May 6, 2009

Scripted Testing Isn't Just Following Scripts

There is an ongoing (or dead horse, depending on your perspective) about "scripted" vs. "exploratory" testing.

I happen to refer to "scripted testing" as programmatic testing. You use programs, scripts, and tools to augment/enable your testing. You can explore a system with your toolset if you want. That is an example of doing exploratory testing with scripts/programs/tools.

The debate seems to overlook that definition and defines "scripted" as just following a number of predefined steps. I think this is the wrong definition and the wrong argument.. or maybe I just don't get it... or maybe I'm confused by the ambiguous definitions of scripting.

I don't see it as a boolean. I think of it terms of a spectrum and somewhere along that programmatic/manual continuum is where you work. Exploratory testing can fall in many areas of the spectrum and you can do it manually or programmatically.

That is where the argument breaks down (IMHO).

6 comments:

Michael Bolton http://www.developsense.com said...

Hi, Corey...

Who do you see or hear suggesting that scripted vs. exploratory is a binary decision?

http://www.developsense.com/2008/09/evolving-understanding-about.html

---Michael B.

Michael Bolton http://www.developsense.com said...

Ooops; forgot to track followups.

---M.

Corey Goldberg said...

I'll dig up some links. It mostly has to do with exploratory testers bashing the concept of a scripted test in *many* situations.

Michael Bolton http://www.developsense.com said...

If you see that happening, please bring it to my attention and/or send them to the link above. cf. My recent reply to your reply on Paul's blog.

---Michael B.

vagueraz said...

Hello ,.

Please can you clerify more ?

what is script testing ???
how can i use it as a QA ???


Thanks in advance :)

ambreen said...

You can find a Collection of free and commercial Testing Tools scripts and commercial scripts and software at my website i.e www.testertools.com