Exploratory Testing Advanced

What it does

This skill enables AI agents to perform advanced exploratory testing of software. It guides the agent through a structured process involving charter creation (defining mission and scope), heuristic application (SFDIPOT and FEW HICCUPPS), systematic exploration using test tours, real-time documentation of findings, and debriefing. The goal is to uncover hidden defects and quality risks beyond predefined scenarios.

When to use it

• Investigating new or changed software features.
• Finding bugs that automated tests might miss.
• Learning about unfamiliar systems.
• Discovering potential quality risks before formal test planning.

Key capabilities

• Charter Creation: Defines the scope, mission and time-box for testing sessions.
• Heuristic Application: Uses SFDIPOT (Structure, Function, Data, Interfaces, Platform, Operations, Time) to guide what to test and FEW HICCUPPS (Familiar, Explainable, World, History, Image, Comparable, Claims, Users, Product, Purpose, Standards) to identify potential problems.
• Test Tours: Employs 12 different exploration strategies for systematic testing.
• Real-time Documentation: Records findings with notes and screenshots.
• Debriefing: Summarizes learnings and plans next steps.

Example prompts

• "Create a charter to explore the user authentication flow, focusing on security risks."
• "Apply the SFDIPOT heuristics to investigate the data validation process in this form."
• "Use the 'Business District' test tour to explore the main navigation of this application."

Tips & gotchas

• Exploratory testing with this skill requires structured thinking, not random clicking. Follow the charter and heuristic guidance for best results.
• Focus on documenting discoveries rather than creating pre-planned test cases.
• The session structure (Charter - Explore - Note - Debrief) is designed to be followed for optimal effectiveness.