In the evolving landscape of software development, one of the primary goals, and greatest challenges, of testing is effective risk mitigation. Traditional testing approaches, though methodical and structured, often struggle to keep pace with rapid development cycles and may overlook unforeseen issues.
For the past 30 years software testing has been Tal’s profession and passion. He’s been working as a tester and test manager before becoming a trainer and consultant, helping organizations to establish and improve test teams and test processes, as well as training testing professionals with various ISTQB® courses and testing workshops.
Tal has been active with ISTQB® since 2008 and has been a member of the Executive Committee between 2017-2023.
Tal is a Principal Consultant at Grove Software Testing, one of UK’s leading training providers and course training materials providers.
In the evolving landscape of software development, one of the primary goals, and greatest challenges, of testing is effective risk mitigation. Traditional testing approaches, though methodical and structured, often struggle to keep pace with rapid development cycles and may overlook unforeseen issues. Exploratory testing, driven by human intuition and creativity, offers a dynamic alternative, enabling testers to uncover hidden risks through unscripted investigation. However, it lacks the formal rigor and repeatability of traditional methods.
Meanwhile, automation and AI have become central to modern testing strategies, requiring significant investment and attention. But amid this technological shift, an important question arises: Where does human ingenuity fit in?
This presentation begins by framing the importance of software testing in risk management. It then contrasts traditional and exploratory testing, highlighting their respective strengths and limitations. The core focus is on the value of exploration, going beyond documented requirements to challenge the system in unexpected ways.
To amplify this approach, I introduce the concept of using AI agents to support exploratory testing, or pair testing with an AI agent. By combining human insight with AI-driven capabilities, we can enhance coverage, accelerate feedback, and uncover risks more effectively. Attendees will learn how to integrate AI agents into exploratory testing workflows while preserving the essential role of human creativity.
