Bystander Effect

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Have you ever seen a bug in an application but no one on the team seems to log the bug. You too fall in a dilemma - to log or not to log the bug.

When I asked around, about why someone would ignore to log a bug that is starring in their face,
The answers I got in the order of frequency -
  1. I don't think this is our team's issue.
  2. I don't think it is an important issue.
  3. I think it is a one time issue.
  4. Logging this bug will delay the sign off on this build.
  5. I am sure some one else logged it.
  6. This is a known issue we don't need to log it.
  7. This is how it seems to function all the time.
  8. I don't think this is a bug.
  9. I don't think they can fix this issue.
  10. Why should I log it when everyone else ignored it?
The reason for this kind of attitude seems to be same as the Bystander effect where individuals do not offer any means of help to a victim when other people are present. 

Now, what could be a reason for this kind of reaction?


  1. Diffusion of responsibility!!
  2. Looking to others for guidance in Ambiguous situations.

How could this issue be rectified?

I do not know how this issue is addressed in most IT teams, but this is how I tried to solve the issue. -
  1. Don't ignore it, just because you don't understand it at the moment.
  2. Don't be afraid to log the Bug. It does not matter who is responsible for testing it. It is our collective responsibility to make sure the product is bug free.
  3. Bring it to your team members attention to verify your findings.
  4. Bring it to your lead's attention if you are not able to get help.
  5. Don't be afraid to speak out again and again. It is okay to ask questions all the time. You will only get answers and more information and exposure.
  6. If you are afraid of embarrassment, assign it to me instead of the Dev lead. I will re-verify and go from there.
  7. Look for the people who could know the answers to the issue, contact them appropriately.
  8. Don't avoid exploring the product with various variables out of fear of being called unnecessary.
  9. It is okay to make mistakes. Mistaking does not make you any less intelligent.
  10. Pick a designated lead who would re-verify the issue before assigning it back to the Dev lead. If you are the team lead, assign it to yourself and ask questions before assigning it to the Dev lead.





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