Friday, December 11, 2009

Touring and Modeling: Scripted Vs Exploratory

Discussions on twitter helps.

Fast, Open to public for views. Private (if required).

So, while discussing about software testing on twitter, more specifically about "Touring", "Modeling" with Shrini Kulkarni, some questions cropped up.

1. Is touring a way to explore a model in software testing?
2. Does touring happen in Scripted Testing? To what extent?
3. Does Touring happen more in Exploratory testing than Scripted testing?

Touring - a way to explore a model, is a continuous way to build a better model. Once a better model is built, a new tour to explore it in more detail could be carried out.

As mentioned by James Bach in "Exploratory Testing Explained",

exploratory testing is any testing to the extent that the tester actively
controls the design of the tests as those tests are performed and uses information gained while testing to design new and better tests.
So my question is:

We follow a restricted tour in Scripted Testing. In Scripted testing, our next test is not based on the result/information gained from the previous tour. Are we not following a strict roadmap or the touring is restricted?

Isn't touring and modeling a one time activity in Scripted Testing? A tour may be done to gain information to write the scripts.

In Exploratory Testing, isn't Touring and Modeling a continuous activity to gain more valuable information?

Are they both - "Touring and Modeling" in a loop in Exploratory Testing?

Final point: "Touring and Modeling" is restricted in Scripted Testing and "Touring and Modeling" is a continuous activity in Exploratory Testing.

What do you think?

Feel free to correct me, comment, discuss, question, argue and finally tour the model I have in my mind.


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