The use of exploratory software testing in SCRUM

Exploratory testing is a very common, yet under researched, software testing technique. Research has shown how this technique can provide a better insight about the system under test than other techniques, that it can find defects more efficiently than other testing approaches and even aid the design of other techniques.

This research aims at increasing the understanding of exploratory testing and the way it is used within industries utilizing SCRUM. Another aim is to identify and understand the factors that enable the tester to use this technique successfully. The decision to set the study in SCRUM comes from the fact that this Agile management framework is the most popular in industry and from the suggestion to focus on the relationship between Agile and exploratory testing. Also, the choice of a specific context adds significance to the findings.

This research will be conducted in a Sheffield based company, which produces data analytics software. The methodology will consist of three phases. During Phase 1 (Identification), SCRUM practitioners will be interviewed about the use of exploratory testing in SCRUM and the success factors of this technique. The aim of Phase 2 (Confirmation) will be to confirm the findings from Phase 1.

This will be accomplished with focus groups and widely-distributed online survey. Finally, during Phase 3 (Verification), practitioners will take part to experiments to verify that the success factors identified during the first two phases enable efficient and effective exploratory testing.

The purpose of this research is to enrich the academic field of software verification and validation, but also to provide industries utilising SCRUM with useful guidance.