What are some of the common pitfalls to avoid in exploratory testing?

1 Failing to plan

Exploratory testing does not mean testing without any plan or structure. It means testing with a flexible and evolving plan that is based on your goals, context, and observations. Without a clear plan, you may end up testing randomly, wasting time, or missing important areas. To avoid this pitfall, define your test charter, scope, and strategy before you start testing. A test charter is a brief document that describes your mission, objectives, and risks for a testing session. A scope is the boundary of your testing area, such as a feature, a user story, or a workflow. A strategy is the set of techniques, tools, and heuristics that you will use to guide your testing.

2 Not documenting enough

Exploratory testing does not mean testing without any documentation or evidence. It means testing with a minimal and relevant documentation that supports your learning, analysis, and reporting. Without a proper documentation, you may forget what you tested, how you tested, and what you found. You may also have difficulties in communicating your results, findings, and recommendations to others. To avoid this pitfall, document your test activities, results, and observations as you go. Use tools like note-taking apps, screen capture software, or test management systems to record your test data, screenshots, videos, logs, or notes. You can also use formats like mind maps, sketches, or diagrams to visualize your test coverage, models, or ideas.

3 Forgetting about feedback

Exploratory testing does not mean testing in isolation or without any feedback. It means testing with a collaborative and continuous feedback loop that helps you improve your testing skills, knowledge, and outcomes. Without a regular feedback, you may miss some valuable perspectives, insights, or suggestions from others. You may also have gaps in your testing skills, knowledge, or assumptions that affect your testing quality. To avoid this pitfall, seek feedback from different sources, such as your peers, stakeholders, users, or experts. You can use methods like pair testing, peer review, debriefing, or user testing to get feedback on your test design, execution, or results. Use metrics like test coverage, defect density, or user satisfaction to measure and improve your testing performance.

4 Having a limited perspective

Exploratory testing does not mean testing with a fixed or limited mindset. It means testing with a curious and open mindset that enables you to explore different possibilities, scenarios, and questions. Without a sufficient exploration, you may miss some hidden bugs, risks, or opportunities that affect your product quality. You may also have a narrow or biased view of your product, users, or context that limits your testing creativity. Explore your product from different angles, such as functionality, usability, security, performance, or reliability, and from different perspectives, such as user personas, roles, goals, or behaviors.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?