Empirical Testing
Empirical testing is a software testing approach that relies on observation, experimentation, and data collection to evaluate software quality, rather than following strictly predefined test cases. It involves exploratory testing, heuristic evaluation, and risk-based testing to uncover defects through real-world usage scenarios. This methodology emphasizes adaptability and learning during the testing process to address complex or poorly understood systems.
Developers should use empirical testing when dealing with systems that have unclear requirements, high complexity, or emergent behaviors, such as in agile development, legacy codebases, or user experience testing. It is particularly valuable for uncovering unexpected bugs, validating usability, and assessing performance under realistic conditions, complementing scripted testing to provide a more holistic quality assurance strategy.