Pair testing

Pair testing puts two people together at one workstation to test software - usually a tester paired with either a developer or another tester. Like pair programming, it lets two minds tackle testing challenges together, combining their different skills and perspectives to find bugs more effectively. 

There is no “right way” to implement pair testing. Here are a few examples that highlight different ways to go about it: 

Pair testing catches bugs faster and more thoroughly than solo testing. When testers and developers work together, they learn from each other's perspectives and skills. Developers better understand how their code gets tested, while testers gain insights into the technical implementation. This collaboration builds stronger teams and results in better software quality. 

The biggest hurdles are scheduling and time management - it's harder to coordinate two people's time than one. Some team members might resist pair testing, seeing it as slower or less efficient than working alone. Success requires clear session goals, time boxes to maintain focus, and regular switching of pairs to share knowledge across the team. 

In the formal style of pair testing, there’s typically a “navigator”, who decides what to do or investigate, and a “driver”, who directly interacts with the system under test and follows the instructions of the navigator. The pair will typically swap roles at regular intervals, giving both parties a chance to try out their ideas and observe how the other person navigates through the system. In the informal style, who says what to do next and who interacts with the system is less rigid. This gives room for more discussion and ideation. It may also be a little faster, as you can execute and show your ideas directly, without having to find all the words to explain them.