Is there Testing called Exploratory Testing?

Few months back, when I went for interviews: I was quizzed with a question.

Q: What kind of testing you performed in your previous projects/ company?

A: I went blank because I do learn about the project, explore the standards, try out my ideas whatever comes to my mind and execute them to deliver good quality product to the customer/client.

When I said this, Interviewers dint accept me. I got rejected.

This is a definition which I learned from Cem Kaner:

“Testing is an empirical investigation conducted to provide stakeholders with information about the quality of the product or service under test”

This is the same I answered in a practical way, what I do.

Every time whenever a new topic I hear, I use my “W3H Technique”.
“What – Why –When – How” –> Asking this questions, I can learn few things to about it.

“I am thankful to my first team – Auto ID Team, who has observed my skills and gave me Testing job”    

In simple words, I do Testing in an exploratory way.

In recent days, I heard from one of the tester saying, “He is doing exploratory testing”.
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Now the point comes, Is there Exploratory Testing?

Then I immediately referred back to Cem Kaner Definition. Then I re-read individually each word.

I framed it as “Testing is an investigation by observing or experiencing the product, and providing information to stakeholders/ customers about quality of the product or service under test”.

So, There is no “Exploratory testing” or “Any other testing”.  All testing is exploratory way.

Whenever a project is assigned to me, I keep targets – how many defects I can find in a day faster and report them in the defect tracking tool. Good testing requires thoughtful effort and practice.

I then start learning about the technology, the programmers had done coding and designers have done their designing. This increases my knowledge and understands the technical architecture of the project and can report the bugs in technical terms.

If you attend any conferences or meetings on software testing: “No one says, How to test?”

Because, Testing is an investigation of a product, The good quality product comes out – if you do explore much and experience it, to give it to customer with minimal risks.*

*No Product delivered is 100% bug-free, but we testers have to try hard to find the risks hidden and minimize the risks at least 90%.

If you think, this post helps to clear about Exploratory Testing? Please let me know.

Cheers, Happy Testing …  J