ISTQB Foundation Level
  • ISTQB CTFL Syllabus 2018 V3.1
  • Author - Magdalena Olak
  • 1. Fundamentals of Testing
    • 1.1. What is Testing?
      • 1.1.1. Typical Objectives of Testing
      • 1.1.2. Testing and Debugging
    • 1.2. Why is Testing Necessary?
      • 1.2.1 Testing’s Contributions to Success
      • 1.2.2 Quality Assurance and Testing
      • 1.2.3 Errors, Defects, and Failures
      • 1.2.4 Defects, Root Causes and Effects
    • 1.3. Seven Testing Principles
    • 1.4. Test Process
      • 1.4.1 Test Process in Context
      • 1.4.2 Test Activities and Tasks
      • 1.4.3 Test Work Products
      • 1.4.4 Traceability between the Test Basis and Test Work Products
    • 1.5. The Psychology of Testing
      • 1.5.1 Human Psychology and Testing
      • 1.5.2 Tester’s and Developer’s Mindsets
  • 2. Testing Throughout the Software Development Lifecycle
    • 2.1. Software Development Lifecycle Models
      • 2.1.1. Software Development and Software Testing
      • 2.1.2. Software Development Lifecycle Models in Context
    • 2.2. Test Levels
      • 2.2.1. Component Testing
      • 2.2.2 Integration Testing
      • 2.2.3. System Testing
      • 2.2.4. Acceptance Testing
    • 2.3. Test Types
      • 2.3.1. Functional Testing
      • 2.3.2. Non-functional Testing
      • 2.3.3. White-box Testing
      • 2.3.4. Change-related Testing
      • 2.3.5. Test Types and Test Levels
    • 2.4. Maintenance Testing
      • 2.4.1 Triggers for Maintenance
      • 2.4.2 Impact Analysis for Maintenance
  • 3 Static Testing
    • 3.1 Static Testing Basics
      • 3.1.1 Work Products that Can Be Examined by Static Testing
      • 3.1.2 Benefits of Static Testing
      • 3.1.3 Differences between Static and Dynamic Testing
    • 3.2 Review Process
      • 3.2.1 Work Product Review Process
      • 3.2.2 Roles and responsibilities in a formal review
      • 3.2.3 Review Types
      • 3.2.4 Applying Review Techniques
      • 3.2.5 Success Factors for Reviews
  • 4 Test Techniques
    • 4.1 Categories of Test Techniques
      • 4.1.1 Categories of Test Techniques and Their Characteristics
    • 4.2 Black-box Test Techniques
      • 4.2.1 Equivalence Partitioning
      • 4.2.2 Boundary Value Analysis
      • 4.2.3 Decision Table Testing
      • 4.2.4 State Transition Testing
      • 4.2.5 Use Case Testing
    • 4.3 White-box Test Techniques
      • 4.3.1 Statement Testing and Coverage
      • 4.3.2 Decision Testing and Coverage
      • 4.3.3 The Value of Statement and Decision Testing
    • 4.4 Experience-based Test Techniques
      • 4.4.1 Error Guessing
      • 4.4.2 Exploratory Testing
      • 4.4.3 Checklist-based Testing
  • 5 Test Management
    • 5.1 Test Organization
      • 5.1.1 Independent Testing
      • 5.1.2 Tasks of a Test Manager and Tester
    • 5.2 Test Planning and Estimation
      • 5.2.1 Purpose and Content of a Test Plan
      • 5.2.2 Test Strategy and Test Approach
      • 5.2.3 Entry Criteria and Exit Criteria (Definition of Ready and Definition of Done)
      • 5.2.4 Test Execution Schedule
      • 5.2.5 Factors Influencing the Test Effort
      • 5.2.6 Test Estimation Techniques
    • 5.3 Test Monitoring and Control
      • 5.3.1 Metrics Used in Testing
      • 5.3.2 Purposes, Contents, and Audiences for Test Reports
    • 5.4 Configuration Management
    • 5.5 Risks and Testing
      • 5.5.1 Definition of Risk
      • 5.5.2 Product and Project Risks
      • 5.5.3 Risk-based Testing and Product Quality
    • 5.6 Defect Management
  • 6 Tool Support for Testing
    • 6.1 Test Tool Considerations
      • 6.1.1 Test Tool Classification
      • 6.1.2 Benefits and Risks of Test Automation
      • 6.1.3 Special Considerations for Test Execution and Test Management Tools
    • 6.2 Effective Use of Tools
      • 6.2.1 Main Principles for Tool Selection
      • 6.2.2 Pilot Projects for Introducing a Tool into an Organization
      • 6.2.3 Success Factors for Tools
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  1. 5 Test Management
  2. 5.1 Test Organization

