Hey there! My name is John and I‘ve been working in software testing for over 10 years. In that time, I‘ve executed tests across more than 3,500 real mobile devices and browsers in my role as a test expert. Today, I want to give you an in-depth look at an incredibly useful testing technique called pair testing.
Through this comprehensive guide, you‘ll learn all about what pair testing is, why it matters, when to use it, and how to conduct sessions successfully. I‘ll also provide actionable tips for participants. And no conversation about testing would be complete without discussing the vital role real devices play, so I‘ll cover that too!
What Exactly is Pair Testing?
Pair testing brings two testers together at one machine to collaborate on the design, execution, and evaluation of tests. It combines multiple perspectives to uncover more defects and generate more test ideas than any single tester could accomplish alone.
In a typical pair testing session, one tester plays the role of "driver" who operates the computer and browser or mobile device. Their partner acts as the "navigator" who guides the testing process with ideas, questions, and suggestions while actively looking for any issues.
Roles often switch during the 60-90 minutes sessions so both get a chance to drive and navigate. At the end, the pair logs any bugs found and shares lessons learned.
4 Reasons Pair Testing is So Powerful
So why go through the effort of coordinating two testers when solo testing is easier to just do alone? What makes this collaborative approach so beneficial?
1. Finds Significantly More Bugs
Numerous studies have shown that pair testing reveals far more defects than testers working solo – 15% to 50% more bugs on average!
Having a second set of eyes prevents testers from overlooking subtle issues and raises new perspectives. Navigators also continuously ask questions solo testers would skip.
| Testing Method | Average Bugs Detected |
|---|---|
| Solo testing | 10 |
| Pair testing | 13-15 |
2.Accelerates Learning
Pairing testers with complementary skills or experience levels helps them rapidly improve through hands-on knowledge sharing.
Novices pick up best practices quickly while veterans gain renewed understanding by explaining their thought processes. Varied backgrounds strengthen overall team expertise.
3. Enhances Morale
Testing can feel tedious and isolated without much social interaction. Pairing makes it more collaborative and enjoyable by working closely with colleagues.
The conversations create natural bonds and camaraderie that boost energy and morale. Teams gain a renewed appreciation for each other‘s contributions when they share challenges firsthand.
4. Reinforces a Culture of Quality
When testers team up, it signals that excellence matters more than speeds or outputs. Making time for careful, mindful collaboration demonstrates a commitment to quality from the top down.
Thoughtful pairing reinforces the cultural behaviors necessary for reliable and maintainable code over the long term. Teams learn to build quality in from the start.
When Should You Use Pair Testing?
The hands-on nature of pair testing does require some additional coordination compared to solo test efforts. But it offers ample return on that investment when used intentionally in key situations:
Complex Application Areas
Sections with lots of intricate functionality or past issues warrant extra rigor during releases. Two testers bring sharper focus and thinking.
Onboarding New Team Members
Pairing provides guided mentorship to smoothly onboard new hires. Testers assimilate knowledge and context much faster.
Pre-Production Verification
Additional validation right before major launches or updates reduces risk. Paired tests act as one final quality check.
Confirming Bug Fixes
Fixing defects often inadvertently causes regressions. Collaborative retesting lowers chances reopened issues reach users.
Creative Exploratory Testing
Two creative minds during loosely structured exploratory testing generates more ideas to try and problems to probe.
Step-By-Step Guide to Effective Pair Testing Sessions
Based on conducting hundreds of pairing sessions over the years, I‘ve developed a reliable step-by-step process for productive sessions:
Step 1: Define Session Goals
Start every pairing session by agreeing on 1-2 clear goals and areas of focus. This keeps things targeted amid potential open-ended creative tangents.
For example, goals could include:
- Thoroughly test new checkout feature
- Confirm recent crash bug fixes
- Explore edge use cases
Step 2: Select Participants Mindfully
Give careful consideration to who will be paired up. Choose testers with:
- Complementary skill sets or backgrounds
- Comfortable working relationship but different enough perspectives
Also decide participant roles beforehand. Who will start as driver and navigator?
Step 3: Review Required Documents
Before starting, both tester should review any requirements,specs or past test cases to anchor the session around key details.
Step 4: Create an Agenda Outline
Draft an outline to hit key areas and core scenarios to prevent overlooking basic workflows while exploring. Tick items off as you test.
Step 5: Time Box the Session
Limit sessions to 60-90 mins max. Energy, engagement, and focus decline sharply beyond this. Smaller chunks allow resetting between tests.
