Hurix DigitalHurix DigitalHurix DigitalHurix Digital
  • Home
  • What we do
    • Digital Content Solutions
      • eLearning & Training Solutions
      • Higher Education Solutions
      • K-12 Content Solutions
      • Design, Animation & Video Services
    • Digital Content Transformation
      • Production Services
      • Pre Press & Editorial Services
      • Robotic Process Automation
    • Digital Engineering & Technology
      • Managed Cloud Services
      • Custom Software Development
      • E-Commerce Solutions
    • Digital Platforms
      • Kitaboo
      • Kitaboo Insight
      • Kitaboo College
      • Learning Management System
      • Business Analysis as a service
  • Who we are
    • About Us
    • Life at Hurix
    • Careers
  • Who We Serve
    • Higher Education Institutions
    • K-12 Institutions
    • Enterprises
    • Publishers
    • Societies & Nonprofit Associations
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Case Studies
    • How To Guides
    • Whitepapers
    • Point Of View
    • Awards
    • Podcast
    • Press Releases
    • eLearning Glossary
  • Contact Us
    Home Digital Transformation Services Best Practices in Ad Hoc Testing
    NextPrevious

    Best Practices in Ad Hoc Testing

    By Niranjana Srinivasan | Digital Transformation Services | Comments are Closed | 21 March, 2022 | 0

    Ad hoc testing is a randomly conducted unstructured software testing that detects possible defects at an early stage. It is a completely unplanned activity that neither follows documentation nor any test design (techniques) to create test cases. The tests are run only once, unless a defect is found.

    Ad hoc testing is done with the aim of finding defects by means of random checking and it is performed on any part of the application. It is a kind of light version of Error guessing which is “guessing” the most likely source of errors and is usually done by those with adequate experience in the system.

    As this testing is performed with neither documentation nor planning, any defects found are not mapped to test cases. The main criticism against this method is this: that any defects found using this method are harder to reproduce, as there aren’t any written cases. However, important defects can be found quickly and this is a huge advantage of ad hoc testing. 

    Usually, ad hoc testing is done after the formal test execution and when there is no time to perform any elaborate testing. Ad hoc testing is effective only if the tester has adequate knowledge about the system that is being tested.

    Types of Ad hoc testing

    Buddy Testing

    In buddy testing, two people, one from development and another from testing, work together on the same module and spot defects. Through buddy testing, the testers are able to develop superior test cases and the developers are able to make design changes earlier on. This testing follows Unit Testing.

    Pair Testing

    In pair testing, modules are assigned to two testers, and to find defects, they share ideas together and work on the same machines to spot defects. One person, as a tester, executes the tests and the other person, as a scribe, takes notes on the activities. 

    While buddy testing is a combination of system and unit testing along with developers and testers, pair testing involves only testers but with varying knowledge levels, one experienced and another, who is a novice. 

    Monkey Testing

    Monkey testing is performed randomly, without any test cases, where the goal is to break the system.

    You might also like to read: All You Need To Know About Configuration Testing

    Best practices of Ad hoc testing

    Here are a few of the best practices which will ensure effective ad hoc testing:

    Detailed business knowledge:

    Testers should possess a strong knowledge base and have an adequate understanding of the business requirements. Detailed knowledge of the process will help spot defects easily. Experienced testers find more defects as they are better at error guessing. 

    Preparation by getting details of defects of other similar applications: 

    By getting those details, one increases the likelihood of finding the defects. Network testing, too, helps ensure the configuration is working properly. 

    Testing key modules:

    Identifying key business modules as targets for ad-hoc testing is critical. Also, business-critical modules need to be tested on priority so as to gain confidence in the system’s quality.

    Creating an outline of an idea:

    By having an outline of an idea in place, the tester can have a more focused approach. A detailed plan is not needed to accomplish this.

    Ability to use tools:

    Defects can be identified by means of profilers, debuggers and task monitors: so, experience in handling these tools will come in very handy.

    Divide and identify:

    Testing the whole application part by part will enable a better understanding and perspective of the issues. 

    Recording defects:

    Even though it is a random testing, all defects should be recorded and they need to be assigned, for fixing, to developers. Each valid defect should be accompanied by its corresponding test cases and be added to planned test cases. These defect findings ought to be reflected in the next system while planning for test cases.

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, the key merit of ad-hoc testing is to be able to check for completeness of the testing process and find more defects than planned testing. In software engineering, ad-hoc testing saves a lot of time as it does not require elaborate test planning, documentation and Test Case design. 

    Ad hoc testing

    NextPrevious

    Services & Solutions

    • Managed Cloud Services
    • Custom Software Development
    • eLearning & Training Solutions
    • Pre Press & Editorial Services
    • Higher Education Solutions

    Products and Platforms

    • Kitaboo
    • Kitaboo Insight
    • Kitaboo College
    • Learning Management System
    • ePUB3 Conversion

    Resources

    • Blog
    • Press Releases
    • How To Guides
    • Whitepapers
    • Point Of View

    About Us

    • Our Clients
    • Contact Us
    • Awards
    • CSR Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    Copyright © 2023 Hurix | All Rights Reserved.
    • Home
    • What we do
      • Digital Content Solutions
        • eLearning & Training Solutions
        • Higher Education Solutions
        • K-12 Content Solutions
        • Design, Animation & Video Services
      • Digital Content Transformation
        • Production Services
        • Pre Press & Editorial Services
        • Robotic Process Automation
      • Digital Engineering & Technology
        • Managed Cloud Services
        • Custom Software Development
        • E-Commerce Solutions
      • Digital Platforms
        • Kitaboo
        • Kitaboo Insight
        • Kitaboo College
        • Learning Management System
        • Business Analysis as a service
    • Who we are
      • About Us
      • Life at Hurix
      • Careers
    • Who We Serve
      • Higher Education Institutions
      • K-12 Institutions
      • Enterprises
      • Publishers
      • Societies & Nonprofit Associations
    • Resources
      • Blog
      • Case Studies
      • How To Guides
      • Whitepapers
      • Point Of View
      • Awards
      • Podcast
      • Press Releases
      • eLearning Glossary
    • Contact Us
    Hurix Digital
    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT