ISTQB-ATM Definitions

Question 1

Exit criteria

Answer 1

The set of generic and specific conditions, agreed upon with the stakeholders, for permitting a process to be officially completed. The purpose of exit criteria is to prevent a task from being considered completed when there are still outstanding parts of the task which have not been finished. Exit criteria are used to report against and to plan when to stop testing.

Question 2

Test case

Answer 2

A set of input values, execution preconditions, expected results, and execution postconditions, developed for a particular objective or test condition, such as t o exercise a particular program path or to verify compliance with a specific requirement.

Question 3

Test closure

Answer 3

During the test closure phase of a test process data is collected from completed activities t o consolidate experience, testware, facts, and numbers. The test closure phase consists of finalizing and archiving the testware and evaluating the test process, including preparation of a test evaluation report.

Question 4

Test condition

Answer 4

Created during test analysis, test conditions define “what” is to be tested, based on an analysis of the test basis, test objectives, and product risks. They can be viewed as the detailed measures and targets for success (e.g., part of exit criteria). A test condition should be traceable back to the test basis and strategic objectives and traceable forward to test designs and other test work products.

Question 5

Test control

Answer 5

A test management task that deals with developing and applying a set of corrective actions to get a test project on track when monitoring shows a deviation from what was planned.

Question 6

Test design

Answer 6

This is the “how” something is to be tested – identify test cases based on identified test conditions using test techniques set out by test plan and/or test strategy.

Question 7

Test execution

Answer 7

The group of activities in the test process in which tests are actually run. Tests are executed in accordance with test cases following the test execution schedule. Failures are investigated and defects reported while test results tracking, including metrics tracking, will be collected for monitoring, control, and reporting by the Test Manager.

Question 8

Test implementation

Answer 8

Test implementation is the activity during which tests are organized and prioritized as concrete test cases, test procedures, and test data. Commonly, each test’s inputs, expected results, and test steps are documented together in a test case. Test implementation includes the creation of stored test data.

Question 9

Test log

Answer 9

A chronological record of relevant details about the execution of tests.

Question 10

Test planning

Answer 10

The activity of establishing or updating a test plan.

Question 11

Test procedure

Answer 11

A document specifying a sequence of actions for the execution of a test. Also known as a test script or manual test script.

Question 12

Test script

Answer 12

Commonly used to refer to a test procedure specification, especially an automated one.

Question 13

Test summary report

Answer 13

A document summarizing the testing activities and results. It also contains an evaluation of the corresponding test items against exit criteria.

Question 14

Level test plan

Answer 14

1 - Level test plans describe the particular activities to be carried out within each test level or, in some cases, test type.
2 - Level test plans expand, where necessary, on the master test plan for the specific level or test type being documented.
3 - They provide schedule, task, and milestone details not necessarily covered in the master test plan.
4 - In addition, to the extent that different standards and templates apply to specification of tests at different levels, these details would be covered in level test plans.

Question 15

Master test plan

Answer 15

1 - The master test plan covers all of the testing work to be done on a particular project, including the particular levels to be carried out and the relationships among those levels, and between test levels and corresponding development activities.
2 - The master test plan should discuss how the testers will implement the test strategy for this project (i.e., the test approach).
3 - The master test plan should be consistent with the test policy and strategy, and, in specific areas where it is not, should explain those deviations and exceptions, including any potential impact resulting from the deviations.

Question 16

Product risk

Answer 16

Risk where the primary effect of the potential problem is on product quality (including totality of features, behaviours, characteristics, and attributes that affect customer, user, and stakeholder satisfaction).

Question 17

Project risk

Answer 17

Risk where the primary effect of the potential problem is on project success (meeting objectives, schedules, budget, etc.).

Question 18

Risk analysis

Answer 18

[also see Risk identification] In risk-based testing, quality risks are identified and assessed during a product quality risk analysis with the stakeholders. The test team then designs, implements, and executes tests to mitigate the quality risks.

Question 19

Risk assessment

Answer 19

In risk-based testing, risk assessment involves categorizing each risk outlined during risk identification and determining the likelihood and impact associated with each risk. Risk assessment may also involve evaluating or assigning other properties of each risk, such as risk owner.

Question 20

Risk identification

Answer 20

[also see Risk analysis] In risk-based testing, quality risks are identified and assessed during a product quality risk analysis using various techniques and with the broadest possible sample of stakeholders

Question 21

Risk level

Answer 21

1 - The level of a given risk typically involves assessing the likelihood of occurence and the impact upon occurrence.
2 - The level of risk can be assessed either quantitatively or qualitatively. If likelihood and impact can be ascertained quantitatively, one can multiply the two values together to calculate a quantitative risk priority number. Typically, though, the level of risk can only be ascertained qualitatively. That is, one can speak of likelihood being very high, high, medium, low, or very low, but one cannot express likelihood as a percentage with any real precision; similarly, one can speak of impact being very high, high, medium, low, or very low, but one cannot express impact in financial terms in a complete or precise fashion.

