iSQI CTAL-ATT Certified Tester Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester Exam Practice Test

Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD) is a collaborative practice that involves the team members with different perspectives, such as customer, development, and testing, to define acceptance tests that serve as requirements1. ATDD can be applied to all types of requirements, including functional, non-functional, and technical stories, to ensure a shared understanding and agreement on the expected behavior of the software12. It is a valuable approach in Agile environments where continuous collaboration is essential, and it complements TDD by focusing on the behavior and requirements from the user’s perspective3. While ATDD does not require automated acceptance tests, automating them can enhance the process by allowing for more frequent and consistent execution1.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus and related resources discuss the importance of test automation, including ATDD, in Agile contexts. They highlight that ATDD can be applied to various types of requirements and is compatible with TDD, as both practices aim to improve the quality and reliability of the software being developed453.

Test automation is a key component in Agile development, particularly in the context of continuous deployment and delivery. The level of test automation can indeed influence and potentially constrain the frequency of code deployments. This is because the extent and robustness of automated tests determine how quickly and reliably new code can be pushed to production. If the test automation is not comprehensive or reliable, it may require additional manual testing or cause delays in deployment. Conversely, a high level of test automation can support more frequent and confident deployments by ensuring that new changes do not break existing functionality.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus discusses the importance of test automation in Agile projects, including its impact on continuous deployment and delivery12.

The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus emphasizes the importance of optimizing Continuous Integration (CI) processes in Agile environments. Option C suggests reducing the extent to which automated tests interact with the user interface and instead using technical interfaces, which is often faster as it bypasses the GUI layer. Additionally, running a subset of tests during the day and the rest overnight can help manage the CI process without overloading the system during peak hours. These strategies align with the best practices for maintaining efficient CI cycles and ensuring that the CI process remains sustainable as the number of tests grows with the product.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents and training resources provide guidelines on test automation approaches and continuous deployment and delivery, which are relevant to optimizing CI processes12. Moreover, best practices for continuous testing in Agile suggest prioritizing tests that provide fast feedback and running extensive test suites outside of peak hours3.

 Table 4 is the correct data-driven input and expected output table for this situation. It correctly calculates the TaxToPay based on the GrossSal and TaxRate, and then determines the NetSal by subtracting TaxToPay from GrossSal. Additionally, it accurately adds the TaxToPay to the previous month’s TaxPdYTD and the NetSal to the previous month’s SalPdYTD, which are both zero for month 1. This table aligns with the requirements that the tax and net salary paid in the year to date are looked up on the key of (Employee Id and [month - 1]) except for month 1 where they will be zero.

References = ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents and Training resources12.

The Java function provided is intended to determine if a number input by the user is even or odd. Upon reviewing the code against the checklist provided:

The variable Number does not start with a capital letter, violating the first checklist item.

The output messages do not start with a capital letter, violating the second checklist item.

There is no comment line explaining the purpose of the class, violating the third checklist item.

Therefore, none of the checklist items have been fulfilled.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents emphasize the importance of adhering to coding standards and best practices, which include proper naming conventions and documentation within the code to enhance readability and maintainability12. These principles are fundamental in organizations using an Agile development approach, as they support continuous integration and delivery, which are key aspects of Agile methodologies1.

In Behavior-Driven Development (BDD), scenarios are formulated to describe the general behavior of the system from the perspective of a specific user. This helps in understanding the user’s needs and how the system should respond. It’s important for scenarios to be clear and understandable to all stakeholders, including non-technical ones, which is why they are often written in simple language describing the behavior rather than the technical actions.

 A good practice in test automation for a regression-averse approach is to increase automated test coverage. This allows the team to ensure that as many features as possible are being tested automatically, which can help in identifying regressions early. Moreover, by automating the regression tests, testers can dedicate more time to exploratory testing, which is crucial for discovering issues that automated tests may not catch. Exploratory testing is an approach that relies on the tester’s creativity and experience, and it is an essential complement to automated regression testing123.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents and the resources available at Software Testing Help emphasize the importance of comprehensive test automation in Agile environments. They suggest that increasing automated test coverage is beneficial for maintaining software quality and allowing testers to focus on exploratory testing, which is a critical aspect of a thorough testing strategy45678.

 Test automation is not limited to the automation of test execution. It also includes the configuration of test environments, which is essential for ensuring that tests run in a stable and controlled setting. This broader view of test automation supports continuous integration and delivery practices, which are fundamental in Agile projects. References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus outlines the importance of test automation within Agile projects, including the creation and implementation of various Agile test approaches and supporting continuous integration and delivery123.

In a reactive test approach, tests are designed and executed in response to the actual system under test and the results obtained. This approach is characterized by a reduced planning cycle, and the design and implementation of test phases are not carried out until the test object is received. For projects that need to adhere to external regulations, it is crucial that automated tests and their results are traceable back to the requirements to ensure compliance. This traceability allows for the verification that all requirements have been tested and met, which is a common requirement in regulated industries.

