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R. Ramler, D. Winkler:
"Exploratory Testing An Empirical Study Approach";
Talk: Euromicro International Conference, Croatia; 08-29-2006 - 09-01-2006; in: "Proceeding Work in Progress Session EUROMICRO 2006", WIP Euromicro 2006, Croatia (2006), # - #.

Exploratory testing is a less formal and highly interactive
style of software testing. In exploratory testing
a tester "will walk through the product, find out
what it is, and test it" [5]. Exploratory testing is done
without detailed pre-specified test cases, i.e., "scripted
tests" [3]. Instead an exploratory approach fosters "simultaneous
learning, test design, and test execution"
[1]. Testers often "explore" a software product to gain
a better knowledge and understanding about the product
and its behavior to design test cases with a high
probability to detect defects. Therefore, exploratory
testing includes two major benefits: first, increasing
the tester´s experience with the product and, second,
focus on risky and likely failing parts that need special
attention in software testing.