[2] Ad hoc tests are useful for adding additional confidence to a resulting product or process, as well as quickly spotting important defects or inefficiencies,[1][3] but they have some disadvantages, such as having inherent uncertainties in their performance[4][5] and not being as useful without proper documentation post-execution and -completion.
[1] The tester still intends to apply—as part of the overall software development process—their own methodology to find bugs not anticipated for by planned test cases using any means that seem appropriate given the situation.
[3] However, as Desikan notes, to get the most from an ad hoc test and limit its downsides, the test should be properly documented post-execution and -completion, and the results report should address how any defects were identified in a step-by-step manner.
Ad hoc testing has been applied in other scientific and quality management scenarios.
For example, ad hoc testing has been applied in standardized on-site testing at healthcare facilities of "the electromagnetic immunity of medical devices and help identify interference issues that might exist with critical medical devices as a result of emissions from RF transmitters," using IEEE/ANSI C63.18-2014.