What testing approach aims to reduce product risk by informing stakeholders?

Risk-based testing is focused on understanding and prioritizing risks associated with the product or system being tested. This approach allows testers and stakeholders to identify potential areas where failures could have significant impacts on the project, such as financial losses, reputational damage, or safety concerns. By evaluating the likelihood and severity of risks, testing efforts can be concentrated on the most critical areas, ensuring that the overall risk is mitigated effectively.

The stakeholder engagement aspect is crucial in risk-based testing, as it relies on inputs from various parties to accurately assess risks and prioritize testing accordingly. This alignment with business goals fosters better communication and provides insights into areas that may require more rigorous testing or additional resources to mitigate potential issues.

In contrast, exploratory testing is more about discovering issues and gaining insights through unscripted test approaches, unit testing focuses on validating individual components, and functional testing verifies whether the software meets specified requirements. While these methods play essential roles in a comprehensive testing strategy, they do not specifically emphasize stakeholder communication and risk prioritization as core components of their approach.