Why Typos Should Be High Priority Bugs

When it comes to software, even the smallest errors—like typos—can have serious consequences. Typos, often perceived as trivial or minor mistakes, can have a severe impact on software quality and business reputation. Even more, typos can sometimes lead to material or even human loss. One of the worst tragedies known to this date is NASA’s Mariner 1 mission and it is still described as one of the costliest typos in human history. In 1962, NASA attempted to send an interplanetary probe called Mariner 1 to explore Venus. Unfortunately, things didn’t go according to plan. Due to a single missing hyphen in the code that was used to program the speed and trajectory, the probe exploded a few minutes after takeoff, causing damages in hundreds of millions of dollars.

However, even with examples like this, not everyone recognizes the importance of promptly addressing and eliminating these errors. In this article, we will dive into the importance and reasons for taking immediate action to address and eliminate typos, and ensure high-quality software. Let’s start off with some definitions.

What is a typo? 

A typographical error, also known as typo, is a mistake made in typed or printed word. 

A typo can include punctuation errors—misplaced or missing punctuation marks that can result in a misunderstanding of the context. Also, typos can include misspelled words, wrong characters, or swapped letters in a word. But what do typos have to do with software quality? A lot, actually.

Typos in software can have a surprisingly large impact on its overall quality. Even small mistakes in the code, such as a misplaced character or an incorrect variable name, can lead to bugs that cause the software to malfunction or behave unpredictably. Additionally, when typos appear in user-facing text, like interfaces, error messages, or documentation, they can create confusion and affect users' trust in the software's reliability. Specifically, typos can make the software and company behind it seem unprofessional, reducing its credibility in the eyes of users. In short, typos, though seemingly minor, can affect the overall quality and usability of software, making them a critical issue to address.

Now, let’s move on to high priority bugs.

What is a high priority bug?

A high priority bug is a defect that requires immediate attention and resolution from developers because it significantly impacts the product's functionality and usability. At first glance, this definition might not fit the idea of a typo. However, a high priority bug is not only characterized by severity, but also by business impact. Now, would you trust a business that does not pay attention to its own errors, no matter how small they may seem? Neglecting even minor typos can destroy trust, affect customer perceptions, and ultimately damage a business’s reputation. 

5 reasons why typos should be treated as high priority bugs

1. First impressions matter

For new businesses, especially in competitive niches, making a strong first impression is essential to differentiate themselves from competitors, build credibility, and attract customers to their product. Without an established customer base, it’s important to demonstrate professionalism and attention to detail right from the start. Even just one typo can undermine confidence and scare potential customers away, damaging the business’s credibility and making it harder to stand out from competitors.

For example, if we look at how many results Google returns when we search for the incorrect term “quailty assurance” and how many of those entities in the provided search results assure potential customers and clients of delivering a “quality” service even though they inadvertently misspell the very concept they aspire to? Even Google immediately tries to remedy the situation by asking, Did you mean: "quality assurance"? But by the time a simple “yes” is provided, the potential of attracting new clients may already be gone. 

2. Client credibility and trust

Client trust is one of the most important things for business. Positive feedback from clients boost business’s popularity and therefore its profits. Word-of-mouth marketing (or WOM marketing) plays a crucial role in this, as satisfied clients are more likely to recommend the business to others, expanding its customer base and boosting the company’s reputation. 

However, typos can have a great impact on client credibility and trust. Typos can make a business look unprofessional. Even if not everyone spots the typos, the clients who do may lose trust, ultimately leading to a decline in customer loyalty and fewer recommendations.

3. Legal liabilities

In many fields, the accuracy of information is key to ensuring safety, compliance, and trust. Typos, while seemingly minor, can have severe consequences and lead to significant legal liabilities. Below you will find some examples based on the field in which the typos were made:

Medicine

Typos in the dosage or medicament name might lead to serious health issues or even death, resulting in significant liability for healthcare providers and pharmaceutical companies, as well as potential legal action from affected patients or their families.

For example, if a dash is missing in dosage instructions that instructs a patient to take a certain medication "1-2 times a day" and is mistakenly written as "12 times a day", then this would pose significant health risks to the patient.

Additionally, though not directly caused by typo errors, the Therac-25 tragedy is still considered as one of the most infamous examples of how software failures can have deadly effects. In the mid-1980s, the Therac-25 was a radiation therapy machine designed to treat cancer, but due to software bugs, in several instances it delivered massive overdoses of radiation, leading to severe injuries and even deaths. The failures were eventually attributed to programming errors and inadequate safety checks.

Online shopping 

A pricing error caused by a typo could be interpreted as a sign of fraud, which is a criminal offense. Whether the error was intentional or not, it could still lead to investigations, legal action, and damage to the company's credibility.

For example, If the main page displays an item as $0.5, while the checkout page shows and charges a different price of $5, this might be perceived as misleading information or deceit. If a customer has multiple items in their cart, the price difference could go unnoticed when the incorrect price was paid, potentially leading to customer’s future dissatisfaction, complaints, and even legal action.

One such real-life incident is the so-called Tesco iPad pricing disaster. In March 2012, Apple iPads worth up to £650 were priced at £49.99. After the glitch was identified, Tesco canceled the sale and did not respond to these orders, resulting in customer dissatisfaction.

In another example, Italian airline Alitalia in 2006 accidentally listed business class flights from Toronto to Cyprus at $39, instead of $3,900. When the airline tried to cancel the 2,000 tickets already booked, they suffered a massive backlash from their customers. Alitalia decided to cut its losses and allowed the budget ticket holders to fly, which pleased the customers, but cost the company over seven million dollars.

Banking/Fintech

If a coding typo makes it into production, it could cause severe financial discrepancies and customer complaints, especially if they result in overdrafts or unauthorized large transactions. In severe cases, the company could face lawsuits or big fines. 

For example, if the code ignores a comma or period in a transaction amount, it could lead to an incorrect amount being processed. For instance, instead of an amount of one hundred (100.00) the system can read it as ten thousand (10000) resulting in unauthorized large transactions. 

In the banking field, typos can have particularly severe consequences due to the precision required in financial transactions, legal compliance, and customer data management. 

4. Search engines

Search engines are one of the most popular ways users search for information, products, or services online. Optimizing content for search engines is crucial for product visibility. When primary keywords are misspelled, search engines might not recognize the similarities of what the user is searching for, leading to lower rankings in the search engine results. 

For example, if a business's website misspells the word “electonics”, it might fail to show up in results for “electronics”, which users initially search for. This reduces the chances of the business's products appearing in relevant search results.

5. Digital accessibility

Digital accessibility ensures that products or services are usable by everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. 

Typos in digital content can make it difficult for accessibility tools to accurately interpret information to users. For example, screen readers, which help users with visual impairments, may misinterpret or mispronounce words due to typos, causing confusion and misunderstanding. 

Another example would be translation. Some websites allow users to choose their preferred language for site navigation, while some browsers offer built-in translation for web pages. Accurate text is crucial for effective translation. If a website contains typos, these errors can make it difficult for non-native speakers to navigate and understand the content, reducing overall accessibility.

The bottom line

Every typo can lead to a damaged business reputation, loss of clients, and loss of user trust. It is essential for businesses to address typos promptly when developing their software product—be it a website or mobile application—and not underestimate the potential harm a minor typo can cause. By treating typos as high-priority bugs, companies can protect their reputation and maintain customer trust. Ultimately, paying attention to even the tiniest details in all parts of a company's operations isn't just about being careful, it's crucial for long-term success.

Looking for QA experts who pay attention to even the tiniest details when performing software testing? Contact us to find out why leading companies across industries trust us as their go-to QA partner.