Axiom Summit 2022 | May 14th Exploratory testing is a powerful approach that is very useful to obtain information very quickly, to identify bugs in places where we may not expect them, to focus on functional cycles, to learn about the product being tested, and more. From my experience, when applying exploratory testing, there are two main challenges. A personal challenge, and a challenge from a team-level perspective. Personally, how do I reuse what I have learned from the different exploratory sessions throughout the different test cycles? And, as a team, how do we share what we have learned during the different exploratory sessions? This presentation is about how mind maps are used to support exploratory testing in the team and how this strategy tackles the aforementioned challenges. Claudia will share how mind maps help the team have a common understanding of what to test, and how mind maps are designed by the team so they can easily be read and understood regardless of who created them. She will also describe how mind maps are re-used through the different releases, and what the team has learned when applying this testing strategy.

1. EXPLORATORY TESTING
DRIVEN BY MIND MAPS
Eng. Claudia Badell
claudia.badell@jigsolabs.com
@claubs_uy
14th May 2022

2. Foto: Montevideo Portal l Miguel Frey
Foto: www.viajeauruguay.com
Foto: www.infobae.com
URUGUAY

3. Speaker
• Agile Testers Conference (online)
• Agile Testing Days (USA)
• EuroSTAR Software Testing Conference
• ExpoQA (Spain)
• Next Generation Testing Conference
(England)
• OnlineTestConf (online)
• VLCTesting (Spain)
• WCSQ (Perú)
• Meetups (Brasil, Chile, Uruguay)
• Webinars
Organizer
testinguy.org
• +15 years of experience in testing
• Product Development Team Lead
• Senior Quality Engineer, Team Lead
• Test Manager
• Tester
• Business Analyst
• Teacher at School of Engineering,
Universidad de la República
• Scrum Master
• Agile Testing Essentials tutorial with Janet Gregory & Lisa Crispin
• Rapid Software Testing course with Michael Bolton
• Using Risk to Guide Testing tutorial with Michael Bolton
• Foundations & Bug Advocacy courses, Association for Software
Testing
• ISTQB Foundation
• Agile Test Automation Certification (ICP-ATA)
Computer Engineer
Travel freak
valijasready.com
Trainer & Spanish Translator for
the Holistic Testing: strategies
for agile teams course
agiletestingfellow.com
Software Testing
Consultant & Trainer
jigsolabs.com

4. 1 INTRODUCTION
2
USING MIND MAPS TO DRIVE AN
EXPLORATORY TESTING APPROACH
3 LESSONS LEARNED
AGENDA

5. AGENDA
1 INTRODUCTION
2
3 LESSONS LEARNED
USING MIND MAPS TO DRIVE AN
EXPLORATORY TESTING APPROACH

6. James Bach
Exploratory testing is simultaneous
learning, test design, and test
execution.

7. EXPLORATORY TESTING
SESSION BASED
MISSION SESSION

8. • obtain results very quickly
• Identify bugs in places where we may not expect them
• focus on functional cycles
• learn about the product under test
USEFUL TO

9. 9
Reusing the knowledge acquired during the
different exploratory sessions in the
different test cycles
CHALLENGE #1

10. 10
Sharing the knowledge acquired during the
different exploratory sessions
at a team level
CHALLENGE #2

11. Mind maps to support
exploratory testing

12. What is mind mapping?

13. A mind map to describe a mind map

14. • Organize and visualize ideas
• Identify dependencies
• Discuss ideas
• Enhance creativity
• Share knowledge
MIND MAPS HELP US

15. AGENDA
1 INTRODUCTION
2
3 LESSONS LEARNED
4
USING MIND MAPS TO DRIVE AN
EXPLORATORY TESTING APPROACH

16. How do we design
our mind maps?

17. We build a mind map for each feature

18. A mind map includes test conditions,
ideas and variables to cover a feature

19. Let’s see an example!

27. How do we use our mind maps
when applying an exploratory
testing strategy?

28. We use mind maps as
reference for exploratory
sessions

29. We reuse mind maps to avoid
re-thinking test ideas, conditions
and variables from scratch

30. Mind maps are extended or
updated according to
changes in the product

31. • Repository
• File naming conventions
STORING THE
MIND MAPS

32. AGENDA
1 INTRODUCTION
2
3 LESSONS LEARNED
USING MIND MAPS TO DRIVE AN
EXPLORATORY TESTING APPROACH

33. • Iterate over existing test ideas
• Have a common understanding of the features
• Share knowledge
MIND MAPS HELP

34. Only track what is relevant
for the team

35. George E. P Box
All models are wrong,
but some of them are useful

36. KEEP CALM
AND
START MIND MAPPING ☺

37. Useful links for further reading
• Heuristic Testing Strategy Model by James Bach
http://www.satisfice.com/tools/htsm.pdf
• Using Mind Maps to Document Exploratory Testing by Samuli Lahnamäki
https://www.stickyminds.com/presentation/using-mind-maps-document-exploratory-testing
• Explore It!: reduce risk and increase confidence with Exploratory Testing by Elisabeth Hendrickson
https://www.amazon.com/Explore-Increase-Confidence-Exploratory-Testing/dp/1937785025/
• Essential mind mapping: Rapid test design by Darren McMillan
http://www.bettertesting.co.uk/content/?p=1438
• Part 1: using mind-mapping software as a visual test management tool by Aaron Hodder
https://assurity.nz/insights/part-1-aaron-hodder-on-using-mind-mapping-software-as-a-visual-test-
management-tool/
• Part 2: using mind-mapping software as a visual test management tool by Aaron Hodder
https://assurity.nz/insights/part-2-aaron-hodder-on-using-mind-mapping-software-as-a-visual-test-
management-tool/
• When the whole team owns testing: Building testing skills by Lisa Crispin
http://lisacrispin.com/whole-team-owns-testing-building-testing-skills/
• Resources on Exploratory Testing, Metrics, and Other Stuff by Michael Bolton
http://www.developsense.com/resources.html

39. THANKS
Questions?
Claudia Badell
claudia.badell@jigsolabs.com
@claubs_uy