References = The explanation aligns with the principles of test automation in a reactive test approach, as outlined in resources related to the ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester certification123. These resources emphasize the importance of traceability in test automation, especially in contexts where compliance with external regulations is necessary.

Static analysis in Agile projects is utilized to identify potential issues in code that could lead to technical debt. This process involves using tools to analyze the code without actually executing it, which helps in detecting complex code, potential bugs, and areas of the code that may require refactoring. By identifying these issues early in the development process, teams can address them promptly, thus maintaining code quality and avoiding the accumulation of technical debt that could hinder future development efforts.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus includes learning objectives that cover the understanding of static code analysis and its role in identifying defects and technical debt as part of code review processes in Agile projects12.

Understanding Refinement Needs in Acceptance Criteria:

Well-defined acceptance criteria must be clear, measurable, and testable.

Criteria that lack specificity or are too broad need refinement to ensure they can be implemented and tested effectively.

Analyzing the Options:

A: "The backend system must respond to the mobile app within 3 seconds" is clear, measurable, and testable.

C: "The mobile app must detect when the phone does not have Internet connectivity and display a warning message" is actionable and measurable.

D: "The payload delivered by the backend system must use JSON formatting" is specific and testable.

B: "The communication between the two systems must be secure" lacks details. Security requirements should specify the protocols or methods (e.g., TLS encryption) to make the acceptance criteria clear and actionable.

References:Aligned with ISTQB Agile Technical Tester principles emphasizing clear, testable acceptance criteria for Agile stories.

Definition of Test Automation:Test automation is not a procedure, objective, or methodology. Instead, it is a strategic approach to automate testing activities to improve efficiency and coverage.

Strategic Nature:The ISTQB syllabus defines test automation as a strategy that integrates automated tests into the development lifecycle.

Conclusion:Option C is correct as test automation aligns with the definition of a strategy.

Keyword-Driven Testing:This approach requires a focused set of keywords tailored to the actions described in the user story.

Story Actions:

The ability to add and delete items from the cart.

Viewing the cart to confirm changes.

Calculating shipping costs.

Smallest Set of Keywords:

Login: To simulate a user session.

Add Item and Delete Item: For cart modifications.

View Cart: To verify cart contents.

Compute Shipping: To check shipping costs.

Conclusion:Option D includes the minimum keywords required to meet the story’s needs.

Common Test Automation Challenges:As test suites grow, execution time often increases, leading to delays in feedback cycles. This can make it challenging to run tests frequently, especially in continuous integration pipelines.

Scalability Concerns:Longer execution times can affect productivity and may require optimization or selective test execution strategies.

Conclusion:Option B is correct as it describes a common scalability problem in automation suites.

Understanding the Scenario:

The requirement is to collect structured feedback from a large user base.

The method should allow users to select predefined answers, making the process scalable and results analyzable.

Why Quantitative Questionnaires?

Quantitative questionnaires are structured tools with predefined answers, ideal for efficiently gathering measurable data from a large group.

The results can be statistically analyzed to identify trends and commonalities, aiding in defining clear acceptance criteria.

Eliminating Other Options:

B. Qualitative Questionnaires: These involve open-ended responses, which are harder to standardize and analyze, especially for large user groups.

C. Quantitative Interviews: These require individual interaction, making them less efficient for engaging large groups.

D. Qualitative Interviews: These are exploratory and subjective, not suitable for structured data collection or defining clear criteria.

References:Aligned with ISTQB Advanced Agile Technical Tester objectives, which recommend using structured elicitation methods like quantitative questionnaires for large-scale feedback.

Refactoring Test Cases:

Refactoring improves test case readability and maintainability, ensuring they can be understood and updated as the system evolves.

In Agile, where code changes frequently, clear test cases are essential for quick adaptation and collaboration among testers.

Analyzing the Options:

A: Developers may not necessarily use these test cases for performance testing.

C: Users performing UAT focus on business scenarios, not technical test cases.

D: Test cases are for internal team use; product owners typically review acceptance criteria or feature behavior.

B: Correctly identifies the importance of refactoring for maintainability and collaboration as the system changes.

References:Aligned with ISTQB Advanced Agile Technical Tester syllabus, which highlights the need for test case clarity to support agile practices and team collaboration.

Testing Constraints in CI:The time limitations for test execution and results review necessitate prioritization of tests based on criticality and frequency of code changes.

Efficient Allocation:

High-priority tests should run on each build to catch critical issues early.

Medium-priority tests can be run nightly to balance coverage and time constraints.

Low-priority tests are less critical and can run weekly.

Non-functional tests require the integrated stage environment and should run at a predefined time (e.g., Thursday night before sprint end).

