Priority
Priority indicates the urgency with which a defect should be fixed, based on business importance, customer impact, and release timelines.
Priority answers: “How soon must this defect be fixed?”
1. Definition
Priority indicates the urgency with which a defect should be fixed, based on business importance, customer impact, and release timelines.
Priority answers: “How soon must this defect be fixed?”
2. Purpose of Priority
- Guide defect fixing order
- Align testing and development with business needs
- Support release planning decisions
- Optimize resource utilization
3. Who Assigns Priority
- Product Owner / Business / Test Lead
- Sometimes jointly with development
(Testers usually suggest priority, but business decides.)
4. Common Priority Levels
4.1 P1 – High / Immediate
- Must be fixed immediately
- Release blocked
4.2 P2 – Medium / High
- Fix before release
4.3 P3 – Low / Medium
- Fix if time permits
4.4 P4 – Very Low
- Can be deferred
5. Priority vs Severity
| Aspect | Priority | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Urgency | Impact |
| Decided by | Business/Product | Tester |
| Change frequency | Can change | Usually stable |
| Focus | Schedule | Quality risk |
6. Real-Time Examples
| Defect | Severity | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| App crash on rare screen | High | Medium |
| Spelling error on homepage | Low | High |
| Payment failure | Critical | High |
7. Common Mistakes
- Setting priority without business context
- Confusing priority with severity
- Assigning same priority to all defects
8. Interview-Ready Answers
Short answer:
Priority defines how urgently a defect needs to be fixed.
Detailed answer:
Priority determines the order in which defects should be addressed based on business impact and release timelines.
9. Key Takeaway
Priority reflects when to fix, not how bad the defect is.