ISTQB FOUNDATION 4.0 | Tutorial 38 | Exploratory Testing | Experience Based Testing | ISTQB Tutorial
Summary
TLDRThis tutorial delves into exploratory testing, a technique often misunderstood as random application interaction. It clarifies that exploratory testing is about gaining deep insights into requirements through questions and discussions with stakeholders, not aimless clicking. The session highlights the simultaneous design, execution, and evaluation of tests, the use of session-based testing within time-boxed periods, and the importance of a test charter for documenting objectives and findings. Debriefing sessions post-testing are also emphasized for effective communication of results. The tutorial underscores the value of exploratory testing in scenarios with poor specifications or time constraints, and as a complement to formal testing methods, especially beneficial when conducted by experienced testers with strong analytical and creative skills.
Takeaways
- π Exploratory testing is a common technique used in both agile and traditional methodologies.
- π The misconception that exploratory testing involves random clicking is clarified; it's about gaining insights into requirements.
- π€ Exploratory testing is particularly useful when specifications are poor or there is significant time pressure.
- π Testers should document their sessions using a test charter, which includes objectives, environment, data, and outcomes.
- π Sessions are time-boxed, typically ranging from 30 minutes to 2 hours, to maintain focus and efficiency.
- π The test charter serves as a log sheet for each test session, capturing key details and observations.
- π€ Debriefing sessions are conducted post-testing to discuss findings with stakeholders, similar to an interview format.
- π§ Testers use exploratory testing to uncover real defects by deeply understanding and questioning requirements.
- π οΈ Exploratory testing complements formal techniques, providing additional coverage and confidence in testing outcomes.
- π‘ The effectiveness of exploratory testing is enhanced by the tester's experience, domain knowledge, and analytical skills.
- π It's a practice to follow formal testing with exploratory testing for better defect detection and product assurance.
Q & A
What is the main focus of Chapter 4 in the ISTQB Foundation Level certification tutorial?
-Chapter 4 focuses on test analysis and design, specifically discussing experience-based test techniques in segment 4.4.
What is the common misconception about exploratory testing mentioned in the script?
-The common misconception is that exploratory testing involves randomly clicking on the application, which is incorrect.
What is the actual purpose of exploratory testing according to the script?
-The actual purpose of exploratory testing is to explore the product requirements, gain insights, and understand the expectations to guide the testing process.
Why is it important for a tester to understand the requirements before testing?
-It is important because without understanding the requirements, a tester cannot accurately test the application to meet the exact needs and expectations of the stakeholders.
What are the characteristics of exploratory testing mentioned in the script?
-The characteristics include simultaneous design, execution, and evaluation of tests, use of session-based testing, and the creation of a test charter to guide the testing process.
What is a test charter in the context of exploratory testing?
-A test charter is a document that contains information about each test session, including the date, time, duration, tester, environment, test data, scenario, user persona, and key objectives.
How long should a test session in exploratory testing typically last?
-A test session should typically last between 30 minutes to 120 minutes.
What is the purpose of a debriefing session after a test session in exploratory testing?
-The purpose of a debriefing session is to discuss the test results with stakeholders, focusing on key findings and observations from the test session.
Why is exploratory testing useful when there are inadequate specifications or significant time pressure?
-Exploratory testing is useful in these situations because it allows testers to quickly gather information, understand requirements, and identify defects without the need for extensive pre-planning or documentation.
How does exploratory testing complement other more formal test techniques?
-Exploratory testing complements formal techniques by providing additional coverage and confidence in the testing process, often revealing defects that formal techniques might miss.
What qualities are important for a tester to be effective in exploratory testing?
-Important qualities for a tester in exploratory testing include experience, domain knowledge, analytical skills, curiosity, and creativity.
Outlines
π§ Exploratory Testing Misconceptions and Techniques
This paragraph clarifies the common misconceptions about exploratory testing, emphasizing that it is not about random clicking but rather a structured approach to understand product requirements in the absence of detailed specifications. It highlights the importance of asking questions to stakeholders for insights and the role of experience-based techniques in gathering more information. The paragraph also introduces the characteristics of exploratory testing, such as simultaneous test design, execution, and evaluation, and the use of session-based testing within a time-boxed framework. The concept of a test charter is introduced as a mandatory document to guide and record test sessions.
π Documentation and Debriefing in Exploratory Testing
The second paragraph delves into the documentation practices within exploratory testing, focusing on the test charter as a key document that outlines the details and objectives of each test session. It discusses the importance of debriefing sessions post-testing, where stakeholders engage with the tester to discuss findings and insights. The paragraph also touches on the reporting methods in exploratory testing, the use of test session sheets, and the conditions under which exploratory testing is particularly useful, such as with inadequate specifications or under time pressure. It concludes by emphasizing the complementary nature of exploratory testing to formal techniques and the importance of the tester's experience, domain knowledge, and essential skills.
