Presentation 
Fredrik Rydberg AddQ Consulting 
Started employment in 2001 at the Med Tech 
company Maquet Critical Care 
(Stockholm Sweden) as Test Manager and later Unit Manager for testing. 
During the last 3 years Fredrik has been a Test Management consultant within sectors as Banking & Finance, Utilities (electricity) and Transport.
Can exploratory testing save lives? 
Fredrik Rydberg 
fredrik.rydberg@addq.se 
+46 735 142 143Experiences from MAQUET
ProductDescriptions 
Anesthesia System 
Ventilator ( =Respirator) 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbxxITf-N2Q
Description Ventilator Testning 
Measured 
value 
Set value 
P 
Flow 
V
Scripted requirement based testing at Maquet 
•Authorities/ standards 
•A ”Must” forced by security and quality 
•Easy to evaluate when exit criteria is met 
•Large amount of requirements to test –time consuming! 
•Mostly manual test cases 
•Old test cases result in few new defects!
Detailed requirements and scripted testing is absolutely needed but is not sufficient to fully verify the requirements !
Exploratory testing at Maquet 
•Started spontaneously approx. 16 years ago 
•Both requirements and parts not specified as req’s 
•Also non functional tests 
•User oriented 
•Cost effective 
•Intellectual 
•Suitable method for clinical experts and other expertise
Comparison Scripted testing -ET 
Scripted testing 
1.Test Design with Test Steps 
2.Execution 
3.Logging in protocol
Exploratory Testing 
•Parallel test design and execution 
•Level of documentation is varying 
Fully scripted 
Less guidence 
Fragmentic test cases 
charters 
Freestyle exploratory testing 
Exploratory testing 
Comparison Scripted testing -ET
Pitfalls/ experiences ET at Maquet 
•Different testers have different ET skills 
•Risk of decreased motivation without management and control… 
•…But management and control may influence creativity negatively 
•Difficult to monitor what has been tested without SBTM
Important capabilities for ET, Maquet 
•Clinical competence 
•Domain and technical knowledge 
•Experience of previous testing/ project 
•Test competence (testing techniques) 
•Curious, patient, communication and networking skills
Variation in the project cycle (ET/ scripted) 
ETScripted 
Time (months) Test Time / month (hours)
Scripted testing 
YIN 
Slow, cold and calm 
Exploratory 
testing 
YANG 
Focused, warm and aggressive 
Important to find the right mix!
Time distribution 
ET execution18% 
Automatic execution (scripted) 10% 
Script execution27% 
Script test reports5% 
Designing Scripted Test cases25% 
Other15% Efficient more times7 ET7)urdefects/ho(5.0)rdefect/hou(1) test timeET%(18) test timeScripted%(67:Efficiency Comparison  
Visit by James Bach (spring 2007) 
•2 days visit 
•Inspiration talk for employees 
•Participation in testing 
•”pep talk” 
•Improvement advice 
•Target of ET clearer
General Test tool support 
•Maquet developed tool for session based testing (“Session Based Tester”) 
•IBM Clear Quest, Requisite Pro 
•Capture Replay tool 
•Automatic loggings tool statistics 
IBM Requisite Pro
SBTM-Session Based Test Management (Method) 
•General method to manage, report and follow up ET 
•Time box approx. 90 min (60-120 min) 
•Supported by charters 
•A result possible to evaluate 
•Often combined with debriefing (approx. 15 min) Session-based testing is developed by Jonathan and James Bach (first presented in year 2000). See http://www.satisfice.com/sbtm for more info.
Session Based Testing Tool (Open Source) 
•Maquet developed tool 
•Started in use Aug. 2008 
•Developed in Perl using SQL server 
•Example field New session: 
•Project 
•Duration 
•Which tests to be done? 
•Which have been tested?
Example functionality: 
•Add new session 
•Report session 
•Metrics: Fault intensity 
•Archiving 
•Test Reports 
Session Based Testing Tool (Open Source)
Advantage SBTM Maquet 
•Easier to manage and follow up ET 
•Reuse of sessions 
•Statistics 
•Complementing the Test Report 
•Participation from other departments 
•Learn from other test sessions 
•Common ET process
ET today at Maquet 
•ET recognized and powerful test approach 
•ET has resulted in an increased test focus at Maquet 
•ET is the most efficient test approach 
•ET contribution to Market Leading product
Future possibilities 
•Continue to improve ET/ SBTM 
•Improved debriefing/reporting 
•ET + SBTM training for new employees 
Suggestions future functionality (SBTM): 
•Dynamic Metrics (parameter list) 
•Validation / write protection of sessions 
•iPhone/ Android version? 
•Other tools?
Inspiration Exploratory testing 
Inspiration links: 
www.satisfice.com 
www.developsense.com 
www.kaner.com 
http://testingeducation.org/wp/ 
Maquet SBT Open Source: 
http://sites.google.com/site/sessionbasedtester/ 
Join the “Linked in” group “Session based testing”: 
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3316116
Fredrik Rydberg 
fredrik.rydberg@addq.se
Summary 
•ET needed to fully verify requirements 
•Other defects with ET compared to ST 
•Important to find the right mix 
•Increased efficiency with ET 
•SBTM (with tool) made ET more structured 
•ET significant quality contribution

Fredrik Rydberg - Can Exploratory Testing Save Lives - EuroSTAR 2010

  • 2.
