Best Practices for Exploratory Testing Sessions

The secret to finding more bugs that no one talks about. Most testers rely on test cases to find bugs. But here’s the problem: Test cases only find expected issues. The real trick? Think like a user, not a tester. Here’s how: Break the expected flow – Users don’t always follow the “happy path.” Try entering invalid data, refreshing at the wrong time, or switching devices mid-action. Test beyond the UI – Bugs hide in APIs, databases, and logs. A UI might look fine while the backend is failing. Observe, don’t just execute – Instead of rushing through test steps, watch for UI glitches, slow load times, or unexpected behavior. Use exploratory testing techniques – Take time to think beyond requirements. Ask “What happens if I do this?” instead of just following a script. The best testers don’t just execute tests. They explore, observe, and question.

𝐐𝐀 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬: is your exploratory testing catching every flaw? Your current method could be letting critical issues slip by… Here's the reality: without a clear plan, exploratory testing can quickly become a chaotic search where key areas go unexamined. When there’s no defined objective, scope, or time limit, important issues may remain hidden, all while you’re under pressure to deliver fast. A simple testing guide, otherwise known as a test charter, can change that. A test charter is essentially a brief plan for a testing session. It lays out what you need to explore, pinpoints which features demand your focus, and sets a realistic timeframe for your efforts. This guide is especially useful in exploratory testing where the absence of strict instructions might otherwise lead you astray By defining a clear objective, you know exactly what you’re aiming to test. Establishing a precise scope ensures that you concentrate on the parts of your application that matter most, rather than drifting into less relevant areas. A set time limit helps keep your session efficient and prevents the process from becoming an endless search. Moreover, a test charter outlines your testing approach. Whether you’re examining usability or hunting for unexpected errors, having this plan creates a balance between creative exploration and the structure necessary to uncover hidden flaws. It prevents the common pitfall of missing vital issues simply because the testing session was too unfocused. If your testing sessions feel scattered and you worry that something vital is being overlooked, it’s time to rethink your approach. Integrating a test charter into your process can bring the order you need while still allowing for the flexibility to explore and discover. #TestCharter #ExploratoryTesting #QualityAssurance

You want test ideas? I like using techniques that help me think of ways to change an idea or problem to give me a new thing to test or explore. We call these heuristics, which Merriam Webster defines as "of or relating to exploratory problem-solving techniques that utilize self-educating techniques (such as the evaluation of feedback) to improve performance." I was in a meeting once where a new feature behavior was presented, and the entire strategy was given as a single test case. I suggested the meeting attendees come up with risks, concerns, and testing methodology for this new behavior. Today's cartoon describes my name for the heuristics I saw employed: Same thing, but different way: The test case invoked a condition in a specific way, so the suggestions were if there were other ways to get to the same condition. This works really well to find errors in code that are being overly specific, missing conditions, or handling all situations in a single way that might need to be differentiated. Concurrency and timing: The heuristic is to attempt a transformation of single instance use cases into multiple instance cases happening concurrently or under different order. The testing sophistication increases significantly with this heuristic, but where it matters this can have a big payoff in bug discovery. What happens next: This heuristic assumes the use case leads to other use cases, other operations that act on data or the system state when the use case is done and starts pondering possible ways to explore that state. This is a good way to discover unanticipated usage problems, integration bugs, unhandled state, user and operator confusion, data transformation, and a variety of other issues which might not have been found with verification testing in isolation. My heuristic names offered in this post aren't formal. I made them up as I was drawing the cartoon. I suspect you won't find them called this anywhere else. A good deal of the testing craft is about applying heuristics - some of the classic testing categories are themselves labels on related groups of heuristics. As you gain experience in testing you will find yourself turning to heuristics to come up with ideas. #softwaretesting #softwaredevelopment