Question 22

Risk management

Answer 22

The general process, as described in the organization’s Test Policy / Strategy documents, by which risks are managed at all stages of testing through efforts at identifying risks as early as possible, addressing or mitigating those risks, identifying the sources and consequences of the risks, understanding sources of risk in order to create process improvements that prevent those defects in the first place, using identified risks to prioritize and sequence testing efforts, etc.

Question 23

Risk mitigation

Answer 23

In risk-based testing, risk mitigation is the process of designing, implementing, and executing testing efforts in accordance with a test plan designed to cover the identified risks. Effort should be proportional to risk level, meaning that more resources and more meticulous test techniques are used for high-risk items and vice versa. Adjustments based on new information should be identified and adjusted for by the test team throughout the project.

Question 24

Risk

Answer 24

The possibility of a negative or undesirable outcome or event. It exists whenever some problem may occur which would decrease customer, user, participant, or stakeholder perceptions of product quality or project success.

Question 25

Risk-based testing

Answer 25

Risk-based testing is an approach whereby stakeholders idetnify all possible risks to product quality, assess those risks for their various risk levels, plan and implement test coverage designed to proportionally mitigate those risks, and manage the risk-related outcomes of those activities.

Question 26

Test approach

Answer 26

The test approach, as set out in a Master Test Plan, discusses how the testers will implement the Test Strategy for the current project.

Question 27

Test director

Answer 27

One of the positions of a test team’s management which, together with Test Lead and Test Manager, are collectively referred to as “Test Managers” by ISTQB.

Question 28

Test leader

Answer 28

One of the positions of a test team’s management which, together with Test Director and Test Manager, are collectively referred to as “Test Managers” by ISTQB.

Question 29

Test estimation

Answer 29

Estimation, as a management activity, is the creation of an approximate target for costs and completion dates associated with the activities involved in a particular operation or project.

Question 30

Test level

Answer 30

A group of test activities that are organized and managed together. A test level is linked to the responsibilities in a project. Examples of test levels are component test, integration test, system test, and acceptance test

Question 31

Test management

Answer 31

Appropriately arranging the test processes, including the associated activities and work products, according to the needs and circumstances of the other stakeholders, their activities (e.g., the SDLC in which testing occurs), and their work products (e.g., requirements specifications).

Question 32

Test monitoring

Answer 32

A schedule and monitoring framework needs to be established to enable tracking of test work products and resources against the test plan, including detailed measures and targets relating the status of test work products and activities to the plan and strategic objectives. This allows a framework that enables efficient test control

Question 33

Test plan

Answer 33

A test plan describes the implementation of a test strategy for project or a sub-component of a project regarding the testing activities to be carried out. Depending on project context, the plan may take the form of a single document or it may be separated into a Master Test Plan and Level Test Plans.

Question 34

Test policy

Answer 34

A document, developed by senior test management staff in collaboration with senior managers for stakeholder groups, that describes why the organization tests; what are the overall objectives for testing that the organization wants to achieve.

Question 35

Test strategy

Answer 35

A document that describes the organization’s general test methodology:

• How is testing used to manage product/project risks,
• How is testing divided into levels
• What high-level activities are associated with testing

An organization may have different strategies for different situations (e.g., different SDLCs, different levels of risk, different regulatory requirements, etc.)

Question 36

Wide Band Delphi

Answer 36

A consensus-based technique for estimating effort.

Question 37

Audit

Answer 37

Activities performed to demonstrate conformance to a defined set of criteria, most likely an applicable standard, regulatory constraint, or contractual obligation. As such, audits are intended to provide independent evaluation of compliance.

Question 38

Informal review

Answer 38

A review type characterized by not following a defined process and not having formal documented output.

Question 39

Inspection

Answer 39

A type of peer review that relies on visual examination of documents to detect defects, e.g., violations of development standards and non-conformance to higher level documentation. The most formal review technique and therefore always based on a documented procedure.

Question 40

Management review

Answer 40

A review of processes used to monitor progress, assess status, and make decisions about future actions. E.g., project retrospectives (i.e., lessons learned).

This is as an integral part of process improvement activities, supporting decisions about the future of the project such as adapting the level of resources, implementing corrective actions, or changing the scope of the project.

Question 41

Moderator

Answer 41

Also referred to as the Facilitator, the individual who ensures the effective running of review meetings. This person mediates, if necessary, between various points of view and is often the person upon whom the success of the review depends.

Question 42

Review

Answer 42

An evaluation of a work product or process to ascertain discrepancies from expectations and to recommend improvements. Examples include informal review, walkthrough, technical review, and inspection.

Question 43

Review plan

Answer 43

A plan formulated by a review leader of what reviews will be undertaken for a given project with consideration to (a) what should be reviewed (product and process), (b) who should be involved in specific reviews, (c) which relevant risk factors to cover in specific reviews, (d) what review type to use and at what level of formality.

Question 44

Reviewer

Answer 44

A participant in a review.

Question 45

Technical review

Answer 45

A peer group discussion activity that focuses on achieving consensus on the technical approach to be taken.

Question 46

Walkthrough

Answer 46

A step-by-step presentation by the author of a work product in order to gather information and to establish a common understanding of its content.