What testing technique uses the tester's experience to predict where defects might occur due to prior errors?

The technique that relies on the tester's experience to predict where defects might occur, particularly due to previous errors, is error guessing. This approach is based on the knowledge and intuition gained from past testing experiences, allowing the tester to make educated guesses about the areas of the application that may be prone to defects. Since testers often have insights into typical pitfalls and common errors from earlier projects, they can focus their testing efforts more effectively to find potential issues.

This method is particularly useful in Agile environments, where iterative development and quick feedback cycles are essential. By leveraging their experience, testers can enhance the efficiency of the testing process by concentrating on parts of the system that have historically been problematic or where similar functionalities have led to errors in the past.

Other options, like error detection, refer to identifying existing errors rather than predicting potential ones. Test automation focuses on using tools to execute tests automatically rather than applying human insight. Static analysis involves examining the code without executing it, which differs from the experiential approach of predicting defects based on previous knowledge. These distinctions highlight why error guessing stands out as the correct choice in this context.