Mistakes lead to the introduction of defects (also called bugs). As I personally am aware, like all human beings I can make mistakes at any point in time, no matter what I might be working on. So it is on projects, where the business analyst can put a defect into a requirements specification, a tester can put a defect into a test case, a programmer can put a defect into the code, a technical writer can put a defect into the user guide, and so forth. Any work product can and often will have defects because any worker can and will make mistakes!
Now, I like to drink good wine, and I've collected bottles from around the world on my travels. Some I've stashed away for years, waiting for the right time to drink them, which always comes sooner or later. Some of these bottles have gotten a lot more valuable over the years. Odd as this will sound, in just a few ways, bugs are like wine. They definitely get more expensive with age, taking more effort and thus incurring more cost the longer they are in the system. Also, sooner or later most bugs need to be fixed. However, it's definitely not a good idea to leave bugs lying around�or perhaps crawling around�in a cellar, and they're certainly not appetizing! |