I used to get really stressed about bugs. The moment someone reported one, especially if it came from an important stakeholder, it felt like we had dropped the ball. Like something was broken and we had to stop everything to fix it. Immediately. It didn’t matter if we were knee-deep in a project or finalising a release. If there was a bug, the team’s focus would shift.

But here’s what I’ve learned over the years: most bugs are not emergencies. They’re just part of building software. Because ultimately, software development is full of unknowns… and bugs are a part of it.

Let’s keep it simple

I like to split bugs into three buckets. No complex systems (I’m looking at you, Jira) or endless tags.

• Critical → Something’s actually broken. Users can’t log in, pay, or use the core feature. Fix it now.
• Mid → It’s annoying, but not deal-breaking. Maybe a weird UI bug or something that’s off in the data. Worth fixing soon, just not right this second.
• Low → A typo in the help text or a button misaligned on an old iPhone model that affects <1% of users. It’s fine. Honestly, no one’s even noticed.

Most of the time, it’s the mid and low ones we get stuck on. Because they feel like unfinished work. But that’s the trap.

Context is everything

One of the best habits to build as a product team is asking: What are we trying to do right now? Are we trying to get a new feature out? Improve a key flow? Hit a quarterly OKR?

If a bug doesn’t directly block that work, then it’s not urgent.

That might sound obvious, but it’s surprisingly hard in the moment. Engineers want to fix things (which is great), but sometimes we need to zoom out and ask: is this the best use of our time today?

Not fixing a bug isn’t the same as ignoring it

We’re not saying “leave the mess.” We’re saying, let’s be intentional.

At my previous job (and this was in fintech where bugs are typically not tolerated!) we actually had a rule: if a bug wasn’t critical, we paused it. No immediate fix, no stress. Just log it properly, tag it clearly, and revisit it during planning. It gave the whole team some breathing room. Engineers could focus on what they were building without constant interruptions. As a PM I didn’t have to play traffic control.

It also helped shift the culture a bit. We started talking less about “cleaning up” and more about delivering value. Because ultimately, that’s the goal, right?

Quick gut check

If you’re not sure whether to fix a bug now or later, here’s a quick gut check I use:

• Will users actually notice this?
• Is it going to cost us money, trust, or a key metric?
• Is it blocking something we’re actively working on?

If it’s yes to any of those, fix it. If not, it can wait.

One last thing

Bugs are going to happen. It doesn’t mean you’re sloppy. It means you’re moving. You’re shipping. You’re experimenting.

The goal isn’t zero bugs. The goal is smart decisions.