I worked with a product owner, who liked seeing all of us in the team put down very clear tasks we are doing, with estimates of how long does it take to complete it. Testing never fit that idea too well.
Some tasks we do, until we are done with them.
Some tasks we do, until we've used time we're willing to invest.
Some tasks, through learning become very different than what they originally were and writing it down may get you doing the wrong (planned) task, instead of the right (emergent) task.
Test cases and manager saying things like "I expect to see 20 test cases completed every work day", or "add one case to automation every day" give testing the feel that instead of learning and exploring, we're squeezed on time.
Thinking to the explorers of territories, finding something new and interesting was probably not likely if the orders were to take the main road, stick to it and make it to destination in an optimized schedule.
The one thing that turns your testing to exploratory testing is time. Take time, and think about using time time in a smart way. You won't know all things in advance. But without time, you wouldn't be able to be open to learn.
This insight comes from last Friday and me trying to get to a conference stage. I left on time, and turns on the way lead me to a completely different talk than I intended to give - the one I intended to give would not have worked out for that stage.
Things that can only happen when isolating...
— Maaret Pyhäjärvi (@maaretp) November 20, 2020
I was about to leave for downtown to record a talk for #MimmitKoodaa. As I stepped out the door, I realized we have snow. I had no winter tires. Wait, it gets better (1/n).
