Exploratory Testing – Learner’s Series -1

What is Exploratory Testing??

It is Quick Loop of “What You Learn influences what you Test & What You Test feeds your Learning”

Exploratory Testing can be done with detailed analysis which drives the testing in a structured way and in real time we learn about what we test.

Let’s take a problem/puzzle (Puzzle 1) to improve our Exploratory Testing skills.

Puzzle

James Lindsay's Black Box Test Machines

 Puzzle 1 - 

When i played around with the puzzle for the very first time, i could observe (I missed important points too)

Puzzle Elements

• Yellow Button, 4 Blue Buttons, Vertical Transparent Button, Question mark & Drum at the Right Hand Side, 1 Red & Blue button in the Horizontal lines
• Right click on the puzzle, we can understand that it is a Flash app
• Zooming is possible, Quality can be modified (in Chrome), Result of Refresh

Initial Observation

1. Yellow button just moves red button 1 step and brings back to original position,
2. Red button jumps in equal steps in the horizontal meter irrespective of  vertical meter button position,
3.  Red button by any way does not reach the end in its horizontal meter,
4. Vertical meter's button position influences blue button's distance movement(at the top, makes jump twice than its previous step)  When in top blue button moves to end of its meter
5. Blue vertical button pressing direction influences the blue horizontal button's movement, down to up or up to down

Analysis

When you are having a problem in your hand(while testing), we need to

• Analyse the Default position
• Identify the elements present in the problem
• Observe, Analyze, Change One factor at a time(OFAT) on the problem
• Observe, Analyze, Change Multi factor at a time(MFAT) on the problem
• Check whether it is possible to get some Clues on the problem from different sources?
• Check whether there is a Consistency in behavior?

You might need to take screenshots, Video, save logs, collect environment details etc for your bug advocacy.

Observations

When testing, we might need to

• Take Screenshot of the problem(if possible & needed)
• Observe the elements in your problem(this is the structure)
• Press buttons one by one understand how they work(Take screen shots or Video)
• Analyze whether different buttons have relationship between them or the order of button press influence the result.
• Look for clues – Explore the Question mark  & read through, Clues are helpful in jump-starting our testing or improving our understanding
• Check whether the operation is same across different browsers?
• Disable Flash & check how the puzzle is displayed?  Are you observing Error Handling?? Refresh the page & what you observe?
• Give a early heads-up to your stake holders to check whether you are going in the right direction
• Check whether keeping idle of the operations influences or affects the puzzle results?
• Check whether the puzzle can be influenced by Key board inputs?

Whether the points above changed your perception of taking your first step when given a problem?

Let’s Explore & Learn.

Happy Testing!!!!!!!!!!

Reference: -

Ajay Balamurugadas's Blog - http://enjoytesting.blogspot.in/2013/02/context-free-questions-mindmap.html