A taste of Exploratory Testing

copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
ATASTE OF EXPLORATORY
TESTING
Anne-Marie Charrett
@charrett
Skype: Charretts
Blog: Mavericktester.com
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-
NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.To view a copy of this license,
visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/.

A LONGTIME AGO...

CHALLENGES
• Did the program run?
• Where the punch cards correct? (Source Code)
• Was the data correct ?
• Was the compiler correct? (Program Code)
• Did the program solve the problem?

Test Strategy Test Spec Test Execution
Analysis
Documents/Code
Design Testing
Activities
SCRIPTEDTESTING
Test Report
Strategy
Modelling
Decision Making
Modelling
Conﬁguration
Operation
Observation
Evaluation
Conﬁguration
Reporting
Operation
Observation
Evaluation Communicationcopyright ©TestingTimes 2013

LEGACY
Requires a tester to be able to:
Often has formalised methodology based on
IEEE829
DesignTest Scripts upfront against Requirements
Requires ExperiencedTest AnalystVsTester
Indicate Expected Result upfront
Complete when 100%Test Executed

PROGRESS

HOW WE DISCOVER

“Exploratory testing is an approach to software testing that is
concisely described as simultaneous learning, test design and
test execution.” Cem Kaner
“The plainest deﬁnition of exploratory testing is test design
and test execution at the same time.” J. Bach

Activities
EXPLORATORY TESTING
Modelling
Decision Making
Conﬁguration
Operation
Observation
Evaluation
Learning
Testing
Design
Strategy

TESTER CENTRIC
DesignTesting
Learning
Autodidactic
Self Awareness
Autonomy
Courage
Mental Engagement

• Download iHandy Coin Flip Free from Appstore
• Download iHandy Coin Flip Free from GooglePlay
TEST COIN FLIP FREE
Any Questions?

DISCUSSION

BUGS• flipping phone goes to adds
• coin changes automatically
• coin flip has preVibrate on Android is not working
• Flick Upward works when disabled
• there is no instruction screen, instruction menu or help text which I would normally expect
(comparable product)
• flip the coin 20 times in a row. 18 out of 20 resulted in heads. Doesn't feel like random distribution...
• Screen Size not scalable
• RapidTapping makes it crash (Android)
• Windows 8 touch screen problems.
• Doesn’t support Android 2.2 (Download page says it should)

WHAT DIDYOU DO?
• Played around
• Tried out different things
• Figured out how it worked
• Saw something unusual - looked more
• Read up the information (on Website)
• Compared your ﬁndings
SPONTANEOUSTESTING
--- James Bach & Michael Bolton - Rapid SoftwareTesting

“If you are not using the
learning garnered from test
design and test execution in a
continuous and rapid loop to
optimize the quality of the
work, you are not doing
exploratory testing”
--Michael Bolton

DELIBERATIVETESTING
• Scripting in your head
• Requires considered response to testing
• Requires awareness of your approach
• May require use of tools or setting up of test data
• May require extensive investigation
-- James Bach & Michael Bolton - Rapid SoftwareTesting

Heuristics
A heuristic is a fallible
method of solving a
problem or making a
decision.
• Requires Skill
• Context Dependent
• LessVisible
HEURISTICS
The essence of heuristics: http://www.satisfice.com/blog/archives/462

GROCERY SHOPPING
You are purchasing three items at the store, at these
prices:
• $19.95
• $39.98
• $29.97
About how much money are you spending?

HEURISTICS
The fastest way to solve this problem is to round off
and approximate.The ﬁrst item costs about $20, the
second about $40, and the third about $30; therefore,
you are spending about $90 on your shopping spree.
Rounding is often an excellent heuristic for arriving quickly
at approximate answers to mathematical problems.

MENTAL ENGAGEMENT
• Alternation
• Branching and BackTracking
• Embrace Distraction
• Jump in & Play
• Focus & Defocus --- James Bach & Michael Bolton - Rapid SoftwareTesting

EXPLORATORYTESTING
HEURISTICS
• FEW HICCUPS (Ways to Recognise Bugs) - Michael Bolton
• SFDIPOT (Ways to Model and generate test ideas) - James
Bach
• HeuristicTest Strategy Model - James Bach
• http://www.qualityperspectives.ca/resources_mnemonics.html

MANY WAYS OF ET
• Many different ways to use
exploratory testing
• Mix level of documentation
• Mix level of reporting
• Mix level of learning
• Mix level of test design
• Mix level of testability

• elements of design, execution, interpretation, and learning are performed by the same
person;
• the design, execution, interpretation, and learning happen together, rather than being
separated in time;
• the tester is making her own choices about what to test, when to test it, and how to
test it—the tester may use any automation or tools in support of her testing, or none
at all, as she sees ﬁt;
• everything that has been learned so far, including the result of the last test, informs the
tester’s choices about the next test;
• the tester is focused on revealing new information, rather than conﬁrming existing
knowledge about the product;
• in general, the tester is varying aspects of her tests rather than repeating them, except
where the repeating aspects of the test are intended to support the discovery of new
information.
Michael Bolton - Evolving Understanding of ExploratoryTesting
SUMMARY

FURTHER READING
• Exploratory Skills and Dynamics
• http://www.developsense.com/resources.html
• HeuristicTest Strategy Model
• Test Heuristics Cheat Sheet Elisabeth Hendrickson's
• You Are Not DoneYet Michael Hunter's Coverage

QUESTIONS?

THANKYOU!
amcharrett@testingtimes.com.au
@charrett
Skype: charretts

A taste of Exploratory Testing

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