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Olamide Ogunyemi
Olamide Ogunyemi

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An Exploratory Testing Approach on HNG.TECH

Exploratory testing is an approach to software testing that is often described as simultaneous learning, test design, and execution. It focuses on discovery and relies on the guidance of the individual tester to uncover defects that are not easily covered in the scope of other tests. The practice of exploratory testing has gathered momentum in recent years. Testers and QA managers are encouraged to include exploratory testing as part of a comprehensive test coverage strategy.

This weekend, I conducted an exploratory test on hng.tech website. My goal for the testing was to uncover issues that could affect user experience and its overall functionality.

During the exploratory test, I identified several key issues which includes the following:

  • Deadlinks: some links were unresponsive.
  • Broken Links: leading to error 404 error page.
  • Slow Page Load Times: for example, "contact us" link took a long time to load.
  • UI/UX Inconsistencies: some elements were not consistent. An example was the course design.
  • Typo error: Some texts had existing typo error.
  • Blank Text Fields: some displayed texts fields were blanks
  • Inactive buttons: some navigation buttons were non-functional. These were some of the highlighted issues amongst others. You can find the full bug report here.

However, I'll suggest the following as a medium of improvements to a better functioning and user friendly website;

  • Deadlinks: Regularly audit and update links to ensure they point to the correct destinations.
  • Broken Links: Monitor server logs to detect and fix broken links promptly.
  • UI/UX Inconsistencies: Regularly review the design to maintain uniformity.
  • Typo error: Implement a rigorous proofreading process before publishing content.
  • Blank Text Fields: Ensure all text fields are correctly populated with data.
  • Inactive buttons: Test all buttons and fix any backend issues causing buttons to be inactive. By implementing these suggested improvements, the website can provide a seamless and engaging experience for all users. For a detailed overview of all identified issues, please refer to the full bug report here.

Conclusively, exploratory testing on the hng.tech website unveiled several areas needing improvement to enhance user satisfaction and gaining insights into the overall functionality and user experience of the website. I highlighted above, several areas for improvement that, when looked into, can significantly enhance functionality of the website. Above all, the results of exploratory testing provided a user-oriented perspective and feedback to the development teams. The goal which was to find million-dollar defects that are generally hidden behind the defined workflow was successfully accomplished.

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