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A TASTE OF EXPLORATORY
        TESTING
        Anne-Marie Charrett
             @charrett
          Skype: Charretts
      Blog: Mavericktester.com
       This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-
        NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license,
             visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/.



               copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
IRISH CREDENTIALS

• Born    in St Michaels Dun Laoghaire

• Lived   in Dublin and Leixlip (officially Co.Kildare)

• Studied   at Kevin Street, DIT

• Worked     for EOLAS, Government Standards Body

• Holidays, in   County Kerry.

                           copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
UNPREDICTABLE CLIMATE


• “When   all is said and done,
 the weather and love are
 the two elements about
 which one can never be
 sure.” Alice Hoffman



                          copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
IMPROVISATION
   copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
CONCLUSION



IRISH MAKE THE BEST TESTERS


          copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
A TASTE OF EXPLORATORY
        TESTING
      Anne-Marie Charrett




        copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
TEST COIN FLIP FREE




     Any questions?




      copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
DISCUSSION

• What   bugs did you find?

• What   do you do ?




                        copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
BUGS




copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
WHAT DID YOU DO?

• Played   around

• Tried   out different things

• Figured   out how it worked

• Saw   something unusual - looked more

• Read    up the information (on Website)

• Compared      your findings
                            copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
SCRIPTED TESTING
Requires a tester to be able to:

   Often has formalised methodology based on
   IEEE829

   Design Test Scripts upfront against Requirements

   Requires Experienced Test Analyst Vs Tester

   Indicate Expected Result upfront

   Complete when 100% Test Executed

   Aims to be repeatable

   Agile - > automated checking




                                      copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
SCRIPTED TESTING
Documents

Test Strategy     Test Spec       Test Execution Test Report

Activities
         Strategy
 Analysis          Design                  Testing           Reporting
          Modelling                               Configuration
               Modelling                Configuration
                                                    Operation
          Decision Making                Operation
                                                  Observation
                                         Observation
                             copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
                                                     Evaluation
                                         Evaluation Communication
“Exploratory testing is an approach to software testing that is
 concisely described as simultaneous learning, test design and
                  test execution.” Cem Kaner


 “The plainest definition of exploratory testing is test design
        and test execution at the same time.” J. Bach



                        copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
SIMULTANEOUS
Learning

Design

Execution




              copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
EXPLORATORY TESTING
                    Learning
                         Strategy
Activities              Modelling
                    Decision Making
                     Configuration
             Testing Operation
                     Observation Design
                      Evaluation



                     copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
TESTER CENTRIC
            Learning
           Autodidactic
          Self Awareness


           Autonomy
          Responsibility
            Courage
Testing                                  Design


          copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
MYTH #1

Exploratory Testing is unstructured



          copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
                               Jason Darge
PROBLEM SOLVING
   STRATEGIES


    copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
ALGORITHMS


• Explicit

• Repeatable

• Context    less important

• Knowledge    but not skill


                           copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Heuristics

A heuristic is a fallible
method of solving a
problem or making a
decision.

• Requires   Skill

• Context    Dependent
                 The essence of heuristics: http://www.satisfice.com/blog/archives/462
• Less Visible             copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
EXPLORATORY TESTING
             HEURISTICS

• FEW   HICCUPS (Ways to Recognise Bugs) - Michael Bolton

• SFDIPOT   (Ways to Model and generate test ideas) - James
 Bach

• Heuristic Test   Strategy Model - James Bach

• http://www.qualityperspectives.ca/resources_mnemonics.html


                           copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
MYTH #2
You can’t use documents in Exploratory Testing




                copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
IS DOCUMENT A DIRTY
WORD IN EXPLORATORY
      TESTING?




      copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
Documents are great for?

        Reflective Tool

 Keeping Track of what we do

Sharing Information with Others




        copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
REPORTING
•   Bug Reports

•   Test Reports

•   Mind Maps

•   Wiki

•   Conversations

•   MiPs

•              copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
    Charters and SBTM
copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
SBTM

• Session is the basic testing work unit
• Each session is chartered
• ~ 90 minutes
• Debrief
Read about it here: http://www.satisfice.com/sbtm/

                         copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
SESSION SHEET FORMAT
• Session charter (includes a mission statement, and
  areas to be tested)

• Tester name(s)
• Date and time started
• Task breakdown
• Data files
• Test notes
                   copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  Issues
What
   value
am I offering
     by
documenting
    this?




                copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
COBWEB

• Challenge   Documentation

• On    the Light side

• Begin   by Thinking, then read

• Where     possible, speak

• End   by date ? (best before date)

