Have you ever marked a small UI typo as Critical, only for a developer to glare at you and say, “Why is this critical? The system doesn’t even break!”
If yes, you’re not alone.
Every junior tester struggles with Severity vs Priority, especially during interviews or while logging bugs in JIRA.
Let’s clear this confusion foreverwith definitions, real examples, quadrant classification, and memory tricks you’ll never forget.
What is the Main Difference?
- Severity defines how badly the system is impacted from a technical perspective – crashes, data loss, failures.
- Priority defines how urgently the bug must be fixed from a business perspective – customer visibility, release deadlines, product value.
- Severity is assigned by testers, while priority is usually set by Product Owners/Business.
Understanding Severity (Technical Impact)
Severity measures how badly the defect affects the system functionality.
Think of it as: “How broken is the system?”
Common Severity Levels (Industry Standard)
1. Blocker (S1)
System is unusable. No testing can proceed.
Example:
Login API down → No one can log in.
2. Critical (S2)
Major functionality broken without workaround.
Example:
Payment gateway failure after clicking ‘Pay Now’.
3. Major (S3)
Functionality partially broken but has a workaround.
Example:
Search results show incorrect order, but results still load.
4. Minor (S4)
No impact on functionality – cosmetic issues.
Example:
Button alignment slightly off by 3 pixels.
Understanding Priority (Business Urgency)
Priority answers: “How soon should it be fixed?”
Common Priority Levels
High Priority(P1)
Fix immediately. Required for next release.
Example:
Incorrect pricing displayed on product listing during sale.
Medium Priority(P2)
Fix after major items are completed.
Example:
UI misalignment on a less-used page.
Low Priority(P3)
Can be fixed in future maintenance releases.
Example:
Comma missing in a tooltip text.
The 4 Quadrants of Severity vs Priority (With Examples)
These four combinations help you classify defects correctly.
1. High Severity / High Priority (HS-HP)
System-breaking issue requiring immediate fix.
Example:
Login button doesn’t work → No user can access the system.
- Severity: High (core functionality broken)
- Priority: High (business cannot operate)
This is the most urgent type of defect. Everything stops until it’s fixed.
2. High Severity / Low Priority (HS-LP)
Technically serious but not urgent for business.
Example:
App crashes in a legacy report page used only once a year.
- Severity: High (app crash)
- Priority: Low (rarely used page, fix can wait)
This is common in systems with outdated modules.
3. Low Severity / High Priority (LS-HP)
Minor issue, but business wants it fixed ASAP.
Example:
CEO’s name spelled wrong on homepage hero banner.
- Severity: Low (no technical impact)
- Priority: High (embarrassing and publicly visible)
This proves business importance can override technical impact.
4. Low Severity / Low Priority (LS-LP)
Small cosmetic issue that doesn’t affect customers or business.
Real-World Example:
Tiny typo in Terms & Conditions page.
- Severity: Low
- Priority: Low
These defects usually go into backlog or future sprints.
Severity vs Priority
| Feature | Severity | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Technical impact on system | Business urgency of fix |
| Defined By | Tester / QA | Product Owner / Business / Manager |
| Focus Area | System functionality | Customer impact & release goals |
| Changes Frequently? | Rarely | Yes, depends on releases |
| Example | System crash, data loss | CEO review change, marketing deadline |
| Is it about urgency? | No | Yes |
| Is it about impact? | Yes | Partially |
TestingMint Pro Tip (JIRA Mapping)
In JIRA:
- Priority is always a field visible to Product Owners or stakeholders. They usually finalize it based on business goals.
- Severity is often a custom field added by QA teams and filled during bug reporting.
- A good defect report includes both to avoid misunderstandings.
Memory Trick to Never Forget
- Severity = System (both start with S)
- Priority = Product Owner (both start with P)
Examples You Can Use in Interviews
“Give me a High Severity, Low Priority example.”
System crashes on a page only Admins use once a year.
“Give me a Low Severity, High Priority example.”
Homepage banner has a typo in ‘50% OFF’ during Black Friday sale.
These two examples alone can help you clear 80% of interview confusion.
Conclusion
Severity tells you how badly the system is affected.
Priority tells you how fast the business wants it fixed.
Always remember:
- Severity is for the Code.
- Priority is for the Customer.
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