Applying Prototyping and Exploratory Testing to Ensure Software Quality in an Information System for Power Tampering Detection - An Experience Report

Oct 29, 2026

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This paper presents an experience report on applying exploratory testing during the development of a system that detects illegal connections in electricity supply, a critical issue that leads to financial losses and undermines safety and grid efficiency. The work used a high-fidelity Figma prototype to plan and execute tests, identifying functional and usability defects in an agile, collaborative flow. Iterative meetings enabled continuous validation and 49 categorized defects supported substantial improvements.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

1 INTRODUCTION

2 RELATED WORK

2.1 Exploratory Testing and Prototyping

# Applying Prototyping and Exploratory Testing to Ensure SoftwareQuality in an Information System for Power Tampering Detection:AnExperience Report Sabryna Araujo¹Da,Ramille Santana¹Db,Joana Silva¹DC,Arthur Passos1,2Dd,Matheus Menezes³De,Felipe Feyh³Df,Carlos Moura³D8,Lucas Pinheiro³D,Auriane Santos³D,Aristofanes Silva¹,2Di,Joao Dallyson¹,2Dk,Italo Francyles¹,2D¹and Luis Rivero¹,2Dm ¹Núcleo de Computacāo Aplicada(NCA),Federal University of Maranhão(UFMA),Sao Luís,MA,Brazil 2Programa de Pós-Graduacāo em Ciencia da Computacāo (PPGCC),Federal University of Maranhāo (UFMA),São Luís,MA,Brazil3Instituto de Ciencia e Tecnologia Grupo Equatorial,Sao Luís,MA,Brazil Keywords: Exploratory Testing,Prototype,Software Quality,Software Engineering. Abstract:This paper presents an experience report on the application of exploratory testing in the development of asystem aimed at detecting illegal connections in the electricity supply,a critical problem that causes financiallosses and compromises the safety and efficiency of power grids.The research utilized ahigh-fidelity prototypedeveloped in the Figma tool as a basis for planning and executing tests,allowing the identification of functionaland usability defects in an agile and collaborative manner.The adopted methodology involved the use ofiterative meetings for continuous validation,ensuring alignment between requirements and implementation.During the process,49 defects were recorded and categorized,enabling significant system improvements andensuring higher quality in the final product.The results highlight the effectiveness of integrating prototypesand exploratory testing to reduce validation time,identify critical issues,and promote team alignment.Asfuture work,it is proposed to expand the system's prioritization criteria and conduct user tests in real scenarios.This study contributes to the literature by reinforcing the role of agile methodologies and modern testingtechniques in the development of robust and effective technological solutions. ## 1 INTRODUCTION lems,is a phenomenon widely observed in Brazil andin several other developing countries.These practicesgenerally emerge in scenarios of financial resourceconstraints or insufficient infrastructure and are of-ten associated with improvisations in electrical sys-tems,hydraulic systems,or even technological de-vices.Furthermore,with the increase in the numberof households,energy companies face the challengeof managing a growing customer base(Vidinich andNery,2009).Studies indicate that these solutions,de-spite being creative,can pose significant risks to boththe safety and performance of critical systems. The practice of makeshift solutions,characterized byimprovised solutions to technical or operational prob- aDhttps://orcid.org/0009-0001-5460-1261 bDhttps://orcid.org/0009-0008-4071-8064 CDhttps://orcid.org/0009-0004-2216-357X dDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2823-3645 eDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8676-1131 fDhttps://orcd.org/0009-0008-3593-9225 8Dhttps://orcid.org/0009-0005-8552-6136 hDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4641-3703 In this context,a specific module for the automaticprioritization of makeshift solutions was developed,which uses the Internal Rate of Return(IRR)as themain evaluation metric.The system combines dataanalysis and managerial reports to support operational iDhttps://orcid.org/0009-0003-3873-4990 iDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0423-2514 kDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7013-9700 IDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2041-7538 mDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6008-6537 380 Applying Prototyping and Exploratory Testing to Ensure Software Quality in an Information System for Power Tampering Detection:AnExperience Report teams in identifying critical points,allowing compa-nies to prioritize interventions with higher economicand strategic returns.Additionally,the module helpsprioritize corrective actions with the best cost-benefitratio for the company,optimizing available resourcesand minimi

FAQs

What problem does the proposed system address?

It targets illegal or irregular electrical connections in the electricity supply, which cause financial losses, raise accident risks, and reduce electrical grid efficiency.

How were prototypes used in the testing process?

A high-fidelity prototype created in Figma served as the basis for planning and executing exploratory tests, supporting early identification of functional and usability defects.

What was the testing and validation approach during development?

The methodology used iterative meetings for continuous validation, keeping requirements aligned with implementation and enabling ongoing improvement.

Oct 29, 2026

Upload by Finn