Abstract/Description
Exploratory testing is a style of testing that helps team members to use their personal freedom and accountability to the team to reduce business risks. Exploratory testing is an approach that combines test design, test execution, and test related learning in parallel. Therefore exploratory testing is an empirical approach to reduce risks in the software that were not foreseen so far, and combines well with empirical approaches to software development like Scrum. Since exploratory testing addresses the risks of the unknown unknowns, the things that we don't know that we don't know them, it also combines well with automated software tests.
Session-based exploratory testing has become widespread as an approach. In this lecture Markus will describe the key takeaways from his classes on exploratory testing:
* session-based test management
* charters
* debriefings
* notetaking using pen and paper or mindmaps.
For programmers, testers, and product owners this session provides the basics of exploratory testing. Most folks think about exploratory testing as unstructured, cowboy-testing. There exists a lot of structure you can apply to exploratory testing that closes crucial feedback loops. This usually kicks people out of their comfort zone of "we need to work with test plans", and "exploratory cannot work here". I will also talk about various tools that can help you deliver more value with exploratory testing, and thereby help you think out of your comfort zone.