New exploratory testing tool
I suspect they don't yet realize it, but Microsoft have just launched a new exploratory testing tool. Its called OneNote and its part of their family of Office products.
OneNote is a new application that is available in the Home and Student edition of 2007 and 2010 beta version.
In Microsoft speak, OneNote is a digital notebook that provides people one place to gather their notes and information, powerful search to find what they are looking for quickly, and easy-to-use shared notebooks so that they can manage information overload and work together effectively.
I see it as a great way of collecting all the information related to a test in one handy area.
For example, you can add snapshots, text, sound direct from the toolbar onto a screen. I like the idea of providing audio notes to a visual snapshot as its a way of simply supplying contextual information thats lacking in a 2 dimensional image.
Unfortunately, it doesn't have a direct button for video, but you can import any video and attach it to the notebook.
You can also create different pages in the notebook, so perhaps you could have one notebook per charter and one page per bug.
OneNote easily integrates with Outlook making it easy to share information.
They also have plenty of templates to draw from, but I could see no reference to anything on exploratory testing, so I think they haven't yet seen how helpful a tool like this could be in exploratory testing.
Unfortunately, there is always a downside, and that is you have to pay for the Home and Student version of Microsoft Office 2007 as its not available in the 2007 Professional Edition. A bit annoying if you already own Office 2007.
OneNote is a new application that is available in the Home and Student edition of 2007 and 2010 beta version.
In Microsoft speak, OneNote is a digital notebook that provides people one place to gather their notes and information, powerful search to find what they are looking for quickly, and easy-to-use shared notebooks so that they can manage information overload and work together effectively.
I see it as a great way of collecting all the information related to a test in one handy area.
For example, you can add snapshots, text, sound direct from the toolbar onto a screen. I like the idea of providing audio notes to a visual snapshot as its a way of simply supplying contextual information thats lacking in a 2 dimensional image.
Unfortunately, it doesn't have a direct button for video, but you can import any video and attach it to the notebook.
You can also create different pages in the notebook, so perhaps you could have one notebook per charter and one page per bug.
OneNote easily integrates with Outlook making it easy to share information.
They also have plenty of templates to draw from, but I could see no reference to anything on exploratory testing, so I think they haven't yet seen how helpful a tool like this could be in exploratory testing.
Unfortunately, there is always a downside, and that is you have to pay for the Home and Student version of Microsoft Office 2007 as its not available in the 2007 Professional Edition. A bit annoying if you already own Office 2007.