Exploratory Testing

What is Exploratory Testing (ET)?

“Exploratory Testing is a testing approach that allows you to apply your ability and skill as a tester in a powerful way.”Testers have to understand the application first by exploring the application and based on this knowledge they should come up with the test scenarios. This is a hands – on approach in which testers are involved in minimum planning and maximum test execution.

The tester should constantly make decisions about what to test next and where to spend the (limited) time. This is an approach that is most useful when there are no or poor specifications and when time is severely limited. 

Why is Exploratory Testing needed?

In general, ET is called for in any situation where it’s not obvious what the next test should be, or when you want to go beyond the obvious tests. More specifically, freestyle exploratory testing fits in any of the following situations: ƒ

You need to provide rapid feedback on a new product or feature. ƒ

You need to learn the product quickly. ƒ

You have already tested using scripts, and seek to diversify the testing.

You want to find the single most important bug in the shortest time. ƒ

You want to investigate and isolate a particular defect. ƒ

You want to investigate the status of a particular risk, in order to evaluate the need for scripted tests in that area.

What is expected out of tester in ET?

Good Test Design skills : An ET Tester should be a good test designer as he should be able to craft tests that systematically explore the product. That requires skills such as the ability to analyze a product, evaluate risk, use tools, and think critically, among others.

Careful Observation : Lack of careful observation leads to missing bugs during testing.  So, it is expected that the tester is experienced than a novice. They should watch everything unushual or mysterious.

Critical Thinker: Logical thinking helps getting more bugs. One should be able to review and explain their logic, looking for bugs in their own thinking.

Rich Resources:  Tester should build deep inventory of tools, which could be applied during his testing.

Advantages:

• It doesn’t require preparation for testing as we don’t have documents for testing.
• In this type of testing time saves due to all task are doing simultaneously like Testing, Designing test scenarios and executing test scenarios.
• Tester can report many issues due to incomplete requirement or missing requirement document.

Disadvantages:

• Few issues cannot be catch in this type of testing. (missed due to lack of test cases / scenarios)
• There is review of test planning & designing of test cases/scenario while testing may cause issues.
• Testers have to remember the scenario what he is executing because if any bug is found then tester should report a bug with proper steps to reproduce Difficulty to perform the exact manner especially for new found bugs.