    Presentation Fredrik RydbergAddQ Consulting Started employment in 2001 at the Med Tech company Maquet Critical Care (Stockholm Sweden) as Test Manager and later Unit Manager for testing. During the last 3 years Fredrik has been a Test Management consultant within sectors as Banking & Finance, Utilities (electricity) and Transport.
  • 3.
    Can exploratory testingsave lives? Fredrik Rydberg fredrik.rydberg@addq.se +46 735 142 143Experiences from MAQUET
  • 4.
    ProductDescriptions Anesthesia System Ventilator ( =Respirator) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbxxITf-N2Q
  • 5.
    Description Ventilator Testning Measured value Set value P Flow V
  • 6.
    Scripted requirement basedtesting at Maquet •Authorities/ standards •A ”Must” forced by security and quality •Easy to evaluate when exit criteria is met •Large amount of requirements to test –time consuming! •Mostly manual test cases •Old test cases result in few new defects!
  • 7.
    Detailed requirements andscripted testing is absolutely needed but is not sufficient to fully verify the requirements !
  • 8.
    Exploratory testing atMaquet •Started spontaneously approx. 16 years ago •Both requirements and parts not specified as req’s •Also non functional tests •User oriented •Cost effective •Intellectual •Suitable method for clinical experts and other expertise
  • 9.
    Comparison Scripted testing-ET Scripted testing 1.Test Design with Test Steps 2.Execution 3.Logging in protocol
  • 10.
    Exploratory Testing •Paralleltest design and execution •Level of documentation is varying Fully scripted Less guidence Fragmentic test cases charters Freestyle exploratory testing Exploratory testing Comparison Scripted testing -ET
  • 11.
    Pitfalls/ experiences ETat Maquet •Different testers have different ET skills •Risk of decreased motivation without management and control… •…But management and control may influence creativity negatively •Difficult to monitor what has been tested without SBTM
  • 12.
    Important capabilities forET, Maquet •Clinical competence •Domain and technical knowledge •Experience of previous testing/ project •Test competence (testing techniques) •Curious, patient, communication and networking skills
  • 13.
    Variation in theproject cycle (ET/ scripted) ETScripted Time (months) Test Time / month (hours)
  • 14.
    Scripted testing YIN Slow, cold and calm Exploratory testing YANG Focused, warm and aggressive Important to find the right mix!
  • 15.
    Time distribution ETexecution18% Automatic execution (scripted) 10% Script execution27% Script test reports5% Designing Scripted Test cases25% Other15% Efficient more times7 ET7)urdefects/ho(5.0)rdefect/hou(1) test timeET%(18) test timeScripted%(67:Efficiency Comparison  
  • 16.
    Visit by JamesBach (spring 2007) •2 days visit •Inspiration talk for employees •Participation in testing •”pep talk” •Improvement advice •Target of ET clearer
  • 17.
    General Test toolsupport •Maquet developed tool for session based testing (“Session Based Tester”) •IBM Clear Quest, Requisite Pro •Capture Replay tool •Automatic loggings tool statistics IBM Requisite Pro
  • 18.
    SBTM-Session Based TestManagement (Method) •General method to manage, report and follow up ET •Time box approx. 90 min (60-120 min) •Supported by charters •A result possible to evaluate •Often combined with debriefing (approx. 15 min) Session-based testing is developed by Jonathan and James Bach (first presented in year 2000). See http://www.satisfice.com/sbtm for more info.
  • 19.
    Session Based TestingTool (Open Source) •Maquet developed tool •Started in use Aug. 2008 •Developed in Perl using SQL server •Example field New session: •Project •Duration •Which tests to be done? •Which have been tested?
  • 20.
    Example functionality: •Addnew session •Report session •Metrics: Fault intensity •Archiving •Test Reports Session Based Testing Tool (Open Source)
  • 21.
    Advantage SBTM Maquet •Easier to manage and follow up ET •Reuse of sessions •Statistics •Complementing the Test Report •Participation from other departments •Learn from other test sessions •Common ET process
  • 22.
    ET today atMaquet •ET recognized and powerful test approach •ET has resulted in an increased test focus at Maquet •ET is the most efficient test approach •ET contribution to Market Leading product
  • 23.
    Future possibilities •Continueto improve ET/ SBTM •Improved debriefing/reporting •ET + SBTM training for new employees Suggestions future functionality (SBTM): •Dynamic Metrics (parameter list) •Validation / write protection of sessions •iPhone/ Android version? •Other tools?
  • 24.
    Inspiration Exploratory testing Inspiration links: www.satisfice.com www.developsense.com www.kaner.com http://testingeducation.org/wp/ Maquet SBT Open Source: http://sites.google.com/site/sessionbasedtester/ Join the “Linked in” group “Session based testing”: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3316116
  • 25.
  • 26.
    Summary •ET neededto fully verify requirements •Other defects with ET compared to ST •Important to find the right mix •Increased efficiency with ET •SBTM (with tool) made ET more structured •ET significant quality contribution