Influence doesn’t have to look like volume or certainty. It could look like curiosity, with an edge of empathy and wisdom.

And I am so curious - when it comes to making testing easier. I also love a heuristic. Does not mean I always remember them, so take my advice — i’m not using it. Here’s an exploratory testing heuristic using the acronym W.I.T.C.H.E.R

W.I.T.C.H.E.R Heuristic

W — Workflows

• Explore common and edge workflows, identify typical user journeys and uncommon paths. Test each step, transitions, and decision points.
• Integration points - check interactions between different system components and third-party services. Ensure data consistency and flow.
• Error Handling - validate how the system handles errors, including user errors, system errors, and edge cases.

I — Inputs

• Variety of inputs - test with different data types, lengths, and special characters. Include valid, invalid, and boundary inputs.
• Data formats - ensure the system can handle different formats like JSON, XML, CSV, etc.
• Input sources - test inputs from various sources such as forms, files, databases, APIs, etc.

T — Time

• Time-based conditions - check how the system behaves at different times, such as leap years, time zones, and daylight saving changes.
• Performance testing - assess the system’s response time, throughput, and load handling capabilities.
• Timeouts and delays - verify handling of network delays, server timeouts, and user session timeouts.
• Prioritisation - consider how much time you have for exploratory testing and prioritise accordingly.

C — Context

User context - understand different user scenarios, roles, and permissions. Environment context - test across various environments like development, staging, and production. Business context - ensure alignment with business rules, workflows, and objectives.

H — Heuristics and History

Common heuristics - use known heuristics like RCRCRC (Recent, Core, Risky, Configuration, Repaired, Chronic). Historical data - analyse past bugs, user feedback, incident reports, and logs. Exploratory testing - continuously adapt testing based on findings.

E — Edge Cases & Exceptions

Boundary conditions - test limits like max/min values, empty states, and overflow scenarios. Exception handling - validate how the system responds to unexpected inputs or system failures. Rare scenarios - include unusual user behaviors or uncommon configurations.

R — Risks & Regulations

Risk-based testing - prioritise areas with higher business or technical risk. Compliance checks - ensure adherence to legal, security, and privacy standards (e.g., GDPR, PCI-DSS). Security considerations - validate authentication, authorisation, and data protection mechanisms.