Exploratory Testing Bug Hunting Techniques

Question 1

What is 'error guessing' as a bug hunting technique in exploratory testing?

Accepted Answer

Using experience and intuition to hypothesize where defects are likely to occur and then testing those areas

Answer

Error guessing leverages a tester's domain knowledge and experience to predict likely failure points and design targeted tests around those hypotheses.

Question 2

Which exploratory testing technique involves testing the system with values at the extremes of valid input ranges?

Accepted Answer

Boundary value analysis

Answer

Boundary value analysis targets the edges of valid input ranges where software defects commonly occur due to off-by-one errors and range handling bugs.

Question 3

What is 'attack-based testing' in the context of exploratory bug hunting?

Accepted Answer

Deliberately applying known classes of threats or error conditions to stress the system and expose vulnerabilities

Answer

Attack-based testing uses cataloged attack patterns — such as James Whittaker's software attack catalogue — to deliberately stress the application at known weak points.

Question 4

What does 'spiking' mean as a bug hunting technique in exploratory testing?

Accepted Answer

Rapidly testing a specific area with many varied inputs to find unexpected behaviors quickly

Answer

Spiking means rapidly probing a specific area with diverse inputs and actions to surface unexpected behavior in a short burst of focused effort.

Question 5

Why is 'user perspective testing' an effective bug hunting technique?

Accepted Answer

It surfaces usability defects and workflow issues that technical testing often misses

Answer

Testing from the user's perspective reveals workflow breaks, confusing UI behaviors, and usability defects that technical testers focused on functionality may overlook.

Exploratory Testing Practice Test

Exploratory Testing Practice Test

Exploratory Testing Bug Hunting Techniques