug reports.

Keep the screen recordings concise. The typical range is 1 to 5 minutes. Focus on capturing the necessary steps to reproduce the bug and any relevant details. Avoid unnecessary footage to ensure developers can understand the issue in no time.

You can use Feedspace! All you will have to do is share the link to the video for easy communication.

View More FAQs

Share Blog with a friend.​

Read Our Blogs

The power of customer testimonials in B2B marketing

Click here

How Feedspace Revolutionizes Feedback

The success of any product depends on how value-adding it is for its users. And for that, gauging the voice of customers is essential. And this is where feedback comes in. But, as effective as it is, it comes with challenges.
Click here

Video Testimonials: Elevate your brand’s credibility

Click here

Trusted by organizations, teams & freelancers all over the world

Edit Template