exploratory-testing-advanced

# Advanced Exploratory Testing

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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
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## 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.