This document discusses myths about exploratory testing. It addresses six myths: 1) That exploratory testing is the same as ad-hoc testing, 2) That exploratory testing can't be measured, 3) That exploratory testing is endless, 4) That exploratory testing can't reproduce defects, 5) That exploratory testing is only for agile teams, and 6) That exploratory testing is not documented. The document provides explanations for why these are myths and offers suggestions for effective exploratory testing techniques.

1. Exploratory Testing myths

2. luis.fraile@vsanywhere.com
CTO / Co-founder
@lfraile - @vs_anywhere
www.lfraile.net
http://geeks.ms/blogs/lfraile/
Luis Fraile

3. 16/05/2014
Exploratory testing?

4. 16/05/2014
Keys to
success
Inspect and
adapt
Be creative!
Take
advantage of
your team´s
skillset
Additional
to other
Testing
Quickly find
defects
Add value to
your
customer
TEST
EARLY,
TEST
OFTEN !!!

5. Some myths…
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Myth 1: Same as Ad-hoc testing
Must be planned and documented
You must know
What has
been tested
When was
it tested
What
defects
where
logged
Some ideas
Testing
tours from
James
Whittaker
Context-
based
testing
Session-
based from
James Bach
Your own
method
Ad-hoc testing is a commonly used term for software testing performed without planning and documentation

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Myth 2: Can´t be measured
Multiple measurement techniques
• Session-Based Test Management SBTM
• Amount of logged defects
• Defects vs. user story complexity
You must be creative
Warning… Warning!
• Don´t be fooled by metrics

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Myth 3: Endless
Difficult to focus on long tasks (> 25 min)
Endless == useless
Must focus on specifics
•Requirements
•Problems
•Complex parts
Stay focused for burst periods (25 min)

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10. Myth 4: Can´t reproduce defects
How do you reproduce a defect?
Be a
Explorer
Like David
Livingstone
Toolset
Record video /
audio
Screen capture
Analog
recording (i.e.
Pen and paper)
Empower
developers
…adopt a
developer 

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Adopt a developer

12. Myth 5: Only for Agile teams
Inspect and adapt
Insanity: doing the
same thing over and
over again and
expecting different
results.
Look for new ways of
testing
Empower your team by
allowing creativity…
... Do you trust your
team?
… or not? …

13. Myth 6: Not documented
What we think of documentation?
But there are:
•Video
•Screenshots
•Audio
•Bugs
•New test plans …

14. Did we change your mind?

15. As soon as
possible
Defects can
appear in any
phase
... Pretotyping
http://www.pretotyping.org/the-
pretotyping-manifesto-1
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When to start

16. What to expect
• … one more time
Defects
• Key areas
• Increased knowledgeTest plan

17. Tools
Very Important Rol
Should help you to
•Manage testing effort
•Manage test executions
•Manage defects
•Metrics to measure progress

18. Experience and experiment
MOST IMPORTANT THING !!!!!

19. References
● Agile Testing from Lisa Crispin y Janet Gregory
● Anutthara Baradwaj (Microsoft)
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/anutthara
● James Bach http://www.satisfice.com/blog/
● James Whittaker (Google Microsoft)
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jw_on_tech/
● Exploratory Software Testing: Tips, Tricks, Tours, and Techniques to
Guide Test Design
● http://thecodinglove.com/

20. Thanks for your time
Luis Fraile // luis.fraile@vsanywhere.com // @lfraile // @vs_anywhere
16/05/2014