Error Guessing in Software Testing

Software application is a part of our daily life. May be on a laptop or maybe on our mobile phone, or it may be any digital device/interface our day starts with the use of various software applications and also ends with the use of various software applications. That’s why software companies are also trying their best to develop good quality error-free software applications for the users.

So when a company develops any software application software testing plays a major role in that. Testers not only test the product with a set of specified test cases they also test the software by coming out of the testing documents. There the term error guessing comes which is not specified in any testing instruction manual still it is still performed. So in this article, we will discuss that error then error guessing, where and how it is performed. The benefits that we get by performing it. So let’s start the topic.

Actually, an error appears when there is any logical mistake in code by the developer. It’s very hard for a developer to find an error in a large system. To solve this problem Error guessing technique is used. Error guessing technique is a software technique where a test engineer guesses and tries to break the software code. Error Guessing technique is also applied to all of the other testing techniques to produce more effective and workable tests.

What is the use of Error Guessing?

In software testing error guessing is a method in which experience and skill play an important role. As here possible bugs and defects are guessed in the areas where formal testing would not work. That’s why it is also called experience-based testing which has no specific method of testing. This is not a formal way of performing testing still it has importance as it sometimes solves many unresolved issues also.

• Determine Which Areas Are Ambiguous: Error guessing is a technique used by testers to find unclear or poorly specified software areas that might not have clear specifications. Testers can highlight areas of the application that need more explanation or elaboration in the requirements by estimating with confidence.
• Experience-Based Testing: Testers use their expertise and understanding of typical software dangers to estimate possible flaws. This method works especially well for complicated or inadequately documented systems when experience is essential for identifying flaws.
• Testing Based on Risk: By enabling testers to concentrate on software components that pose a high risk, it is consistent with a risk-based testing methodology. Based on their assessment of regions where flaws have a higher chance of affecting the system, testers prioritize their testing efforts.
• Early Error Identification: Early defect detection during testing is made possible by error guessing. By addressing faults at an early stage, testers can contribute to the overall quality of the product by identifying potential issues before the execution of formal test cases.

Where or how to use it?

Error guessing in the software testing approach is a sort of black box testing technique and also error guessing is best used as a part of the conditions where other black box testing techniques are performed, for instance, boundary value analysis and equivalence split are not prepared to cover all of the condition which is slanted to an error in the application.

• Time and resource constraints: Error guessing can be a fast and efficient technique to find flaws in circumstances where there are not enough resources or time to plan a thorough test.
• Agile and Adaptive Workplaces: Error guessing fits in nicely with the incremental and iterative nature of development in agile development settings, where adaptation and flexibility are essential.
• Unfamiliar or Complex Systems: Error guessing enables testers to leverage their general testing experience to identify potential difficulties when working with complex systems or poorly known technology.
• Parts with Few Specifications: In software areas where specifications are unclear, lacking or poorly defined, error guessing works well.
• Areas at High Risk: Error guessing is a useful tool for testers to concentrate on high-risk software regions. Through the application of their expertise on the system’s vulnerabilities, testers are able to direct their testing efforts towards places where errors are most likely to cause major problems.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Error Guessing Technique :

Advantages :

• It is effective when used with other testing approaches.
• It is helpful to solve some complex and problematic areas of application.
• It figures out errors which may not be identified through other formal testing techniques.
• It helps in reducing testing times.

Disadvantages :

• Only capable and skilled tests can perform.
• Dependent on testers experience and skills.
• Fails in providing guarantee the quality standard of the application.
• Not an efficient way of error detection as compared to effort.
• Drawbacks of Error Guessing technique:
• Not sure that the software has reached the expected quality.
• Never provide full coverage of an application.

Factors used in error guessing :

1. Lessons learned from past releases.
2. Experience of testers.
3. Historical learning.
4. Test execution report.
5. Earlier defects.
6. Production tickets.
7. Normal testing rules.
8. Application UI.
9. Previous test results.

Error Guessing is one of the popular techniques of testing, even if it is not an accurate approach of performing testing still it makes the testing work simple and saves a lots of time. But when it is combined with other testing techniques we get better results. In this testing, it is essential to have skilled and experienced testers.