Chapter 4
How a Bug Report Looks Like
Every studio has seen it happen.
Someone reports a bug with a vague message like “UI broken” or “Audio doesn’t work.” Everyone nods, someone promises to “check it out,” and then half a day disappears trying to figure out what “broken” actually means, if anyone remembers to check it at all.
A vague report turns a five-minute fix into hours of detective work. A good report does the opposite. It hands the developer a clear path from symptom to cause.
This chapter is about keeping things simple, clear, and consistent, even when you don’t have a full QA team.
Why Bug Reports Matter
A bug report shouldn't be just a note in a list. It’s a communication tool.
Every report you write shapes how quickly your team can respond, how accurately issues get fixed, and how much trust is built between the ones who test and who fix.
A good ticket must tell a short story:
what happened, why it matters, and what someone else needs to do next.
The clearer the story, the faster the ending.
Professional QA vs. Practical QA
In a professional QA environment, a bug ticket can include a long checklist: dependencies, specific hardware specs, test case correlation, implications, very detailed environment setup, regression notes, related issues and much more. That level of depth is valuable and necessary in large teams.
But if you’re an indie studio or a small team where everyone’s already balancing multiple roles, that kind of process can easily become a burden.
The goal isn’t to create the perfect report. It’s to create a consistent and complete one.
It’s far better to log every issue with the right basics than to log only a few with too much detail.
That’s why this guide keeps the structure simple: enough to ensure clarity, but light enough that it doesn’t slow you down.
The Recommended Format
Here’s a simplified format you can adopt and stick with.
It covers everything a dev needs to fix the issue efficiently without adding unnecessary overhead.
Summary:
[Platform][Component][Feature] Problem - Action - Location (PAL method) + extra details if needed
Description:
Short description of what happens, what you expected to happen, and any relevant requirements.
Then, list your reproduction steps, and finish with additional notes if needed.
Example Ticket
Summary (aka Title):
[iOS][UI][Shop] Special offer is not triggered when entering the shop for the first timeDescription:
When opening the shop for the first time in a session, the special offer X does not trigger.
The offer triggers correctly if the user reopens the shop within the same session.Requirements:
The shop has not been opened previously during the session.Steps to Reproduce:
Launch the iOS build 0.2.321
Complete the tutorial
Open the Shop
→ Notice that the Special Offer 'More Goodies' does not triggerClose and reopen the Shop
→ Notice that the Special Offer 'More Goodies' now triggers correctlyAdditional Notes:
This issue occurs only on iOS.Attachments:
Add relevant screenshots, short videos, or logs.Other Fields:
Repro rate, fix priority, build number, milestone, etc.
PAL: Problem - Action - Location
Every summary starts with PAL. (there are other methods, this is my fav)
It’s simple and powerful. At a glance, it tells the readers:
What’s wrong (Problem)
What triggered it (Action)
Where it happened (Location)
This method keeps your tickets sharp and avoids the dreaded “where was this again?” loop that slows small teams down.
Breadcrumbs and Leaving a Trail
It's a very good practice to start leaving breadcrumbs of information for future testers or developers.
Whenever you retest or revisit a ticket, add short comments like:
Fixed in changelist #4271
Could not reproduce on build 0.02.12
Re-occurred on build 321 after merging the new UI system
These small details add traceability, helping readers understand history and will simplify future investigations.
Even if you’re a small team, get into the habit of documenting why and when a ticket was reopened or closed. Those breadcrumbs will save hours later if something related breaks in the future.
Keep It Simple and Consistent
Don’t overthink the structure.
The exact tool doesn’t matter. Be it Google Sheets, Notion, Trello, Jira, anything works as long as everyone uses the same template and fields.
Consistency matters more than detail.
A clean, minimal ticket that everyone understands is far more valuable than a complex one no one wants to fill in.
Log every issue with the basics:
What happened
Where it happened
How to reproduce it
How serious it is
Nail the most important information as you're creating the ticket. Missing information rarely gets filled in retroactively.
Tone and Clarity
Write reports like a professional, even if you’re the only one reading them.
Stay factual and try to avoid frustrations or personal tone.
Instead of saying:
“The update completely ruined the shop.”
Say:
“On version 0.9.4, the shop fails to open when accessed from the main menu.”
This helps discussions stay constructive. Facts lead to fixes, while emotions lead to confusion.
Why Simplicity Wins
When you’re a small team, QA efficiency comes from clarity.
The goal isn’t to write perfect tickets. Nobody expects that. It's important to build habits that make finding and fixing faster.
Even a short, clean report can move work forward if it’s consistent.
That’s how small studios start working with the efficiency of big ones - by communicating like professionals
Bonus Quickfire Tips
Compress videos before uploading (HandBrake works great)
Show inputs on screen when recording (keyboard/controller overlay)
Highlight the issue in screenshots with a simple red box
Paste the crash callstack directly in the comments when attaching logs
Use clear file names for attachments (build_feature_issue.mp4)
Cut the video to only show the relevant section
Test with a fresh save/profile to avoid cached data issues
Log issues immediately - short and timely beats forgotten every time
Closing Thoughts
A bug report is a small piece of structure inside the chaos of development.
The PAL summary gives you clarity.
The simplified format gives you consistency.
The breadcrumbs give you history.
Together, they create the kind of QA rhythm that keeps projects moving forward, even when everyone’s wearing multiple hats.
Keep it simple and consistent.