Practice shows that test managers are tend not to use exploratory testing when working on different projects.
Automated testing and specification-based functional testing are usually used there. These types of software testing are more distributed.
But, fortunately, the situation is changing, and exploratory testing becomes more and more popular among testers.
When implemented correctly, this testing type becomes a very effective tool for finding unexpected or even unpredicted bugs in the application or system.
Exploratory testing presupposes the usage of a range of definite techniques that will provide a high-quality check.
What are the Exploratory Testing Approaches?
- Improvisation. Black box testing is used in this approach. Testers regard software as the way in which the end-users will see the product itself. This method helps to be creative, although, it could be ineffective for searching for serious bugs.
- Scenario-oriented. This technique involves using preliminarily determined scenarios with generally described steps of testing. The disadvantage of such a technique is the possibility that the end user’s opinion and written scenarios will not coincide.
- Strategy-oriented. In such a case, the tester is well-informed about the product, including its architecture. Out of this, he thoroughly checks the software according to the general strategy. Unfortunately, not all members of the testing team will be aware of the product specifics.
- Feedback-oriented. Software testing company always takes into account and analyzes the feedbacks, left by clients, end-users, etc. Basing on the improvisation technique, the specialists collect the required data: test coverage, logs, history of bug reports, and many others. On the basis of available data, they correct the strategies and pay more attention to vulnerable parts of the product under test.