Chapter 5 – Test Management
Defect Removal Efficiency (DRE) – ISTQB Definition
Last Updated: July 12, 2026 · SoftwareTestPilot QA Team
Official ISTQB Definition
The percentage of defects removed during a phase compared with the total defects found in that phase and later.
In simple words
How many of the eventual bugs did this phase catch?
Exam tip
Similar in spirit to DDP; both measure how good a phase is at catching defects.
Related terms
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