Bug is associated to an EPIC rather than a User Story

Question

Hi folks,

Today I noticed that all my bugs are linked to EPIC and can't change it to User Story. This was not the case in my previous workplaces.

I am always under the impression that the hierarchy in any agile world is

EPIC -> User Stories -> Bugs, Tasks -> Subtasks.

Who wants to have Bugs related to EPICS. Epics will be long lasting piece of work ranging from a sprint to multiple quarters, but user stories can be achieved in sprints and bugs associated to them.

However, that's not the case as Bugs and User Stories are same level, am I missing anything? 🤷🏻‍♂️

Thanks in advance,

Santhosh

John Funk · Answer

It all depends on how you classify bugs/defects. This is the way we handled it. When testing, if something is found to be wrong, we either created a Bug or a Defect. A Defect was a Sub-task issue type and was attached as a child to the Story. The meaning of Defect for us was that the Story could not be finished/deployed unless the Defect was fixed and closed first.

If it was determined that the Story could still be deployed and we would fix the item later (maybe in the Sprint, maybe not) then we created it as a Bug, which was a standard issue type at the same level as a Story. That way, the Bug could be added to a later sprint and work alongside Stories in that same sprint.

If you want all of your Bugs to be under Stories or Tasks, then you should make a Sub-task issue type for Bug. But that would mean that ALL Bugs in your system would have to be done as children to either a Story or a Task - which I don't think you intend.

I hope that helps.

Santhosh Ippili · Answer

Hi John, thanks for correcting my understanding and welcome. I can still understand about tasks, but how come Bugs and User Stories at the same level?

Bug will come up when testing a user story but not an EPIC

John Funk · Answer

Hi Santhosh - Welcome to the Atlassian Community!

I think you were under the wrong assumption as that’s not the standard Agile practice you describe. Tasks are Stories are at the same level, Tasks are not children of Stories. Same with Bugs.