How Exploratory Testing Makes QA More Effective

Exploratory testing is a testing approach where testers don’t rely on test cases or documentation to test an application. This gives testers the freedom to explore the system, both functionally and non functionally. Whether to discover hidden defects or to test new features, exploratory testing is all about discovery, investigation, and getting to know the application better.  

In this blog, we will cover why exploratory testing is necessary, when to use it in an application, and how to do exploratory testing to ensure your application’s quality.

Why Exploratory Testing is Essential?

Exploratory testing plays an important role in the software testing and quality assurance process. It focuses on creativity, adaptability, and real-world scenarios. Here is why it is important to test a system using exploratory testing. 

1. Finds Hidden Defects or Bugs

Tester when doing Exploratory testing finds defects that are sometimes neglected in test cases or automated scripts. In exploratory testing, Testers explore the system in an unstructured way as they do not follow any documentation or test cases. It depends on the intuition of the tester to test the system. In this way, many edge cases and unexpected behaviors are discovered and defects are identified. 

2. Saves Time

Exploratory testing requires minimal documentation coverage, which saves a lot of time of testers. Testers can start testing as early as possible and focus on critical paths without spending time on creating documentation and test cases. 

3. Encourage The Tester to Think Outside Of The Box

Exploratory testing encourages testers to think out of the box and explore the system. It means It allows testers to think creatively rather than just relying on documented test cases or automated scripts. 

4. Testers Creativity

Exploratory testing allows testers to think and test the system creatively and intuitively without just focusing on test cases. It also helps the tester to drive real-world scenarios.  

5. Adaptability to Changing Requirements

In agile testing methodology, where requirements are frequently changing, exploratory testing is extremely useful or invaluable. It allows testers to quickly adapt to changes and test the system as early as possible without updating the test scripts. 

6. Simulates Real-World Behavior

Exploratory testing verifies the expected behavior that it should meet according to the user’s expectations. This exploratory testing approach improves the user’s visibility and overall user experience.

7. Improves Test Coverage

Exploratory testing not only focuses on pre-defined test cases but also allows the tester to test the application by exploring it. In this way, testers can find defects in unexpected areas or critical paths. This also reduces the risk of defect occurrence in any phase of software. 

8. Enhances Tester's Skills

Exploratory testing enhances the analytical, critical, and problem-solving skills of a tester. Exploratory testing allows the tester to understand the system more thoroughly and deeply. It also encourages the tester to test the system and think from an end-user perspective. 

9. Agile and Continuous Integration Testing

In agile and continuous integration testing, exploratory testing complements automation testing and automated scripts. Exploratory testing focuses on unexpected areas where automation testing is limited such as usability testing and unexpected workflows. 

Best Cases To Use Exploratory Testing In An Application:

A good time to consider exploratory testing is when traditional testing methods may fall short in capturing nuances or when flexibility is required, such as: 

1. An Early Stage of Development

To understand the system more deeply and to identify issues as early as possible, exploratory testing is useful to use in an application in an early stage of the development lifecycle. 

2. When Time is Limited

Exploratory testing is beneficial when time is limited as it does not require detailed preparation of documentation or wiring of test cases and test planning. So, it is effective in time scheduling. 

3. When Complex Features To Test

Exploratory testing is useful to use, especially when the features are complex to test. This is because, in the complex features, the user behavior varies widely.

Upsides of using exploratory testing in an application:

• It encourages the tester’s creativity and innovation in testing.
• It saves time. 
• It provides immediate feedback on the application quality.
• It allows you to find hidden bugs. 
• It allows you to find usability and user experience issues. 
• It increases the test coverage. 
• It supports agile development and DevOps practices. 
• It easily adapts to rapid changes in the requirements.

Steps to Conduct Exploratory Testing in an Application

A tester can perform exploratory testing in an application in the following ways:

1. Understanding The Application 

A tester should understand the application's scope, purpose, and functionality first to start the exploratory testing. 

2. Define Scope and Objectives

A tester should define the scope and objective of the application. In exploratory testing, a tester should focus on specific features or workflows.  

3. Create a Quick Test Plan

A tester should create a loose test plan before starting the exploratory testing of an application. It helps to explore risk areas more effectively.  

4. Prioritization of High-Risk Areas

Prioritize the areas that have a high risk of defects. Firstly focus on critical or complex features where there are high risk of defects occurrence. 

5. Explore The Application

Explore the application freely and verify different scenarios. A tester should focus on critical paths, and try different inputs and workflows in the exploratory testing of an application.

6. Test The Application In Timely Sessions

A tester should test the specific parts of the application in an appropriate time box session. 

7. Think Creatively During Testing

A tester should think creatively during the exploratory testing. A tester should share insights with the team members and discuss possible loopholes, scenarios, and risks that may be encountered in an application.

8. Focus on User Experience

During exploratory testing, a tester should focus on usability, accessibility, and performance testing. These testing techniques are according to the user's perspective and expectations. 

9. Record the Observations

The tester should note down the observations, findings, and defect report for reference. It’s also helpful for reproducing defects in the app.

10. Repeat and Evolve

The tester should do exploratory testing on new features or upcoming features and repeat the testing process. So it will cover testing of new features as well. It should meet the user’s expectations.

11. Analyze and Refine the Application

Tester should review findings, and identify workflows and patterns. The tester should focus on areas that need more attention while testing the app.

Conclusion

Exploratory testing is a way to test an app dynamically. By encouraging thinking and flexibility it finds critical defects and usability issues. It’s focused on real world scenarios and provides quick feedback which makes it more valuable in agile.

Exploratory testing improves the app overall and gives a better product.