Step 6: Review & Log Results
After wrapping up the pairing time, methodically review all results – bugs, questions, test ideas etc. Log details before memories fade!
Step 7: Debrief as a Team
Conduct a debrief meeting with a wider team to determine takeaways from the session applicable to others.
Best Practices for Pair Testing Roles
As you participate in pair testing sessions in either role, keep these proven tips in mind:
For Navigators
The navigator guides testing itself:
- Ask Lots of Questions – Dig into all assumptions and responses with deeper followup questions.
- Suggest Test Ideas – Propose scenarios, data sets, and use cases to try. Think expansively.
- Take Meticulous Notes – Document steps, expectations, actual results, configurations, questions etc.
- Watch Body Language – Look for signs of confusion or frustration and provide help interpreting responses.
- Time Box Tangents – Keep exploratory wanderings focused on priority coverage areas.
For Drivers
The driver manipulates the application:
- Verbalize Your Actions – Describe step-by-step what you are doing and why. Externalize your thought process.
- Think Aloud When Stuck – Voice sticking points instead of going quiet while unsure of next steps.
- Ask Clarifying Questions – Seek confirmation whenever directions feel unclear. Don‘t make assumptions.
- Stay Focused – Avoid distractions and tangents. Turn off notifications. Close unused programs.
Key Metrics to Optimize Pair Testing Value
To continuously enhance your pairing practice, dig into vital data like:
- Session Bug Yield – The number of bugs identified per session over time
- Bug Escapes – Bugs released into production from unpaired tested code
- Test Coverage – Number of features, workflows, devices, OS versions tested via pairing
- Knowledge Improvement – Participants‘ self-assessed increased understanding session-over-session
- Pairing Satisfaction – Feedback from post-session surveys measuring value, enjoyment, areas to improve
Compare trends across pairs using different roles like testers + developers or testers + business analysts. The data guides ever more effective combinations and focus areas.
Make time after each session to immediately log bugs and document remaining questions to cover in future tests. Quickly capture details before memories fade!
Integrating Pairing Deeply Into Testing Processes
Don‘t restrict pairing to occasional efforts. Make collaboration a cornerstone of your testing culture through:
Bake Into Test Plans
Mandate pair testing for certain features or test types in standard plan templates.
Allocate Pairing Hours Per Sprint
Quantitatively budget a defined number of pairing hours every sprint.
Build Trusted Partnerships
Assign each tester primary pairing partners to regularly work with.
Publicize Program Metrics
Dashboards with pairing metrics and trends inform and motivate.
Ongoing Lunch & Learns
Host monthly educational sessions for continuous practice improvement.
Real Devices Are Essential for Pair Testing
For pairing to deliver maximum benefits, testers need access to real mobile and desktop devices, not just emulators.
Emulators fail to recreate the diverse array of real-world user conditions that impact experiences, limiting pair testing effectiveness.
When testers are distributed, providing access to real devices becomes even more essential for equitable collaboration.
Cloud testing services like BrowserStack enable this by offering on-demand access to thousands of real mobile devices, browsers and OS versions.
With cloud-based real devices, remote testers can pair just as effectively as if co-located by:
-
Video Conferencing while independently controlling real devices to align test execution and evaluation
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Screen Sharing to accurately direct steps and synchronize observations
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Real-Time Notes logged in collaborative docs to capture details
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Automated Testing executes tests in parallel across combinations to maximize coverage
With access to over 2000+ latest real mobile devices, browsers and OS versions instantly available, teams can pair remotely while still testing under real-world conditions.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Whew, we covered a lot of ground today exploring the world of pair testing!
Here‘s a quick summary of what we discussed:
- What pair testing is – Collaborative testing with driver + navigator roles
- Key benefits – Increased defects detected, team learning and morale
- When to use it – Complex features, new staff onboarding, releases
- How to conduct sessions – Goal setting, role assignments, notetaking etc
- Optimizing value – Bug yield metrics, satisfaction surveys
- Integrating long-term – Embedding in test plans and budgets
- Leveraging real devices– Enables remote collaboration with accurate results
I hope this guide gives you new ideas on how to take your testing to the next level with pairing!
As you adopt this practice, track those key metrics we discussed to guide further improvements. And continue experimenting with creative pair combinations across roles.
Lastly, consider a tool like BrowserStack to instantly access real mobile devices in the cloud. That testing fidelity is vital for impactful remote pairing.
Let me know if any other pair testing questions pop up! This complementary approach can unlock tremendous quality and agility boosts as teams learn together.
