What is Exploratory Testing? Process and Best Practices

Exploratory testing is perhaps one of the most adaptive and flexible approaches to test a software. It’s a methodology wherein testers could really think critically and creatively about how various issues may arise and make sure users have a seamless experience with it. But what exactly is the exploratory testing anyway, and why should this be of any concern to your organization?

In this article, we take a close look at what exploratory testing is, go over its benefits, and show you how it could be a game-changer for your software development process.

Understanding Exploratory Testing

Exploratory testing is a type of software testing that is characterized by a more unstructured, hands-on approach. Unlike scripted testing, in which testers follow predefined test cases, exploratory testing involves simultaneous test design and execution. Testers explore the application on the fly, discovering defects and learning about the software’s behaviour as they progress.

This is particularly effective in cases where the requirements are not well-defined or when the software is in a rapidly changing environment.

Exploratory testing puts much emphasis on the skills and intuition of the tester by relying on experience and knowledge that the tester has about the application and his critical thinking ability.

Key Characteristics of Exploratory Testing

• Simultaneous Design and Execution: In exploratory testing, the test cases are not predefined. The testers perform ad hoc test design by continuous observation of the application’s behavior, and they focus on an area that seems more prone to defects.
• Flexibility and Adaptability: It would also cover testing that allows rapid adjustments to be made based on findings. On the emergence of new issues, testers can soon change direction to explore the problem.
• Focus on Learning: Testers learn about the application as they test it, which enables them to uncover hidden issues that might not be apparent through traditional testing methods.
• User-Centric: Since exploratory testing usually emulates real-world use, it allows for far superior identification of issues that may impact the experience of an end-users.

What is The Process of Exploratory Testing?

Exploratory testing is the most flexible and adaptive approach in which test design and execution are woven together in real time. Here’s a streamlined process of how it works:

• Understand the Application: Get to know the functionality of the application intimately and understands its key objectives, based on whatever documentation and user stories are available.
• Create a Test Charter: Write a concise charter that outlines the scope and mission of a testing session; it may be targeted at high-risk areas or key functionalities.
• Begin Testing: Work on the application with different inputs and other functions to make it respond to them in a varied manner.
• Document Findings: Keep detailed notes and logs of exploratory actions along with the results that occurred and any defects for future reference or debugging.
• Debrief: Conclude with some team debrief at the end of the procedures in order to discuss insights, unexpected behavior, and refine future test strategies based on findings.
• Iterate: Improve and re-test in light of previous insights, while continuously adapting to newly emerging information and concerns.

The Advantages of Exploratory Testing

Exploratory testing has various advantages, especially in time-constrained development environments of today, characterized by wide scopes of changes.

1. Efficient Defect Discovery: Exploratory testing is thoroughly capable of finding those defects that automated or scripted tests cannot do. Since the testing is not limited to specific scripts, it gives the application a wider and deeper scope and hence finds out some of the crucial issues.
2. Adaptability to Change: In Agile and DevOps environments where changes may get frequent and arbitrary, exploratory testing offers flexibility to rapidly make judgments about the effect of new features or changes. Logically, testers can direct their efforts at what has changed most recently or what is most susceptible in the application.
3. Engages Tester Creativity and Experience: Exploratory testing makes use of a tester’s creativity, intuition, and experience. It’s this human element that many times catches subtle and complex issues that might be left unnoticed by automated tests. It functionally allows testers to think out of the box and try different scenarios.
4. Improved Test Coverage: Exploring an application in most unstructured ways allows testers to achieve broader test coverage. Once again, they do not restrict themselves to any set path or user story, but investigate all parts of the application in detail to make sure that even obscure features are tried out.
5. Immediate Feedback: Since test design and execution happen simultaneously, Exploratory testing immediately provides feedback to developers. This quick turnaround has great essence in fast development cycles because teams can address issues within the shortest possible time from the date of detection.
6. Cost-Effectiveness: Exploratory testing requires no extensive preparation or creation of a detailed test script. This reduces the time and resources required to get started with actual testing, hence making it cost-effective for early-stage projects or smaller teams.

When to Use Exploratory Testing

While exploratory testing has many advantages, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It is most beneficial in specific scenarios:

• Early Stages of Development: A product will considerably benefit from exploratory testing in its early developmental stages since this sort of testing can yield fundamental issues that might be baked into the software. The earlier the intervention, the more time and resources that are saved later on.
• Rapidly Changing Environments: Agile and DevOps environments are fast-moving, with requirements constantly changing. Exploratory testing is the much-needed flexibility that agile testing requires to adapt to changing requirements in a time and resource-efficient manner.
• User Acceptance Testing (UAT): During UAT, exploratory testing enables testers to simulate real-world scenarios of usage; hence, it provides a more realistic view of how the end-users will actually use the application.
• Post-Deployment Testing: This should be performed after the deployment of an application to find out any issues that might have slipped through during the earlier testing phases. It is the assurance that the product is ready for an end-user.

Best Practices for Exploratory Testing

To obtain the very best from exploratory testing, there are a few best practices that must be observed:

1. Define Clear Objectives: While exploratory testing is flexible, it is necessary initially to have some clear objectives. Define what the engineer would like to achieve from the process of testing, such as identifying certain types of defects or validating particular features.
2. Document Your Findings: Although unscripted, the process requires documentation of your findings. Utilize tools that can screen capture, log, and note all actions done during test sessions. These will be really useful for the developers in fixing bugs and thereafter reproduce it for further testing.
3. Leverage Tester Expertise: Exploratory testing should indeed be carried out by expert testers who have experience with the application and the context to which it is put into use. Their knowledge and intuition will be crucial in exposing the most important issues.
4. Time-Box Testing Sessions: Exploratory testing is open-ended, so it is necessary to bound the time spent during testing. This will ensure focus and attention to all areas of an application.
5. Use a Mix of Testing Approaches: While Exploratory testing is powerful, it should be used in conjunction with other forms of testing, such as automated or scripted testing. This combination provides comprehensive coverage and ensures that all aspects of the application are thoroughly tested.

Conclusion

Exploratory testing is one of the strongest arms in the arsenal of software testing, guaranteeing flexibility, efficiency, and—most of all—in-depth product knowledge.

It finds those defects that other methods could easily miss by focusing on the tester’s intuition and experience. It bore these points out, leading to the better quality of the product.

At Testscenario, we commit to helping our customers achieve the best possible outcomes with our tailored exploratory testing services. Contact us today and let us make a difference in your software development process.