CTFL_Syll_4.0 Exam Dumps - ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) v4.0

The statement that refers to good testing practice to be applied regardless of the chosen software development model is option D, which says that involvement of testers in work product reviews should occur as early as possible to take advantage of the early testing principle. Work product reviews are static testing techniques, in which the work products of the software development process, such as the requirements, the design, the code, the test cases, etc., are examined by one or more reviewers, with or without the author, to identify defects, violations, or improvements. Involvement of testers in work product reviews can provide various benefits for the testing process, such as improving the test quality, the test efficiency, and the test communication. The early testing principle states that testing activities should start as early as possible in the software development lifecycle, and should be performed iteratively and continuously throughout the lifecycle. Applying the early testing principle can help to prevent, detect, and remove defects at an early stage, when they are easier, cheaper, and faster to fix, as well as to reduce the risk, the cost, and the time of the testing process. The other options are not good testing practices to be applied regardless of the chosen software development model, but rather specific testing practices that may or may not be applicable or beneficial for testing, depending on the context and the objectives of the testing activities, such as:

Tests should be written in executable format before the code is written and should act as executable specifications that drive coding: This is a specific testing practice that is associated with test-driven development, which is an approach to software development and testing, in which the developers write automated unit tests before writing the source code, and then refactor the code until the tests pass. Test-driven development can help to improve the quality, the design, and the maintainability of the code, as well as to provide fast feedback and guidance for the developers. However, test-driven development is not a good testing practice to be applied regardless of the chosen software development model, as it may not be feasible, suitable, or effective for testing in some contexts or situations, such as when the requirements are unclear, unstable, or complex, when the test automation tools or skills are not available or adequate, when the testing objectives or levels are not aligned with the unit testing, etc.

Test levels should be defined such that the exit criteria of one level are part of the entry criteria for the next level: This is a specific testing practice that is associated with sequential software development models, such as the waterfall model, the V-model, or the W-model, in which the software development and testing activities are performed in a linear and sequential order, with well-defined phases, deliverables, and dependencies. Test levels are the stages of testing that correspond to the levels of integration of the software system, such as component testing, integration testing, system testing, and acceptance testing. Test levels should have clear and measurable entry criteria and exit criteria, which are the conditions that must be met before starting or finishing a test level. In sequential software development models, the exit criteria of one test level are usually part of the entry criteria for the next test level, to ensure that the software system is ready and stable for the next level of testing. However, this is not a good testing practice to be applied regardless of the chosen software development model, as it may not be relevant, flexible, or efficient for testing in some contexts or situations, such as when the software development and testing activities are performed in an iterative and incremental order, with frequent changes, feedback, and adaptations, as in agile software development models, such as Scrum, Kanban, or XP, when the test levels are not clearly defined or distinguished, or when the test levels are performed in parallel or concurrently, etc.

Test objectives should be the same for all test levels, although the number of tests designed at various levels can vary significantly: This is a specific testing practice that is associated with uniform software development models, such as the spiral model, the incremental model, or the prototyping model, in which the software development and testing activities are performed in a cyclical and repetitive manner, with similar phases, deliverables, and processes. Test objectives are the goals or the purposes of testing, which can vary depending on the test level, the test type, the test technique, the test environment, the test stakeholder, etc. Test objectives can be defined in terms of the test basis, the test coverage, the test quality, the test risk, the test cost, the test time, etc. Test objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound, and they should be aligned with the project objectives and the quality characteristics. In uniform software development models, the test objectives may be the same for all test levels, as the testing process is repeated for each cycle or iteration, with similar focus, scope, and perspective of testing. However, this is not a good testing practice to be applied regardless of the chosen software development model, as it may not be appropriate, realistic, or effective for testing in some contexts or situations, such as when the software development and testing activities are performed in a hierarchical and modular manner, with different phases, deliverables, and dependencies, as in sequential software development models, such as the waterfall model, the V-model, or the W-model, when the test objectives vary according to the test levels, such as component testing, integration testing, system testing, and acceptance testing, or when the test objectives change according to the feedback, the learning, or the adaptation of the testing process, as in agile software development models, such as Scrum, Kanban, or XP, etc. References: ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) v4.0 sources and documents:

ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Chapter 1.1.1, Testing and the Software Development Lifecycle1

ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Chapter 1.2.1, Testing Principles1

ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Chapter 1.2.2, Testing Policies, Strategies, and Test Approaches1

ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Chapter 1.3.1, Testing in Software Development Lifecycles1

ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Chapter 2.1.1, Test Planning1

ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Chapter 2.1.2, Test Monitoring and Control1

ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Chapter 2.1.3, Test Analysis and Design1

ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Chapter 2.1.4, Test Implementation1

ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Chapter 2.1.5, Test Execution1

ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Chapter 2.1.6, Test Closure1

ISTQB® Glossary of Testing Terms v4.0, Work Product Review, Static Testing, Early Testing, Test-driven Development, Test Level, Entry Criterion, Exit Criterion, Test Objective, Test Basis, Test Coverage, Test Quality, Test Risk, Test Cost, Test Time2

Project risks are the uncertainties or threats that may affect the project objectives, such as scope, schedule, cost, and quality. According to the ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) v4.0 syllabus, some of the factors that contribute to project risks are:

Skill and staff shortages: This factor refers to the lack of adequate or qualified human resources to perform the project tasks. This may result in delays, errors, rework, or low productivity.

