The document discusses exploratory testing using heuristics as a vital part of agile quality assurance processes. It highlights various techniques and heuristics for test design, test execution, and the importance of tester expertise and domain knowledge. Additionally, it covers frameworks for testing, including product element heuristics and quality criteria, while emphasizing the need for systematic challenge and automation in testing.

1. Exploratory Testing
Using Heuristics

2. Michelle Lagare
QE Is The New QA
QE Transition Coach

3. Exploratory testing,
anyone?

4. Simultaneous learning, test
design and test execution
- James Bach

5. Why Exploratory Testing?
 Keep up with dev’t. pace
 Tester is an integral part of test process
 Core of Agile Testing

6. Advantages
 Keep up with dev’t. pace
 Tester is an integral part of test process
 Core of Agile Testing

7. Disadvantages
✘ Demands testing expertise
✘ Tester should have system’s domain knowledge
✘ Difficult to reproduce steps
✘ Harder to spot conflicting requirements

8. “HEURISTIC is a fallible
method of solving a
problem or making a
decision
- James Bach & Cem Kaner

9. Test Design Thru
HEURISTICS

10. “There are different heuristics and we
can come up with our own heuristic
sets to make it more suitable to the
project we’re testing

11. Test Heuristics in
Mnemonics

12. General Test Techniques
Heuristics - DUFFSSCRA

13. Divide and conquer data
Inputs and Outputs
 Boundary values
 Typical values
 Convenient values
 Invalid values
 Best representatives
Domain

14. User
Involve the users
 Categories and roles of users
 What do each user do?
 Real user data or real user to test
 Simulate a real user

15. What can it do?
What it isn’t supposed to do?
Function

16. Do one thing after another
 End-to-end
 Don’t reset the system between actions
 Vary timing and sequencing
 Parallel threads
Flow

17. Overwhelm the product
 Sub-systems to be overloaded or “broken”
 Challenging data
 Large or complex data structures
 High loads
 Long test runs
 Low memory conditions
Stress

18. Compelling story
 Meaningful and complex interactions
 Someone who matters might do something that matters with the
product
‘ ‘ ‘‘ ‘
‘
‘ ‘‘ Scenario

19. Challenge every claim
 SLA
 EULA
 Ads
 Specs
 Manuals
Claims

20. Risk
Imagine a problem
 Problems the products could have
 Which ones matters most?
 How do you detect them?
 List of problems and how to reveal them
 Consult experts, docs and past bugs

21. Automatic Checking
Check a million different facts
 Look/develop tools that can perform lots of actions and check lots
of things
 Partially automate test coverage
 Partially automate oracles
 Change detector
 Test data generator
 What can make human testing more powerful

22. Product Element
Heuristics - SFDIPOT

23. Structure
Everything that comprises the physical product
Code Non-executable files
Hardware Collateral

24. Function
Everything that the product does
Application Transformation Error-handling
Calculation Startup / Shutdown Interactions
Time-related Multimedia Testability

25. Data
Everything that the product processes
Input Persistent Big / Little
Output
Sequences /
Combinations
Noise
Preset Cardinality Lifecycle

26. Interfaces
Every conduit by which the product is accessed or expressed
User Interfaces API / SDK
System Interfaces Import / Export

27. Platform
Everything on which the product depends (and is outside your
project)
External
Hardware
External
Software
Internal
Components

28. Operations
How will the product be used
Users Common Use
Environment Disfavored Use
Extreme Use

29. Time
Any relationship between product and time
Input / Output Changing Rates
Fast / Slow Concurrency

30. Quality Criteria Heuristics -
CRUSSPICSTMPL
 Capability
 Reliability
 Usability
 Security
 Scalability
 Performance
 Installability
 Compatibility
 Supportability
 Testability
 Maintainability
 Portability
 Localizability

31. Project Environment - CIDTEST
 Customer
 Information
 Developer Relations
 Test Team
 Equipment & Tools
 Schedule
 Test Items
 Deliverables

32. Test Oracles - MB & JB
FEW HICCUPPS
 Familiarity
 Explainability
 World
 History
 Image
 Comparable Products
 Claims
 User’s expectations
 Product
 Purpose
 Statutes & Standards

33.  Recent
 Core
 Risk
 Configuration
 Repaired
 Chronic
Regression Testing - Karen Johnson
RCRCRC

34.  Paths / Files
 Time and Date
 Numbers
 Strings
 General
Data Type Attacks -
Elisabeth Hendrickson

35.  Navigation
 Input
 Syntax
 Preferences
Web Test -
Elisabeth Hendrickson

36.  Reply
 Sender
 Timestamp
 List
 Links
 Language
 Length
SMS Test - Karen Johnson
RSTLLL

37.  Inputs
 Store
 Location
 Interactions/Interruptions
 Communications
 Ergonomics
Mobile App Testing - Jonathan Kohl
I SLICED UP FUN
 Data
 Usability
 Platform
 Function
 User Scenarios
 Network

38. Create your own Test
Heuristics Mnemonics!

39. Q&A
Michelle Chua - Lagare
michelle@qeisthenewqa.com
@qeisthenewqa
qeisthenewqa.com