Experience-based testing
Test techniques that rely on the tester's knowledge of where software usually breaks.
Definition
Error guessing, exploratory testing and checklist-based testing are the classic experience-based techniques. They complement systematic black-box techniques by finding the bugs no requirement mentions.
In practice
A tester who has seen many sign-up forms tries an emoji in the name and a leap-day birthday, without being told to.
Learn it in context
Lessons that use this term.
Related terms
- Error guessingChoosing tests based on experience of typical mistakes developers make.
- Exploratory testingLearning, designing and running tests at the same time, guided by curiosity and a goal.
- ChecklistA simple list of things to check, lighter and faster to use than full test cases.
- Fault attackA planned, systematic form of error guessing: list likely failures, then design tests to provoke each one.