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issue-taxonomy.md

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Most marks come from matching words in the file, so treat them as pointers.

1# QA Issue Taxonomy
2

QA Issue Taxonomy

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3## Severity Levels
4
5| Severity | Definition | Examples |
6|----------|------------|----------|
7| **critical** | Blocks a core workflow, causes data loss, or crashes the app | Form submit causes error page, checkout flow broken, data deleted without confirmation |
8| **high** | Major feature broken or unusable, no workaround | Search returns wrong results, file upload silently fails, auth redirect loop |
9| **medium** | Feature works but with noticeable problems, workaround exists | Slow page load (>5s), form validation missing but submit still works, layout broken on mobile only |
10| **low** | Minor cosmetic or polish issue | Typo in footer, 1px alignment issue, hover state inconsistent |

Severity Levels

SeverityDefinitionExamples
criticalBlocks a core workflow, causes data loss, or crashes the appForm submit causes error page, checkout flow broken, data deleted without confirmation
highMajor feature broken or unusable, no workaroundSearch returns wrong results, file upload silently fails, auth redirect loop
mediumFeature works but with noticeable problems, workaround existsSlow page load (>5s), form validation missing but submit still works, layout broken on mobile only
lowMinor cosmetic or polish issueTypo in footer, 1px alignment issue, hover state inconsistent
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12## Categories

Categories

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14### 1. Visual/UI
15- Layout breaks (overlapping elements, clipped text, horizontal scrollbar)
16- Broken or missing images
17- Incorrect z-index (elements appearing behind others)
18- Font/color inconsistencies
19- Animation glitches (jank, incomplete transitions)
20- Alignment issues (off-grid, uneven spacing)
21- Dark mode / theme issues

1. Visual/UI

  • Layout breaks (overlapping elements, clipped text, horizontal scrollbar)
  • Broken or missing images
  • Incorrect z-index (elements appearing behind others)
  • Font/color inconsistencies
  • Animation glitches (jank, incomplete transitions)
  • Alignment issues (off-grid, uneven spacing)
  • Dark mode / theme issues
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23### 2. Functional
24- Broken links (404, wrong destination)
25- Dead buttons (click does nothing)
26- Form validation (missing, wrong, bypassed)
27- Incorrect redirects
28- State not persisting (data lost on refresh, back button)
29- Race conditions (double-submit, stale data)
30- Search returning wrong or no results

2. Functional

  • Broken links (404, wrong destination)
  • Dead buttons (click does nothing)
  • Form validation (missing, wrong, bypassed)
  • Incorrect redirects
  • State not persisting (data lost on refresh, back button)
  • Race conditions (double-submit, stale data)
  • Search returning wrong or no results
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32### 3. UX
33- Confusing navigation (no breadcrumbs, dead ends)
34- Missing loading indicators (user doesn't know something is happening)
35- Slow interactions (>500ms with no feedback)
36- Unclear error messages ("Something went wrong" with no detail)
37- No confirmation before destructive actions
38- Inconsistent interaction patterns across pages
39- Dead ends (no way back, no next action)

3. UX

  • Confusing navigation (no breadcrumbs, dead ends)
  • Missing loading indicators (user doesn't know something is happening)
  • Slow interactions (>500ms with no feedback)
  • Unclear error messages ("Something went wrong" with no detail)
  • No confirmation before destructive actions
  • Inconsistent interaction patterns across pages
  • Dead ends (no way back, no next action)
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41### 4. Content
42- Typos and grammar errors
43- Outdated or incorrect text
44- Placeholder / lorem ipsum text left in
45- Truncated text (cut off without ellipsis or "more")
46- Wrong labels on buttons or form fields
47- Missing or unhelpful empty states

4. Content

  • Typos and grammar errors
  • Outdated or incorrect text
  • Placeholder / lorem ipsum text left in
  • Truncated text (cut off without ellipsis or "more")
  • Wrong labels on buttons or form fields
  • Missing or unhelpful empty states
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49### 5. Performance
50- Slow page loads (>3 seconds)
51- Janky scrolling (dropped frames)
52- Layout shifts (content jumping after load)
53- Excessive network requests (>50 on a single page)
54- Large unoptimized images
55- Blocking JavaScript (page unresponsive during load)

5. Performance

  • Slow page loads (>3 seconds)
  • Janky scrolling (dropped frames)
  • Layout shifts (content jumping after load)
  • Excessive network requests (>50 on a single page)
  • Large unoptimized images
  • Blocking JavaScript (page unresponsive during load)
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57### 6. Console/Errors
58- JavaScript exceptions (uncaught errors)
59- Failed network requests (4xx, 5xx)
60- Deprecation warnings (upcoming breakage)
61- CORS errors
62- Mixed content warnings (HTTP resources on HTTPS)
63- CSP violations

6. Console/Errors

  • JavaScript exceptions (uncaught errors)
  • Failed network requests (4xx, 5xx)
  • Deprecation warnings (upcoming breakage)
  • CORS errors
  • Mixed content warnings (HTTP resources on HTTPS)
  • CSP violations
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65### 7. Accessibility
66- Missing alt text on images
67- Unlabeled form inputs
68- Keyboard navigation broken (can't tab to elements)
69- Focus traps (can't escape a modal or dropdown)
70- Missing or incorrect ARIA attributes
71- Insufficient color contrast
72- Content not reachable by screen reader

7. Accessibility

  • Missing alt text on images
  • Unlabeled form inputs
  • Keyboard navigation broken (can't tab to elements)
  • Focus traps (can't escape a modal or dropdown)
  • Missing or incorrect ARIA attributes
  • Insufficient color contrast
  • Content not reachable by screen reader
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74## Per-Page Exploration Checklist
76For each page visited during a QA session:
781. **Visual scan** — Take a screenshot (the Read-a-page script; `annotatedScreenshot(pg)` when you need ref labels). Look for layout issues, broken images, alignment.
792. **Interactive elements** — Click every button, link, and control. Does each do what it says?
803. **Forms** — Fill and submit (non-local target: consent first — browser rule 3). Test empty submission, invalid data, edge cases (long text, special characters).
814. **Navigation** — Check all paths in/out. Breadcrumbs, back button, deep links, mobile menu.
825. **States** — Check empty state, loading state, error state, full/overflow state.
836. **Console** — Print `CONSOLE_ERRORS=` after interactions. Any new JS errors or failed requests?
847. **Responsiveness** — If relevant, check mobile and tablet viewports.
858. **Auth boundaries** — Never sign the user out or switch accounts yourself. If the signed-out or other-role view matters, ask the user to sign out / switch in Aside and re-run the page scripts.

Per-Page Exploration Checklist

For each page visited during a QA session:

  1. Visual scan — Take a screenshot (the Read-a-page script; annotatedScreenshot(pg) when you need ref labels). Look for layout issues, broken images, alignment.
  2. Interactive elements — Click every button, link, and control. Does each do what it says?
  3. Forms — Fill and submit (non-local target: consent first — browser rule 3). Test empty submission, invalid data, edge cases (long text, special characters).
  4. Navigation — Check all paths in/out. Breadcrumbs, back button, deep links, mobile menu.
  5. States — Check empty state, loading state, error state, full/overflow state.
  6. Console — Print CONSOLE_ERRORS= after interactions. Any new JS errors or failed requests?
  7. Responsiveness — If relevant, check mobile and tablet viewports.
  8. Auth boundaries — Never sign the user out or switch accounts yourself. If the signed-out or other-role view matters, ask the user to sign out / switch in Aside and re-run the page scripts.
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Involves a person ask the user :85