Exploratory testing: complementing scripted testing

Exploratory testing is a hands-on testing technique that involves minimal planning and maximum test execution by working on the basic principle of learning by discovery. 

Exploratory testing can prove to be an interesting journey of discovering new bugs, uncovering hidden segments of code that may be harboring a dormant bug, leading to a path-breaking discovery, which may prevent a major issue in future. This journey is in particular rewarding for the testers with out-of-the-box thinking, which further adds a lateral and analytical element to their technical skills. 

This article talks about those “additional” skills required to be a voyager on the path of making discoveries.

Investigative Abilities

Be focused like Montgomery Scott(Scotty)and love your work. Invoke the passion to observe, visualize, question, investigate, deduce, and act. A good exploratory tester visualizes all possible scenarios. He/she looks for clues that may indicate probable issues. Once those clues become definitive, it is time to investigate by devising a course of action, which involves creating test cases and executing them to reach a final deduction.

Lateral thinking abilities

Put your thinking cap on. Apply that out-of-the-box approach like Captain James Tiberius Kirk. Explore the unknown and uncharted territories, for all you know, there might be hidden bugs waiting to attack at an unsuspecting moment. Get creative with your test cases and uncover the bugs hiding in dark unexplored corners.

Critical analysis skills

Awaken that Vulcan in you and think like Mr. Spock. Approach testing in an objective, rational, and logical manner. Don’t let any preconceived notion cloud your judgment. If a bug is discovered, then marking its severity and then tracing it back to its origin needs a clear cut analytical approach. It is vital to weigh all the possibilities and consider arguments in favor of or against each one of them, before reaching the final conclusion regarding any potential bug.

Time Management Skills

Self-discipline, ability to focus, and multitask are useful traits to have while testing. Pretty much what Mr. Sulu did on his job. He was a reliable guy who got the job done. It is quite natural to lose track of time while exploring new territories. A good tester should respect timelines and work accordingly since exploratory testing is a time-boxed approach. If you struggle in keeping up with time, then try session planning and crafting detailed session charters. They are proven tools that aid in time management during exploratory testing.

The art of communicating

Communication skills play an important role in every single aspect of life. Communicate like Lt. Nyota Uhura. Be the bridge between various stakeholders, like developers, other testers, and business analysts. Extract and analyze the relevant information. This is an important step in setting the right tone for testing. Clear communication also comes handy while sharing the test results. Any query by the stakeholders should be explained clearly, with all supporting facts. Any counter-arguments should be handled appropriately. All the hard work involved in discovering a bug can go waste if it cannot be communicated well further.

Conclusion

Exploratory testing requires a unique combination of skill set mentioned above, besides having good technical know-how. The curiosity and the desire to know “why” should be a driving factor for the testers. However, finding that perfect mix of skills may not be that easy a feat. 

Webomates has done extensive research on how to high jump to a high quality using exploratory testing and a detailed analysis can be found in the article written by Aseem Bakshi, Webomates CEO.

Webomates offers a regression testing service that uses AI Automation and automation supplemented with manual testing (test case-based and exploratory-based) and crowdsourcing together to guarantee all test cases (even modified ones) are executed in 24 hours.

At Webomates, we continuously work to evolve our platform & processes in order to provide guaranteed execution, which takes testing experience to an entirely different level, thus ensuring a higher degree of customer satisfaction.If you are interested in learning more about Webomates’ CQ service please click here and schedule a demo, or reach out to us at info@webomates.com

Tags: Exploratory testing