Add it to Your Bug List
Do you remember the last time you tested that form? It seems like someone must have forgotten to update that logo and test the email for Outlook. Maybe that was your oops, maybe it was someone else's, but it needs to be fixed. So what is your next step? Document the issue on a bug list, then move on to finish your current project.
Bug lists are the single most effective way for you to communicate with your team members and customers about exactly what is broken. It gives you an opportunity to quickly make a note of a problem (that may or may not be immediately fixable). estimate its impact and prioritize finding a solution. This article will outline why bug lists are wonderful, how to use them, and why they work.
How I came to embrace bug lists
Working with clients and learning the flows of their service design, I encounter mistakes/oversights/small things that irk me all of the time. It's going to happen, and that's okay. If it was within the realm of our work, I would either fix the issue myself right then or send an email to someone who might be able to. Call it done. Move on.
But I found this haphazard way of tackling the issues would more often than not be a problem:
Sometimes the fix took longer than the original task at hand, resulting in time overages that may not be covered.
Sometimes our clients didn't know what to do with an email that said their hotel's post-stay experience was missing any styling or branding on their survey.
Sometimes I didn't know who to send the issue to.
And then I remembered a practice from my undergrad Design Thinking course (taught by the incredible Tracy Brandenburg): bug lists. It's the act of writing down things that irk you with the idea that someday you may be able to turn that bug list item into a solution. Taking this idea and adding a little more documentation-based process, and we now have the Bug List that I use every day.
What is a bug list and why do they matter?
A bug list, at the end of the day, is just a list of things that are off and could use some fixing. It could be anything, but the process requires consolidation of those bugs, even if they are outside of a single team's purview, so they can be investigated and prioritized collectively.
A bug list should include:
Bugs in code that actually break a piece of software
Even if you don't manage the software but have to use it daily, note that your software crashes all the time.An actual bug that you saw while walking through the dining room at the hotel
It may have come through the window, but if you and 10 other people note different bugs in the same space, maybe its a bigger problem that wouldn't be known without being discussed.Something that irks you, by design or happenstance
Are the cookies always the first to go in the first-floor lobby? Is the thank you message on your Contact Us form so boring that it makes you wish you never sent the message in the first place?A change you would love to see happen
Do you want to have more content about the history of your hotel be presented prior to your guest arriving?
The intention of a bug list is to document everything that can be fixed or improved, then provide some direction on high-priority items versus far-future. It provides enough detail for the right person to take action and make things right/better/incrementally improved.
How to keep track and action a bug list
Keep an open mind and open eyes/nose/ears
At first, you may not add much to your bug list, but as you build a habit of being open to things that bug you, you will find yourself often reaching for a scrap of paper to write down something that rubbed you the wrong way.Have a place to write it down
I keep a small Muji notebook and Blic Clic pen on me at all times. They are my favorite paper/pen combo, so I look forward to any chance I get to use them. But if they aren't in reach, my next option is my phone.Write it down
If you are at your computer, go right to the Bug List and add all of the details to the spreadsheet. If not, get to your place to write things down. For me, it's my pen/paper or I send myself an email from my personal account to my business with almost no details except a subject line and maybe a photo/screenshot.Add it to the Bug List tracker
Moving the bug list item from your personal list to the shared/actionable/documentation-loving list means it can actually get done. This is where you provide enough details to outline the problem, estimate its impact, hypothesize a solution (if you know one), and identify who may be able to fix the problem.Take action on the bug list item
If something is a high-enough priority, take action on it as soon as possible. Record the date you fixed the problem and add any related notes (this is important for future reference when someone asks why/when/how something related changes and you can point to your improvement to the customer check-out automation experience as the reason reviews skyrocketed). If you need to ask someone for help with something, figure out the best way to do that.
Bug lists work because documentation creates responsibility
Keep a bug list because you care, because writing down the things that are not going well/are broken/could use some work can result in those improvements being made. Documentation is Bend's love language, and a bug list is documentation in its purest form. We don't always have the ability to take an action on an item we uncover in our work, but we want our client partners to be aware of any possible thing that might impact their business. We care because they care.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a bug?
Anything that seems strange. It could be a bug if you run a physical space and didn't know where it came from, or it could be as simple as an old version of your logo being used in an autoresponder.
How should I keep track of bugs?
For initial noting, choose the option that works best for you: notebook, sticky note, scrap paper, email to yourself. Then later on you should be adding the bug to a collective digital location where it can be documented and the improvements can be tracked.
What if I can't fix it?
That's okay - you can't fix everything. But maybe someday you will determine a fix or an alternative, and having it written down will allow you to remember the opportunity to improve the experience. The Bug List is a great way to do collective work.
What if it's my fault that a bug exists?
That is all the more reason to write it down - and then you can probably find a solution. No one is perfect, there are going to be mistakes made in the course of work, but this is a chance to make a solution better, document the solution, and create a learning opportunity.
