Free Search Testing: Abandoning a plan does not mean abandoning a goal

In James Bach’s articles one can find several different definitions of what exploratory testing is, and one of them is: “testing without pre-prepared scripts that are executed exactly as planned” (Exploratory tests, unlike scripted tests , are not defined in advance and carried out precisely according to plan).

For this testing, the free search method is often criticized - how can plans be abandoned, but what about manageability, control and accounting? And in general, if there are no plans, then everyone will do what they want, something will be tested several times, something will not be tested at all, people will not know what to do.

But in reality, proponents of free-search testing do not call for anarchy at all. On the contrary, a huge number of articles by James Bach devoted to planning.

The apparent contradiction is resolved very simply - supporters of this approach to testing suggest abandoning tactical planning, from overly detailed plans to the level of individual tests. And replace the tactical plan with goal setting, leaving the tester free to choose how to achieve this goal.

Having a clear goal in front of him, the tester can, of course, outline a plan for himself that should lead him to this goal. But if there are any obstacles on his way, or he will notice that the chosen plan is moving away, or following this plan he will not achieve the goal by the deadline, this is an occasion to change the plan, and not try to “correct the goal” .

Free search testing declares the primacy of the goal over the plan, as well as the primacy of the person over the scenarios. This is his humanistic, universal role, which we tried to portray on this comic poster (a poster for printing in .pdf format ).

Do not lose sight of your goals!