Exploratory Testing
We got hands-on here, running two exercises exploring the building, one following a test script and one using a exploratory charter format and discussing the differences. A lot of discussions running the test script were around the test script (limitations, where it didn’t work!) and a lot of the discussions after the exploratory session around the building (what was found, limitations, risks). Go figure!
We used a Charter Format from Elisabeth Hendrickson:
Explore <target>
With <resources>
to discover <information>
We introduced different models of testing that can show the value and advantage of (Exploratory) Testing. Looking at a rough presentation of a Software Development Life Cycle, courtesy of James Thomas:
Black lines: spec to dev, dev builds application, test compare spec with implementation, using a pass/fail script. Red lines: All that’s missing - wondering about unknowns, the user perspective, how appopriate the spec is, capabilities of the application not covered by the spec, biases I as a tester have, the context etc.
Exploratory testing covers both black and red!
We illustrated further how testing focuses on uncovering the unknowns and looking at different dimensions via few more models:
Find those explained in more detail:
- Del Dewar: The Testing-Checking Synergy
- James Lindsay: The Expected - Got Model - ET Script or Explore
- Iain McCowatt: Needed / Specified / Implemented - Spec checking and bug blindness
And we wrapped this discussion up with a shortened description on testing by James Bach & Michael Bolton:
“Testing is the process of evaluating a product by learning about it through exploration and experimentation”
Resources at a Glance:
- James Bach, Michael Bolton: Exploratory Testing 3.0
- Elisabeth Hendrickson: Explore It! Reduce Risk and Increase Confidence with Exploratory Testing
- Del Dewar: The Testing-Checking Synergy
- James Lindsay: The Expected - Got Model - ET Script or Explore
- Iain McCowatt: Needed / Specified / Implemented - Spec checking and bug blindness
… and some more:
- Elisabeth Hendrickson: Exploratory Testing in an Agile Context
- James Bach: Exploratory Testing Explained
- Dan Ashby: A Better Testing Pyramid
- Marcel Gehlen: Pathway Exploratory Testing
- Karo Stoltzenburg: On: What is Testing?
- Huib Schoots: Great Resources – Testing & What is Testing
What are your favourite resources, models, blog posts, videos?