# A Brief Introduction to Exploratory Testing  URL:: https://www.testingwithmarie.com/post/a-brief-introduction-to-exploratory-testing Author:: Marie Cruz ## Highlights > Exploratory Testing is simultaneously learning about the system while designing and executing tests, using feedback from the last test to inform the next. When doing Exploratory testing, you test and execute it at the same time while simultaneously learning about the behaviour of our application. Exploratory testing is not playing around with the system in an unplanned or unstructured way. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz2zw87zjhdtt06k3e2dedt)) > To increase shared understanding among the team ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz2zzfwpg2tt4690j0asm8h)) >  ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz30xnba2d7x987ktaexyr8)) > Share your notes actively to the team. Your notes can be of different formats (e.g. mind maps, Google doc, spreadsheet, confluence page, etc) but the main thing is, sharing testing notes can help you generate new test ideas and techniques. Your testing notes can also be used by your team if they need to do some testing from their side. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz311nrdkj919z9j4jw2hr8)) > Time-box your exploratory testing session and ideally keep it just under 90 mins and don’t deter from your charter. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz3158gxmw6p5bxjdzpx2m6)) > When creating your testing notes, share screenshots clearly with annotations if needed or even better, share videos. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz316kv8tz4tqa382zhywj2)) > Use a [heuristics cheat sheet](https://www.ministryoftesting.com/dojo/lessons/test-heuristics-cheat-sheet) to help structure your exploratory testing. More information on the next section about heuristics. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz318tebdwr7g2tgwh8zjab)) >  ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz31fn62ajgxy4xhsg8sxp1)) > Heuristics are cognitive shortcuts that we can use to help with Exploratory testing. Heuristics are useful when you are in a situation where you need to test an application that you don’t have any context and there is little to no documentation that can help you. Heuristics can guide you on what test you should do, which area of functionality you need to focus, or what data to use. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz31hzh3me3br4h2tc6sxm9)) --- Title: A Brief Introduction to Exploratory Testing Author: Marie Cruz Tags: readwise, articles date: 2024-01-30 --- # A Brief Introduction to Exploratory Testing  URL:: https://www.testingwithmarie.com/post/a-brief-introduction-to-exploratory-testing Author:: Marie Cruz ## AI-Generated Summary A few months back, I had to help out the mobile app team in Zoopla and introduced a Quality and Testing strategy document that the team can refer back to. One of the testing types that I introduced them to was Exploratory testing and I explained the benefits of it, how to use heuristics and shared with them how I structure my testing notes. While my blog posts have been predominantly about test automation, I'm dedicating this post about Exploratory testing and why every software tester should do ## Highlights > Exploratory Testing is simultaneously learning about the system while designing and executing tests, using feedback from the last test to inform the next. When doing Exploratory testing, you test and execute it at the same time while simultaneously learning about the behaviour of our application. Exploratory testing is not playing around with the system in an unplanned or unstructured way. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz2zw87zjhdtt06k3e2dedt)) > To increase shared understanding among the team ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz2zzfwpg2tt4690j0asm8h)) >  ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz30xnba2d7x987ktaexyr8)) > Share your notes actively to the team. Your notes can be of different formats (e.g. mind maps, Google doc, spreadsheet, confluence page, etc) but the main thing is, sharing testing notes can help you generate new test ideas and techniques. Your testing notes can also be used by your team if they need to do some testing from their side. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz311nrdkj919z9j4jw2hr8)) > Time-box your exploratory testing session and ideally keep it just under 90 mins and don’t deter from your charter. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz3158gxmw6p5bxjdzpx2m6)) > When creating your testing notes, share screenshots clearly with annotations if needed or even better, share videos. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz316kv8tz4tqa382zhywj2)) > Use a [heuristics cheat sheet](https://www.ministryoftesting.com/dojo/lessons/test-heuristics-cheat-sheet) to help structure your exploratory testing. More information on the next section about heuristics. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz318tebdwr7g2tgwh8zjab)) >  ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz31fn62ajgxy4xhsg8sxp1)) > Heuristics are cognitive shortcuts that we can use to help with Exploratory testing. Heuristics are useful when you are in a situation where you need to test an application that you don’t have any context and there is little to no documentation that can help you. Heuristics can guide you on what test you should do, which area of functionality you need to focus, or what data to use. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01gsz31hzh3me3br4h2tc6sxm9))