exploratory-testing-advanced

Advanced Exploratory Testing

<default_to_action> When exploring software or investigating quality risks:

CREATE charter with mission, scope, and time-box (45-90 min)
APPLY heuristics: SFDIPOT (quality criteria), FEW HICCUPPS (consistency oracles)
EXPLORE systematically using test tours (Business District, Bad Neighborhood, Historical)
DOCUMENT findings in real-time with notes, screenshots, evidence
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

Structure Is it properly composed? Code structure, UI layout, data schema

Function Does it do what it should? Core features work correctly

Data Handles data correctly? CRUD, validation, persistence

Interfaces Interacts well? APIs, UI, integrations

Platform Works in environment? Browsers, OS, devices

Operations Can be used/managed? Install, config, monitor

Time Handles timing? Concurrency, timeouts, scheduling

FEW HICCUPPS Oracle (Recognize Problems)

Consistency With Check

Familiar problems Does this look like a known bug pattern?

Explainable Can behavior be explained rationally?

World Matches real-world expectations?

History Consistent with prior versions?

Image Matches brand/product image?

Comparable Similar to competing products?

Claims Matches specs/docs/marketing?

Users Meets user expectations?

Purpose Fulfills intended purpose?

Statements 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

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

// 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

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 - RST foundations
risk-based-testing - Focus exploration on risk
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.