This document discusses how to get better at exploratory testing through understanding, practice with feedback, and continuous growth (GROW). It emphasizes learning through experience and feedback, practicing a variety of techniques like pair and ensemble testing, and gaining leadership skills to continuously improve testing practices. The goal of exploratory testing is to find issues others may have missed through an interactive, learning-focused process.

1. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
How to Get Better at
Exploratory Testing
by Maaret Pyhäjärvi

2. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
Information
Test automation
= documentation
Better me & others

3. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
“This is a lot of
responsibility for
an engineering
manager to
shoulder…”
- @johncuttlefish
July 29th, 2021

4. @maaretp http://maaretp.com

5. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
1.Understand
2. Practice + Feedback
3. GROW

6. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
Exploratory Testing
TEST DESIGN
TEST
EXECUTION
LEARNING,
AGENCY
IMPACTFUL RESULTS
M
A
M
A
product design
* power to decide with
knowledge and attitude that
goes with power

7. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
First
Experience
to
Exploratory
Testing?
Spec => Tests
+ a Session to Find all Bugs
Repeat list of test cases
+ a conference awakening
Some tests, budget of
time, QA on results

8. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
1.Understand
2. Practice + Feedback
3. GROW

9. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
Never be bored!
Always vary.

10. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
Traditional Exploratory Testing Artifacts

11. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
Test Strategy for E-Primer

12. @maaretp http://maaretp.com

13. @maaretp http://maaretp.com

14. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
”Find (some of) What
Others May Have Missed”

15. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
Feedback on
Results
5 → 29 bugs
found
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnKwB_WERtc

16. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
Solitary introspection without active
experimentation is daydreaming.
– Herminia Ibarra
Social exchanges:
- Respond
- Sympathize
- Commiserate
- Question
- Share own experiences
Pair and Ensemble Programming / Testing
Debriefing

17. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
1.Understand
2. Practice + Feedback
3. GROW

18. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
Testing
Leadership
Business
Organizations
Problem Domains
Rich Social Networks
Short Feedback Loops
@TesterAB
As testers we are often
expected to not only do
our work but to fix our
organization to be able
to do so. – Anna Baik
Continuous releases
Monitoring, Observability
Product Ownership
Decisions on fixes
Fixing

19. @maaretp http://maaretp.com
2020 2016
MIATPP
Most Influential Agile Testing
Professional Person
#PayToSpeak #TechVoices
#EnsembleTesting #EnsembleProgramming #StrongStylePairing
#ExploratoryTesting #TestAutomation
#ModernAgile
#AwesomeTesters
Maaret Pyhäjärvi (from Finland)
Email: maaret@iki.fi
Twitter: @maaretp
Web: maaretp.com
Blog: visible-quality.blogspot.fi
(please connect with me through
Twitter or LinkedIn)