• Byproducts    not end results (its not an end its a means)
                              copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
QUESTIONS?



  copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
THANK YOU!

amcharrett@testingtimes.com.au
          @charrett
       Skype: charretts
        copyright ©TestingTimes 2013

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A Taste of Exploratory Testing

  • 1. A TASTE OF EXPLORATORY TESTING Anne-Marie Charrett @charrett Skype: Charretts Blog: Mavericktester.com This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution- NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/. copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 2. IRISH CREDENTIALS • Born in St Michaels Dun Laoghaire • Lived in Dublin and Leixlip (officially Co.Kildare) • Studied at Kevin Street, DIT • Worked for EOLAS, Government Standards Body • Holidays, in County Kerry. copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 3. UNPREDICTABLE CLIMATE • “When all is said and done, the weather and love are the two elements about which one can never be sure.” Alice Hoffman copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 4. IMPROVISATION copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 6. CONCLUSION IRISH MAKE THE BEST TESTERS copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 7. A TASTE OF EXPLORATORY TESTING Anne-Marie Charrett copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 8. TEST COIN FLIP FREE Any questions? copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 9. DISCUSSION • What bugs did you find? • What do you do ? copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 11. WHAT DID YOU DO? • Played around • Tried out different things • Figured out how it worked • Saw something unusual - looked more • Read up the information (on Website) • Compared your findings copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 12. SCRIPTED TESTING Requires a tester to be able to: Often has formalised methodology based on IEEE829 Design Test Scripts upfront against Requirements Requires Experienced Test Analyst Vs Tester Indicate Expected Result upfront Complete when 100% Test Executed Aims to be repeatable Agile - > automated checking copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 13. SCRIPTED TESTING Documents Test Strategy Test Spec Test Execution Test Report Activities Strategy Analysis Design Testing Reporting Modelling Configuration Modelling Configuration Operation Decision Making Operation Observation Observation copyright ©TestingTimes 2013 copyright ©TestingTimes 2013 Evaluation Evaluation Communication
  • 14. “Exploratory testing is an approach to software testing that is concisely described as simultaneous learning, test design and test execution.” Cem Kaner “The plainest definition of exploratory testing is test design and test execution at the same time.” J. Bach copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 15. SIMULTANEOUS Learning Design Execution copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 16. EXPLORATORY TESTING Learning Strategy Activities Modelling Decision Making Configuration Testing Operation Observation Design Evaluation copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 17. TESTER CENTRIC Learning Autodidactic Self Awareness Autonomy Responsibility Courage Testing Design copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 18. MYTH #1 Exploratory Testing is unstructured copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 20. PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 21. ALGORITHMS • Explicit • Repeatable • Context less important • Knowledge but not skill copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 22. PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES Heuristics A heuristic is a fallible method of solving a problem or making a decision. • Requires Skill • Context Dependent The essence of heuristics: http://www.satisfice.com/blog/archives/462 • Less Visible copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 23. EXPLORATORY TESTING HEURISTICS • FEW HICCUPS (Ways to Recognise Bugs) - Michael Bolton • SFDIPOT (Ways to Model and generate test ideas) - James Bach • Heuristic Test Strategy Model - James Bach • http://www.qualityperspectives.ca/resources_mnemonics.html copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 24. MYTH #2 You can’t use documents in Exploratory Testing copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 25. IS DOCUMENT A DIRTY WORD IN EXPLORATORY TESTING? copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 26. Documents are great for? Reflective Tool Keeping Track of what we do Sharing Information with Others copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 27. REPORTING • Bug Reports • Test Reports • Mind Maps • Wiki • Conversations • MiPs • copyright ©TestingTimes 2013 Charters and SBTM
  • 30. SBTM • Session is the basic testing work unit • Each session is chartered • ~ 90 minutes • Debrief Read about it here: http://www.satisfice.com/sbtm/ copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 31. SESSION SHEET FORMAT • Session charter (includes a mission statement, and areas to be tested) • Tester name(s) • Date and time started • Task breakdown • Data files • Test notes copyright ©TestingTimes 2013 Issues
  • 32. What value am I offering by documenting this? copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 33. COBWEB • Challenge Documentation • On the Light side • Begin by Thinking, then read • Where possible, speak • End by date ? (best before date) • Byproducts not end results (its not an end its a means) copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 34. QUESTIONS? copyright ©TestingTimes 2013
  • 35. THANK YOU! amcharrett@testingtimes.com.au @charrett Skype: charretts copyright ©TestingTimes 2013