{"id":4798,"date":"2016-04-07T11:07:36","date_gmt":"2016-04-07T09:07:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usersnap.com\/?p=4798"},"modified":"2025-07-29T15:56:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T13:56:59","slug":"human-centered-bug-reporting-with-visual-elements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usersnap.com\/blog\/human-centered-bug-reporting-with-visual-elements\/","title":{"rendered":"Human-centered bug reporting with visual elements"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Especially in the last couple of years, the web has become a more visual place. GIFs, memes, emojis, screenshots and other visual elements are widely used on the web today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only used in private conversations, but visual elements are also reshaping other areas, such as bug reporting as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, I\u2019m going to focus on the role of humans in bug reporting and answer the question about the role of visual elements in bug reports.
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Rethinking bug reporting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Being part of the Usersnap team<\/a>, I care a lot about bug reports<\/a>. And the trends related to bug reporting. One thing is very clear for me: Bug reporting is personal.<\/p>\n\n\n

Try Usersnap for Bug Reporting<\/h2>Try Usersnap Now<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Visual elements help us express feelings and situations which were not possible in that way just a few years ago. ??<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is about conversations, not tickets.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to one of my prior articles<\/a>, a bug report is a written and formal document which explains how exactly something is broken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bug report needs to be filed when something (e. g. a product, website or software) is not working as designed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, a bug report is a certain form of communication between the person encountering an error and the person being responsible for causing the error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A bug report is a form of conversation. It\u2019s not a ticket.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"visual<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Human-centered bug reporting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We all read a lot about human-centric design. According to different definitions, it\u2019s all about the extensive attention given to the end user during the product design process<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As someone who can\u2019t imagine any product development without paying close attention to the end users (who are probably the ones paying the bills), this concept seems like a no-brainer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, looking at some of the existing bug reporting tools<\/a> and -workflows which are out there, I do get the feeling that a lot of those tools and workflows are not designed for the end-user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Reporting a bug shouldn\u2019t be rocket science.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Reporting bugs are all about humans. Knowing how your user feels about certain things will make your actions more efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n

Try Usersnap for Bug Reporting<\/h2>Try Usersnap Now<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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In the old days, bug report template<\/a> looked like this (and I am afraid that in some companies they still do look like this):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"bug<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As you can see, these bug reports do not add any information that could help the receiver to understand how the person reporting the problem felt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By adding feelings and emotions to bug reports, I believe that people will have a much better experience in reporting bugs than without.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And as a matter of fact, visual communication with screenshots<\/a>, images or emojis<\/a> are a faster, easier and way more effective way than via plain text.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"charts<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Room for communication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Reporting bugs require the ability to identify relevant information which needs to be added to every bug report. So a bug report always creates a new room for communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This room of communication might consist of some misunderstandings (for example in the form of missing information).<\/p>\n\n\n\n