Align Reputation With Organization

It is generally recognized that Japanese software engineers view software bugs differently than American software engineers. Although many factors influence this, one relates to the perception in Japan that an error in a product is a disgrace to the company, and a disgrace to the engineer. This works more effectively in Japan than in the United States because Japanese workers tend to remain in one company for their entire careers. The mind-set, however, is important regardless of employment longevity.

In general, when anybody finds an error in a software engineer's product, that engineer should be thankful, not defensive. To err is human. To accept, divine! When an engineering error is found, the person causing it should broadcast it, not hide it. The broadcasting has two effects:

1. It helps other engineers avoid the same error.
2. It sets the stage for future non-defensive error repair.

Consider some guidelines for reporting errors.

1. Ask a coworker to check your work. Someone who will give you time to contact the author and won't judge you if you are wrong.
2. Give the author time to verify your report of an error.
3. Discuss with the author how to best report the error so that the error gets fixed with as little drama as possible and so the right people are informed.

Reference:
Mizuno, Y., "Software Quality Improvement," IEEE Computer, March 1983.