Exploratory testing is a type of software testing that is said to be simultaneous learning, test design, and test execution. It emphasizes discovery and depends on the tester’s guidance to find errors that are difficult to find within the criteria of other tests.
Exploratory testing has been increasingly popular in recent years. Exploratory testing should be a part of a comprehensive test coverage plan, and testers and QA managers are encouraged to do so.
Get familiar with exploratory testing. Learn about the exploratory testing in detail, and when you should do it.
Exploratory Testing: Why Do It?
It may be tempting to neglect this approach since, as one might expect, it can take longer than scripted tests to complete and is done in addition to scripted testing.
However, exploratory testing uncovers other flaws. Here are some stats you should look through:
- In comparison to scripted testing, exploratory testing uncovers 11% more overall errors.
- Exploratory testing finds 29% more bugs than scripted testing does for defects that ought to be instantly visible, such as a missing button in the UI (user interface).
- When it comes to “complex” errors (bugs that need three or more user activities to cause an error or failure), it increases to 33% more defects found.
Because exploratory testing gives you more freedom to explore various test types while depending on your prior expertise and product knowledge, you identify more errors. On the other hand, scripted testing restricts you to perform the actions listed in the test cases, which can limit your ability to take into account other test scenarios.
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Types Of Exploratory Testing
Following are the types of testing you should know about:
- Freestyle
- Strategy Based
- Scenario-Based
Freestyle Testing
In freestyle testing, you didn’t adhere to any rules, there was no maximum coverage, and you would explore the application much as in ad hoc testing.
You can use freestyle exploratory testing to get to know the software and review the work of the other test engineers.
Strategy-based Testing
Strategy-based exploratory testing can be carried out using a variety of testing approaches, including risk-based, boundary-value analysis, and equivalence partitioning.
The most seasoned tester who has been using the program for the longest performs it since they are well-versed in it.
Scenario-based Testing
Scenario-based exploratory testing uses a variety of scenarios, including end-to-end, test scenarios, and real-user scenarios.
While exploring the program, the test engineer can identify flaws and examine various sets of scenario possible outcomes using their application knowledge.
When Should You Do Exploratory Testing?
Exploratory testing is ideal for specific testing situations, such as when someone wants to learn about a product or application and provide feedback. It helps analyze a product’s quality from the viewpoint of the user.
When QA teams don’t have much time to structure the tests, an early iteration is necessary for many software development cycles. In this situation, exploratory testing is beneficial.
Exploratory testing makes sure you don’t overlook edge scenarios that result in serious quality failures when testing mission-critical apps. Additionally, describe the processes of the exploratory testing process to help the unit testing process and use that information to conduct comprehensive testing in future sprints.
It is helpful to find new test scenarios to increase the test coverage.
Benefits of Exploratory Testing
- This testing is helpful when the necessary documents are unavailable or only partially available.
- It involves an investigation that helps in finding more bugs than routine testing.
- Find bugs that are usually missed by other testing methods.
- Executes increasingly more test scenarios, which helps testers use their imagination and ultimately increases productivity.
- This testing includes all the requirements and delves down to the smallest part of an application.
- This testing includes all testing types as well as various scenarios and cases.
- It comes up with new concepts while running tests.
What Makes a Good Exploratory Tester?
The following characteristics should be included in every exploratory tester:
- Should have the ability to understand how end users think and examine software from that viewpoint.
- Remember that there are no scripts for exploratory tests. Since the tester should have in-depth domain knowledge, they will hardly need any steps to explain.
- Be proactive in increasing test coverage. This means that with each round of testing, they should proactively test more features.
- Should be able to evaluate and articulate concepts logically. Exploratory testing calls for strong domain knowledge and critical thinking.
Understanding Exploratory Testing In the Right Way!
Exploratory testing is an unscripted approach to software testing in which the tester is free to use any methodology to test the software.
Exploratory testing checks the software’s functionality and operations while looking for any functional or technical issues. Exploratory testing aims to optimize and enhance the program in any practical way.
The capacity of a tester to create effective test cases, their experience, and their ability to trust their instincts are just a few of the intangibles that contribute to exploratory testing’s success.
Exploratory testing (ET) should be used with scripted or regular testing, but it’s important to remember that ET is an adaptable process rather than a predictive one.
