What does the classification of severity levels of defects depend on?

The classification of defect severity levels generally depends on the following key factors:

• Impact on functionality: How critically the defect affects the declared or expected functionality of the product.
• Impact on business processes: How much the defect affects the core business processes of the user or the potential business revenue of the company.
• Frequency of occurrence: How often users encounter this defect.
• Percentage of affected users: The number of users or the customer base suffering from the defect.
• Workaround possibility: Whether there is a way to bypass the problem and continue using the product, even if not optimally.
• Impact on security: If the defect is related to data leaks, unauthorized access, or other security breaches.
• Impact on user experience (UI/UX): How much the defect worsens user interaction with the interface or reduces overall satisfaction.

Typical severity levels include:

Severity Level	Description	Example
Blocker	Completely blocks the use of core functionality or part of the application. Workarounds are unavailable.	Unable to log in; The "Buy" button does not work.
Critical	Significantly disrupts critically important functionality but partial use with restrictions is possible.	Order processing is interrupted at the last step; Incorrect discount calculation.
Major	Seriously affects a specific function or part of the application but does not block usage entirely.	Incorrect data display in a report; Issue with filtering product list.
Minor	Slightly affects functionality or user interface but is not critical for operation.	Spelling mistake; Color mismatch; Slight element misalignment.
Trivial	Very low impact, cosmetic or minor flaws that do not affect functionality.	Unnecessary space; Missing period at the end of a sentence; Text alignment.

The final classification is always determined by the project team or organization based on accepted criteria and risks.