exploratory-testing-advanced

# Advanced Exploratory Testing <default_to_action> When exploring software or investigating quality risks: 1. CREATE charter with mission, scope, and time-box (45-90 min) 2. APPLY heuristics: SFDIPOT (quality criteria), FEW HICCUPPS (consistency oracles) 3. EXPLORE systematically using test tours (Business District, Bad Neighborhood, Historical) 4. DOCUMENT findings in real-time with notes, screenshots, evidence 5. DEBRIEF: What learned? What's next? Share via agent memory **Quick Heuristic Selection:** - What to test → SFDIPOT (Structure, Function, Data, Interfaces, Platform, Operations, Time) - Recognize problems → FEW HICCUPPS (Familiar, Explainable, World, History, Image, Comparable, Claims, Users, Product, Purpose, Standards) - Navigate app → Test Tours (12 types for different exploration strategies) **Critical Success Factors:** - Exploration is skilled, structured thinking - not random clicking - Document discoveries, not pre-planned test cases - Pair testing reveals more than solo exploration </default_to_action> ## Quick Reference Card ### When to Use - Investigating new or changed features - Finding bugs automation misses - Learning unfamiliar systems - Risk discovery before test planning ### Session Structure (SBTM) | Phase | Duration | Activity | |-------|----------|----------| | Charter | 5 min | Define mission, scope, focus | | Explore | 45-75 min | Systematic investigation | | Note | Continuous | Document findings real-time | | Debrief | 10-15 min | Summarize, prioritize, share | ### SFDIPOT Heuristic (What to Test) | Letter | Focus | Example Questions | |--------|-------|------------------| | **S**tructure | Is it properly composed? | Code structure, UI layout, data schema | | **F**unction | Does it do what it should? | Core features work correctly | | **D**ata | Handles data correctly? | CRUD, validation, persistence | | **I**nterfaces | Interacts well? | APIs, UI, integrations | | **P**latform | Works in environment? | Browsers, OS, devices | | **O**perations | Can be used/managed? | Install, config, monitor | | **T**ime | Handles timing? | Concurrency, timeouts, scheduling | ### FEW HICCUPPS Oracle (Recognize Problems) | Consistency With | Check | |-----------------|-------| | **F**amiliar problems | Does this look like a known bug pattern? | | **E**xplainable | Can behavior be explained rationally? | | **W**orld | Matches real-world expectations? | | **H**istory | Consistent with prior versions? | | **I**mage | Matches brand/product image? | | **C**omparable | Similar to competing products? | | **C**laims | Matches specs/docs/marketing? | | **U**sers | Meets user expectations? | | **P**urpose | Fulfills intended purpose? | | **S**tatements | Matches what devs said? | ### Test Tours (12 Types) | Tour | Strategy | |------|----------| | Business District | Critical business flows | | Historical | Where bugs clustered before | | Bad Neighborhood | Known problem areas | | Money | Revenue-impacting features | | Landmark | Navigate by key features | | Intellectual | Complex, thinking-intensive features | | FedEx | Follow data through system | | Garbage Collector | Cleanup and edge cases | | Museum | Help docs and examples | | Rained-Out | What happens when things fail? | | Couch Potato | Minimal effort paths | | Obsessive-Compulsive | Repetitive actions | --- ## Session Note Template ```markdown **Charter:** Explore [area] to discover [what] focusing on [heuristic] **Time-box:** 60 min | **Tester:** [name] | **Date:** [date] ## Session Notes - [timestamp] Observation/finding - [timestamp] Bug: [description] - [severity] - [timestamp] Question: [unclear behavior] ## Findings Summary - Bugs: X (Critical: Y, Major: Z) - Questions: X - Ideas: X ## Coverage - Areas explored: [list] - Heuristics used: [SFDIPOT areas] - % Time on: Bug investigation 30%, Exploration 50%, Setup 20% ## Next Steps - [ ] Deep dive on [area] - [ ] Follow up on question about [topic] ``` --- ## Agent-Assisted Exploration ```typescript // Collaborative exploration session await Task("Exploratory Session", { charter: 'Explore checkout flow for payment edge cases', duration: '60min', heuristics: ['SFDIPOT', 'FEW_HICCUPPS'], tour: 'money', collaboration: 'human-navigator-agent-driver' }, "qe-flaky-test-hunter"); // Agent generates test variations while human observes await Task("Edge Case Generation", { area: 'payment-form', variations: ['boundary-values', 'invalid-inputs', 'concurrent-submits'] }, "qe-test-generator"); // Visual exploration await Task("Visual Exploration", { tour: 'landmark', focus: 'responsive-breakpoints', compare: 'baseline-screenshots' }, "qe-visual-tester"); ``` --- ## Agent Coordination Hints ### Memory Namespace ``` aqe/exploratory/ ├── sessions/* - Session notes and findings ├── charters/* - Reusable charter templates ├── bug-clusters/* - Historical bug patterns └── heuristic-results/* - What heuristics revealed ``` ### Fleet Coordination ```typescript const exploratoryFleet = await FleetManager.coordinate({ strategy: 'exploratory-testing', agents: [ 'qe-flaky-test-hunter', // Pattern recognition 'qe-visual-tester', // Visual anomalies 'qe-quality-analyzer' // Risk assessment ], topology: 'mesh' }); ``` --- ## Pairing Patterns | Pattern | Human Role | Agent Role | |---------|------------|------------| | Driver-Navigator | Navigate strategy | Execute variations | | Strong-Style | Dictate actions | Record findings | | Ping-Pong | Observe one area | Explore another | --- ## Related Skills - [context-driven-testing](../context-driven-testing/) - RST foundations - [risk-based-testing](../risk-based-testing/) - Focus exploration on risk - [agentic-quality-engineering](../agentic-quality-engineering/) - Agent coordination --- ## Remember **Exploratory testing = simultaneous learning, test design, and test execution.** Not random clicking. Structured, skilled investigation guided by heuristics and oracles. Document discoveries in real-time. Pair testing amplifies findings. **With Agents:** Agents generate variations, recognize patterns, and maintain session notes while humans apply judgment and intuition. Combine agent thoroughness with human insight. ## Gotchas - Agent treats exploratory testing as scripted test execution — remind it: exploration means learning + adapting in real-time - Session notes from agents lack the "why I tried this" reasoning — explicitly ask for decision rationale - 90-minute sessions cause context overflow — cap at 45 minutes with explicit debrief - Agent defaults to happy-path exploration — explicitly assign "Bad Neighborhood" or "Saboteur" tours for negative testing - SFDIPOT heuristics are misapplied when agent doesn't understand the domain — provide domain context upfront