Problems in defining the right requirements: This factor refers to the difficulties or ambiguities in eliciting, analyzing, specifying, validating, or managing the requirements of the project. This may result in misalignment, inconsistencies, gaps, or changes in the requirements, affecting the project scope and quality.

Contractual issues: This factor refers to the challenges or disputes that may arise from the contractual agreements between the project parties, such as clients, suppliers, vendors, or subcontractors. This may result in legal, financial, or ethical risks, affecting the project delivery and satisfaction.

The other options are not correct because they list factors that contribute to PRODUCT risks, not project risks. Product risks are the uncertainties or threats that may affect the quality or functionality of the software product or system. Some of the factors that contribute to product risks are:

Poor software quality characteristics: This factor refers to the lack of adherence or compliance to the quality attributes or criteria of the software product or system, such as reliability, usability, security, performance, or maintainability. This may result in defects, failures, or dissatisfaction of the users or stakeholders.

Software does not perform its intended functions: This factor refers to the deviation or discrepancy between the expected and actual behavior or output of the software product or system. This may result in errors, faults, or malfunctions of the software product or system.

References = ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) v4.0 syllabus, Chapter 1: Fundamentals of Testing, Section 1.5: Risks and Testing, Pages 14-16.

ï‚· Product Risks: Relate to the quality of the software product itself, such as functionality, performance, security, and user experience.

II: A session management issue affects the product's security and functionality.

IV: Inability to maintain operation and data corruption directly affects the product's reliability and data integrity.

ï‚· Project Risks: Relate to the circumstances and activities within the project, such as schedule, resources, and planning.

I: Poor hardware equipment for performance testing impacts the project's ability to conduct performance tests.

III: Inadequate requirement specifications affect the project timeline and the ability to design tests.

Independent of the software development lifecycle followed, it is a good practice to ensure that each test level (e.g., unit testing, integration testing, system testing) has clear and appropriate objectives. This ensures that the testing is focused and effective at each level. Other options either contradict good practices or are not applicable across all lifecycle models.

References:

ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 1.4.1 on test levels and objectives, emphasizing the importance of defining clear test objectives for each level of testing​​.

Test planning is a critical phase in the software testing life cycle where the schedule for each testing activity and test milestones for a test project are determined. This involves using activity estimates, available resources, and other constraints to outline a comprehensive plan for the entire testing process. The main objective of test planning is to ensure that all testing activities are well-coordinated and that the testing process is efficient and effective. This phase sets the foundation for subsequent phases such as test analysis, test design, and test execution by providing a clear roadmap and allocation of resources.

References:

ISTQB® CTFL Syllabus 4.0, Chapter 5.1, page 47: Test Planning

When deciding on the order of test execution based on priorities and dependencies, the correct sequence should consider both the priority levels and any dependencies between test cases. Here’s the analysis:

Test B has the highest priority (1) and depends on Test D.

Test D should be executed before Test B.

Test C has a medium priority (2) and depends on Test A.

Test A can be executed at any time since it has no dependencies.

Considering these dependencies and priorities, Test D should be executed first, followed by Test B. After that, Test A and finally Test C. Therefore, the correct sequence is D-B-A-C​​.

Acceptance criteria for user stories are crucial in defining the specific requirements that a piece of software must meet to be accepted by the user or stakeholder. These criteria often include data definitions such as format, allowed values, and default values, ensuring that the software behaves correctly with the expected data inputs.

Option A is incorrect because user acceptance tests are not usually automated; they are often conducted manually by end-users. Option C is incorrect because acceptance criteria should cover both positive and negative scenarios to ensure comprehensive testing. Option D is incorrect because tests derived from acceptance criteria can indeed be included in the testing quadrants, particularly in the quadrant related to business-facing tests that critique the product.

The problem described involves a software implementation error in a decision statement for calculating a bonus based on the Total Amount of Sales (TAS). The requirement states that if TAS is 300,000€ or more, a bonus should be paid. However, the software incorrectly implements this with "IF (TAS = 300000)" instead of "IF (TAS >= 300000)".

Applying Boundary Value Analysis (BVA) to this situation involves selecting test cases at the boundaries of the input domain, including just below, at, and just above the boundary conditions.

Test Case TC1 = 299999:

This value is just below the boundary (300,000).

Expected Result: No bonus should be paid.

Actual Result: No bonus paid.

TC1 does not highlight the fault because the implemented condition "IF (TAS = 300000)" and the correct condition "IF (TAS >= 300000)" both yield the same result (no bonus).

Test Case TC2 = 300000:

This value is exactly at the boundary.

Expected Result: Bonus should be paid.

Actual Result: Bonus paid.

TC2 does not highlight the fault because the implemented condition "IF (TAS = 300000)" and the correct condition "IF (TAS >= 300000)" both yield the same result (bonus paid).

Test Case TC3 = 300001:

This value is just above the boundary.

Expected Result: Bonus should be paid.

Actual Result: No bonus paid due to the incorrect implementation.

TC3 highlights the fault because the implemented condition "IF (TAS = 300000)" fails to pay the bonus, whereas the correct condition "IF (TAS >= 300000)" would pay the bonus.

BVA focuses on the edges of input ranges where errors are more likely.

The critical values are just below, at, and just above the boundary.

Boundary Value Analysis (BVA):Verification:According to the ISTQB CTFL syllabus, BVA is an essential technique for identifying potential errors at the boundaries of input ranges. This is because developers are more likely to make mistakes at these extremes​​.

Therefore, TC3 (300001) is the test case that would highlight the fault in the software's implementation of the decision condition.