Exploratory Testing Session-Based Test Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a debrief in the context of SBTM?
- A meeting where testers review session results with a manager or team lead (Correct answer)
- A final sign-off document for a release
- A summary report sent to stakeholders after each sprint
- A code review session between developers and testers
Correct answer: A meeting where testers review session results with a manager or team lead
A debrief is a short meeting where the tester reviews their session sheet with a test lead to discuss findings, coverage, and any issues encountered.
Question 2: In SBTM, what is the purpose of tracking 'bugs per session'?
- To measure tester productivity and identify high-risk areas of the product (Correct answer)
- To calculate the exact number of defects that will escape to production
- To determine how many testers to hire
- To replace the need for a test charter
Correct answer: To measure tester productivity and identify high-risk areas of the product
Tracking bugs per session helps gauge tester effectiveness and highlights which areas of the software are most problematic.
Question 3: What should a tester do if they discover an interesting bug outside their current charter during a session?
- Note it briefly and either file a new charter or return to it after the current session (Correct answer)
- Immediately stop the current session and investigate the new bug fully
- Ignore it and continue with the original charter only
- Escalate it to a developer immediately and end the session
Correct answer: Note it briefly and either file a new charter or return to it after the current session
A tester should note the off-charter finding without losing session focus, then address it properly in a follow-up charter or after the session ends.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'session time boxing'?
- Limiting the session to a fixed time to maintain focus and enable consistent reporting (Correct answer)
- Restricting testers from testing features outside the sprint backlog
- Setting a maximum number of bugs a tester can report per day
- Scheduling only one test session per application module
Correct answer: Limiting the session to a fixed time to maintain focus and enable consistent reporting
Time boxing constrains the session duration so testers stay focused and managers can track testing effort consistently across sessions.
Question 5: What is a 'thread' in SBTM terminology?
- A specific testing activity or line of investigation within a session (Correct answer)
- A background automated test running during an exploratory session
- A Jira ticket linked to a test charter
- A sequence of scripted test steps
Correct answer: A specific testing activity or line of investigation within a session
A thread is a distinct line of testing investigation within a session, allowing testers to track multiple concurrent activities without losing focus.
Question 6: How does SBTM enable test coverage tracking without scripted test cases?
- By aggregating session charters to map tested areas against product features or risks (Correct answer)
- By using code coverage tools integrated with the test sessions
- By counting the total number of sessions run per module
- By comparing bugs found to the total lines of code
Correct answer: By aggregating session charters to map tested areas against product features or risks
SBTM tracks coverage by organizing charters around product areas, risks, or missions, and then reviewing which areas have been adequately explored.
Exploratory Testing Session-Based Test Management 2
What is a debrief in the context of SBTM?