π€ The Complementary Role of Exploratory Testing
The final paragraph reinforces the idea that exploratory testing is a valuable addition to formal testing techniques, providing a different perspective that can uncover unique defects. It suggests that even after conducting formal testing, a round of exploratory testing can enhance coverage and confidence in the product's release. The paragraph encourages continuous learning and exploration, inviting viewers to engage with the content and seek further clarification if needed, and ends with a note of thanks for watching the tutorial.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Exploratory Testing
π‘Agile Methodology
π‘Test Analysis and Design
π‘Experience-Based Test Techniques
π‘Session-Based Testing
π‘Test Charter
π‘Debriefing
π‘Test Objective
π‘Time-Boxed
π‘Complementary Technique
π‘Domain Knowledge
Highlights
Exploratory testing is a common technique used in both agile and traditional methodologies.
A common myth about exploratory testing is that it involves random clicking on the application, which is incorrect.
Exploration in testing is about asking questions to stakeholders to gain insights about requirements.
Testers need to understand detailed expectations and requirements to effectively test.
Exploratory testing is used when specifications are poor and more information is needed.
Testers should define the approach to testing based on their understanding of the requirements.
Exploratory testing involves designing, executing, and evaluating tests simultaneously.
Session-based testing is a structured approach used within exploratory testing.
Test sessions are time-boxed, typically between 30 minutes to 2 hours.
A test charter is used to document each test session's objectives and findings.
Debriefing sessions involve discussions between testers and stakeholders about test results.
Exploratory testing is useful when there are inadequate specifications or significant time pressure.
Testers may use a test session sheet to document steps and discoveries made during testing.
Exploratory testing is a complementary technique to more formal test methods.
Experience and essential skills like analytical skills, curiosity, and creativeness are important for effective exploratory testing.
Combining formal techniques with exploratory testing can provide better coverage and confidence in product release.
The tutorial emphasizes the importance of understanding the context and continuously learning in exploratory testing.
Transcripts
Hello friends and greetings for the day
welcome back to another tutorial on
istqb Foundation level certification we
are in chapter 4 talking about test
analysis and design and continuing with
our same segment that is 4.4
experience-based test techniques and as
a part of today's tutorial we'll be
looking into the next technique which is
exploratory
testing even exploratory testing is a
very common term today and no matter
you're doing agile or traditional
methodologies exploratory testing has
become one of our day-to-day activities
to be conducted especially when it comes
to Agile methodology and every single
tester has a good understanding of what
explorat testing is all about but
there's a small myth before we start
talking about the characteristics of
this technique the very important and
most misunderstood part of the
exploratory testing is that it is about
explor exporing and testing the product
okay people think that randomly clicking
on the application and explorating
exploratory way of testing the system is
called as exploratory testing which is
actually incorrect the most important
thing here to understand us when we have
poor specification we do not even know
what exactly is the detailed expectation
of the system what exactly are the
detailed requirements so exploration is
more about asking question to the
business stakeholders or inter
stakeholders like designer developer Etc
to gain more insights and understanding
about what is the requirement now a very
simple statement to justify that what I
just said that given that a tester
really understands what the requirement
is all about you cannot test it at all
because for example if I don't tell you
what a login page should do you can come
up with your standards but you cannot
not meet my exact needs right so however
at any point of time a customer
expectation is equally important right
not just the technical standards what is
that I expect this system to behave as
should be implemented so given that your
requirements and specifications are
sometime poor that's where you use
experience-based test techniques and
exploration here is more about Gathering
more information more data more details
about the requirement so that the tester
can really understand what the
expectation and ask is and based on that
you can go ahead and design your
execution process however it's not
mandatory that you should write test
cases here but just defining the
approach what to test you should know
what exactly is the requirement all
about so let's clarify this myth
exploratory testing is not about
randomly clicking on the application and
testing it it's more about exploring the
product requirement getting to the
common understanding and then defining
what to test right let's have a look on
this what the characteristics of these
particular technique is trying to talk
about number one and most important
thing in exploratory testing test are
simultaneously designed executed and
evaluated while the tester learns about
the test object the very first line is
making it clear what we were talking
about however they're just also trying
to highlight that it's not necessary
that you must write the test detailed in
beginning in test design face and in
very detailed fashion a high level
oneliner test is also fine which can be
created on the go right before the
execution also but more importantly we
will have to explore the requirement and
while exploring the requirement you have
to write the oneliner high level
requirement also to add here the testing
is used to learn more about the test
object to explore it more deeply with
the focus test and to create test for
unnested areas so this is more to tell
of course by doing a deep dive by you
know exploring the requirements in
different manners different expectations
asking different questions you are
trying to elaborate more about what is
the real ask and based on that you
conduct the testing and certainly you
may find good and real defects related
to that also to add here explorat
testing is sometimes conducted using
session based testing to structure the
testing in a session based approach
exploratory testing is conducted within
a defined time box the testers uses a
test Charter containing test objective
to guide the testing so two other major
