Defect Resolution Process

The purpose of this step is to answer the following questions and initiate any immediate action that might be required:

Is this a previously reported defect, or is it new?

What priority should be given to fixing this defect?

What steps should be taken to minimize the impact of the defect prior to a fix?  For example, should other users be notified of the problem?  Is there a work-around for the defect?

A suggested prioritization method is a three-level method, as follows:

Critical:  Would cause the software to stop.

Major:  Would cause an output of the software to be incorrect.

Minor:  Something wrong, but it does not directly affect the user of the system, such as a documentation error or cosmetic GUI error.