5.1.2 Tasks of a Test Manager and Tester

In this syllabus, two test roles are covered, test managers and testers. The activities and tasks performed by these two roles depend on the project and product context, the skills of the people in the roles, and the organization.

The test manager is tasked with overall responsibility for the test process and successful leadership of the test activities. The test management role might be performed by a professional test manager, or by a project manager, a development manager, or a quality assurance manager. In larger projects or organizations, several test teams may report to a test manager, test coach, or test coordinator, each team being headed by a test leader or lead tester.

Typical test manager tasks may include:

  • Develop or review a test policy and test strategy for the organization

  • Plan the test activities by considering the context, and understanding the test objectives and risks. This may include selecting test approaches, estimating test time, effort and cost, acquiring resources, defining test levels and test cycles, and planning defect management

  • Write and update the test plan(s)

  • Coordinate the test plan(s) with project managers, product owners, and others

  • Share testing perspectives with other project activities, such as integration planning

  • Initiate the analysis, design, implementation, and execution of tests, monitor test progress and results, and check the status of exit criteria (or definition of done) and facilitate test completion activities

  • Prepare and deliver test progress reports and test summary reports based on the information gathered

  • Adapt planning based on test results and progress (sometimes documented in test progress reports, and/or in test summary reports for other testing already completed on the project) and take any actions necessary for test control

  • Support setting up the defect management system and adequate configuration management of testware  Introduce suitable metrics for measuring test progress and evaluating the quality of the testing and the product

  • Support the selection and implementation of tools to support the test process, including recommending the budget for tool selection (and possibly purchase and/or support), allocating time and effort for pilot projects, and providing continuing support in the use of the tool(s)

  • Decide about the implementation of test environment(s)

  • Promote and advocate the testers, the test team, and the test profession within the organization

  • Develop the skills and careers of testers (e.g., through training plans, performance evaluations, coaching, etc.)

The way in which the test manager role is carried out varies depending on the software development lifecycle. For example, in Agile development, some of the tasks mentioned above are handled by the Agile team, especially those tasks concerned with the day-to-day testing done within the team, often by a tester working within the team. Some of the tasks that span multiple teams or the entire organization, or that have to do with personnel management, may be done by test managers outside of the development team, who are sometimes called test coaches. See Black 2009 for more on managing the test process.

Typical tester tasks may include:

  • Review and contribute to test plans  Analyze, review, and assess requirements, user stories and acceptance criteria, specifications, and models for testability (i.e., the test basis)

  • Identify and document test conditions, and capture traceability between test cases, test conditions, and the test basis

  • Design, set up, and verify test environment(s), often coordinating with system administration and network management

  • Design and implement test cases and test procedures  Prepare and acquire test data  Create the detailed test execution schedule

  • Execute tests, evaluate the results, and document deviations from expected results  Use appropriate tools to facilitate the test process

  • Automate tests as needed (may be supported by a developer or a test automation expert)  Evaluate non-functional characteristics such as performance efficiency, reliability, usability, security, compatibility, and portability

  • Review tests developed by others

People who work on test analysis, test design, specific test types, or test automation may be specialists in these roles. Depending on the risks related to the product and the project, and the software development lifecycle model selected, different people may take over the role of tester at different test levels. For example, at the component testing level and the component integration testing level, the role of a tester is often done by developers. At the acceptance test level, the role of a tester is often done by business analysts, subject matter experts, and users. At the system test level and the system integration test level, the role of a tester is often done by an independent test team. At the operational acceptance test level, the role of a tester is often done by operations and/or systems administration staff.

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