To resolve disagreements on bug severity, involve the product owner or stakeholder to align on business impact and priorities. Using real-world scenarios or metrics, like user analytics or performance data, can provide objective insights that guide the decision.

First get both sides to clearly explain their reasoning:devs focus on functionality, while QA is all about user impact. Once that’s clear, I bring both teams together to agree on a common definition of severity, looking at things like impact, frequency, and risk to the user experience. Setting up a clear, standardized process for prioritizing bugs based on business impact helps too. Once everyone understands the shared goal, finding common ground becomes way easier.

Define a Shared Severity Scale: Collaboratively create a bug severity scale with clear, concise descriptions for each level (e.g., Critical: Blocks core functionality, Major: Significant impact, Minor: Cosmetic issue). This provides a common language for everyone to use. Prioritize User Impact: Focus on the impact the bug has on the user experience. Ask questions like: Does it prevent users from completing a critical task? Does it cause frustration or confusion? This shared focus helps align perspectives. Use a Bug Triage Process: Implement a formal process where developers and QA testers jointly review and categorize bugs. Facilitate Open Communication: Create a safe space for both teams to voice their concerns and perspectives.