characteristics have been disclosed very
clearly here number one we make use of a
session based testing approach the
session based testing approach which
simply means that each execution is
called as a test session and is time
boxed now here the time box certainly
means it is between the duration of 30
minutes to 120 Minutes however these are
some of the old standards which Define
that we may not just run a test session
for 8 hours long so we must break our
scenarios into smallest parts so that we
can just accommodate that into 30
minutes to 120 Minutes of time that
means at least 30 minutes you would need
to explore something or run exploratory
test or maximum 2 hours are enough to
get to the exact need of the scenario
any scenario you cannot explore more
than two hours of time right so every
session has to be separated from the
other session so that we can really have
the key objectives achieved and at the
same time we are also saying that there
is a simple documentation used in
exploratory testing which is mandatory
document called as test Charter so test
Charter is basically just like a log
sheet just like a log sheet not the log
sheet it's just like a log sheet which
can contains information about each test
session for example date time duration
start time end time the tester
performing it the environment in which
you are executing what sort of test data
is being used what is the scenario being
considered what user Persona is being
used and what is the key objective of
doing this session and at the same time
you also summarize the end outcome that
what was your observations during the
execution was there any good findings or
everything is just working fine but
there are no findings related to defects
so it's just that test Charter is
something really important to be there
as a part of each test session which
justifies that the tester has performed
testing given that most of the
experience-based techniques are very
tests tests that means we don't write
test cases we don't prefer writing test
cases and even if we write it we write
it very high level so it sometime
becomes very difficult to understand
what the tester has actually performed
or what is that we have really achieved
so having that small observation or
findings at the end of the each test
session included in the test Charter
will give us that satisfaction and
confidence that yes this part was tested
exploratory however we also have
something else to add here that is the
test session is usually followed by a
debriefing that involves discussion
between the tester and the stakeholders
interested in the test results of the
test session quite often people ask that
what is the reporting method in
exploratory testing like do we really
document the results and so on no given
that that test chter will have a high
level information uh on top of it the
the tester can participate in a
debriefing session where debriefing is
more of like I don't want you to know or
I don't want to know what exactly you
did for two hours of time rather I'll
ask you questions which will answer me
what I really need to know so in simple
words if I talk about a training is
basically a briefing session training is
an example of briefing session where I
have the knowledge and I'm expressing it
I'm talking about it and everyone is
listening and grasping the skills but
interview is an example of debriefing
session where you have the knowledge
that is I have the knowledge but I'm not
allowed to speak for 8 hours to tell
what exactly happened rather the
interviewer will ask only what he wants
to know from my 15 years of experience
and I'll just have to answer that not
what I did for 15 years for 15 days okay
so debriefing is we ask the questions
and only ask those questions what we
want to know and as far as the those are
good we are happy and satisfa
satisfactory at that point of time now
in addition in this approach the test
objective may be treated as high Lev
test conditions of course the conditions
will be very high level and coverage
items are identified and exercised
during the test session the testers may
use test session sheet to document the
steps followed and the discoveries made
explor testing is useful when there are
few or inadequate specification or there
significant time pressure on the testing
however this part we already know that
we have to document whatever happens
during the explor test session and same
time we want to let you remind remind
that the basis of exploratory testing is
again the same as that of experience
based as a category that is when the
specifications are poor or when you have
time pressure exploratory is very
commonly used also to add here experity
testing is also useful to comp comp
complement other more formal test
techniques exploratory testing will be
more effective if the tester is
experienced has domain knowledge and has
a higher degree of essential skills like
analytical skills curiosity and
creativeness don't forget that these
type of techniques are completely
dependent on testers experience if a
testers has really worked on different
types of similar projects or products
they will be very good at yielding
defects however the part one of this
particular point is also trying to tell
you tell you that it is a complimentary
technique over formal techniques so what
does that mean it simply means that even
if I've conducted formal techniques and
derived some formal test cases and
executed it doing a round of exploratory
on top of it will give you a better
coverage and better confidence so most
of the companies also practice this
combined approach that they first apply
formal techniques to derive the standard
test cases executed formally and on top
of it they do a round of exploratory
testing to find something different than
the formal so it's been understood
practically that sometime being ad hoc
sometime being not aligned can also help
you find good defects right so in that
context explorat exploratory testing is
seen as a very very complimentary test
technique on top of the formal so it's
not necessary that if you're doing
formal techniques you don't apply
experience space at all if you want you
can always top it up with a round off
exploratory which will really give you a
good confidence and better coverage to
be releasing the product okay so put
together that's all what we have to
share from exploratory testing so I hope
you had a good understanding of that so
that's all from this particular tutorial
team should you have anything else feel
free to comment below I'm always there
to address your queries and answer them
well till then keep learning keep
exploring keep understanding the context
thanks for watching the video team and
happy
learning
[Music]
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