I'm working with 2 very different applications.
App #1 is a web app where I have direct access to the FTP, so fixing bugs is pretty easy. Cat A bugs are usually fixed within the next day. No problems here.
App #2 is an oil business document control app, where we have to go through two acceptancy test phases – end users test and system test. Any bugs discovered after this phase will retain until the next version, usually 2-3 months. Every new release package is a huge cost. It's really hard to explain to the end users that they have to live with some of the bugs until the next version.
How do you relate to critical bugs that can't be fixed immediately?
Best Answer
In my personal opinion in your described situation is a very deep structural problem and it should have been dealt with before the project has started. Every programmer should know at least one person to directly push changes if needed and the procedure for this must be clear. Honestly what about security or database problems with potential data loss? I mean of course, if you can't fix it directly inform the staff and tell them to "please don't do this", but honestly the best way is to get this problem out of the world asap. I had a similar case in a terminal application where a program simply quit working after a button was pressed twice. The fix was trivial, but no one was allowed to fix it and it literally cost hours for all the people depending on this thing to run. Demand a shortcut for important changes!