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. 5.5 Risks and Testing

5.5.2 Product and Project Risks

Product risk involves the possibility that a work product (e.g., a specification, component, system, or test) may fail to satisfy the legitimate needs of its users and/or stakeholders. When the product risks are associated with specific quality characteristics of a product (e.g., functional suitability, reliability, performance efficiency, usability, security, compatibility, maintainability, and portability), product risks are also called quality risks. Examples of product risks include:

  • Software might not perform its intended functions according to the specification

  • Software might not perform its intended functions according to user, customer, and/or stakeholder needs

  • A system architecture may not adequately support some non-functional requirement(s)

  • A particular computation may be performed incorrectly in some circumstances

  • A loop control structure may be coded incorrectly

  • Response-times may be inadequate for a high-performance transaction processing system

  • User experience (UX) feedback might not meet product expectations

Project risk involves situations that, should they occur, may have a negative effect on a project's ability to achieve its objectives. Examples of project risks include:

  • Project issues:

    • Delays may occur in delivery, task completion, or satisfaction of exit criteria or definition of done

    • Inaccurate estimates, reallocation of funds to higher priority projects, or general costcutting across the organization may result in inadequate funding

    • Late changes may result in substantial re-work

  • Organizational issues:

    • Skills, training, and staff may not be sufficient

    • Personnel issues may cause conflict and problems

    • Users, business staff, or subject matter experts may not be available due to conflicting business priorities

  • Political issues:

    • Testers may not communicate their needs and/or the test results adequately

    • Developers and/or testers may fail to follow up on information found in testing and reviews (e.g., not improving development and testing practices)

    • There may be an improper attitude toward, or expectations of, testing (e.g., not appreciating the value of finding defects during testing)

  • Technical issues:

    • Requirements may not be defined well enough

    • The requirements may not be met, given existing constraints

    • The test environment may not be ready on time

    • Data conversion, migration planning, and their tool support may be late

    • Weaknesses in the development process may impact the consistency or quality of project work products such as design, code, configuration, test data, and test cases

    • Poor defect management and similar problems may result in accumulated defects and other technical debt  Supplier issues:

    • A third party may fail to deliver a necessary product or service, or go bankrupt

    • Contractual issues may cause problems to the project

Project risks may affect both development activities and test activities. In some cases, project managers are responsible for handling all project risks, but it is not unusual for test managers to have responsibility for test-related project risks.

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