Analysis of Options:

A: Running all tests every night is impractical due to time constraints.

B: Medium-priority tests should be run more frequently than at the end of the sprint.

C: Running all tests on every build is unrealistic given the time and resource limitations.

D: Correct, as it ensures efficient prioritization and scheduling of test sets.

Conclusion:Option D provides the most efficient and effective test execution strategy.

Goals of Test Case Refactoring:

Refactoring aims to improve the quality of test cases while ensuring they continue to validate the product’s functionality, especially after changes.

Analyzing the Options:

A: Ensuring the test cases adequately test the product aligns with the purpose of refactoring.

B: Detecting defects is a testing goal, not a specific purpose of refactoring.

C: Refactoring focuses on improving clarity and maintainability, not on UAT usability.

D: Reducing detail is not a primary objective; retaining adequate coverage is crucial.

References:Consistent with ISTQB Agile Technical Tester syllabus focusing on maintaining test coverage and functionality after refactoring.

Personas are a requirements engineering technique that involves creating detailed profiles of fictional users representing different user types within a targeted demographic. These profiles include specific characteristics, behaviors, goals, and challenges of the user group.

Targeting Specific User Groups: Personas help in understanding the needs and expectations of particular user groups with defined characteristics. This understanding is essential for designing tests that are relevant and effective for those users.

Designing Relevant Tests: By utilizing personas, testers can create scenarios and test cases that reflect real-world usage by the targeted user group, ensuring that the software meets their specific needs and provides a positive user experience.

Therefore, option C, Personas, is the most helpful technique when designing tests for a particular group of users with defined characteristics.

Service Virtualization in Agile:Virtualized services are ideal for simulating unavailable components, enabling comprehensive testing without waiting for the actual service to be developed.

Minimizing Extra Work:Using a service virtualization tool reduces the need for manual creation and maintenance of stubs or other temporary solutions.

Analysis of Options:

A is impractical, as testers should not develop production services.

B is less efficient than service virtualization and requires ongoing setup/teardown.

C provides an efficient and reusable solution.

D risks misalignment with the new system.

Conclusion:Option C is the best approach for agile test automation progress.

Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD) involves the whole team collaboratively discussing acceptance criteria, with examples, and then distilling them into a set of concrete acceptance tests before development begins. It’s a way to get clear on what to build, and it’s done in a way that allows the team to know when a story is complete. ATDD helps to make sure that all the stakeholders have a common understanding of what is being built and what the success criteria are.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents emphasize the importance of defining testable requirements within an Agile team and creating and implementing various Agile test approaches using appropriate techniques1. It also supports the contribution to test automation activities in an Agile project2, which aligns with the principles of ATDD.

 The BDD test scenario provided describes a customer performing a withdrawal transaction after entering the correct PIN and having sufficient funds in their account. The outcome is the customer receiving money and a receipt. This aligns with the user story in option C, which focuses on the customer’s desire to withdraw money for a specific purpose, which is to buy a present. The other options do not match the actions described in the BDD test scenario.

References = The answer is verified based on the ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents which emphasize the importance of aligning BDD scenarios with the corresponding user stories to ensure that the tests reflect the user’s needs and interactions with the system12.

 In Agile settings, the availability of resources is indeed a challenge for test automation. Agile projects require rapid development and frequent changes, which means that the test suite must be continuously updated and maintained. This requires dedicated resources that can quickly adapt to these changes and ensure that the test automation is effective and up-to-date. Without sufficient resources, the test automation efforts can become a bottleneck, hindering the Agile team’s ability to deliver quality software at speed.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents discuss the challenges of test automation in Agile settings, including the need for resources to support test automation activities12. It emphasizes the importance of having a well-maintained test suite that can keep up with the pace of Agile development3.

The main flaw in the proposed test charter is that it does not cover the main functionality of the user story. The user story focuses on the customer wanting to be informed about the delivery time of their items so they can plan to be home. The proposed charter only tests for the absence of a shipping fee and does not address whether the system provides the customer with the delivery time information.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus emphasizes the importance of aligning test charters with the user story’s main functionality to ensure that tests provide adequate coverage12. It is crucial in Agile methodologies to create and evaluate testable acceptance criteria that reflect the user story’s objectives12.

When a conflict arises regarding user story requirements, it is essential to engage in active collaboration to resolve the issue. The tester should work with the Business Analyst (BA) and the product owner to clarify and negotiate the requirements. This approach ensures that the user story reflects the needs of all stakeholders and that the acceptance criteria are agreed upon before testing proceeds. It aligns with Agile principles, which emphasize teamwork, customer collaboration, and the ability to respond to change.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents highlight the importance of collaboration and communication within Agile teams to resolve differences and refine requirements. It also underscores the role of the tester in facilitating discussions to ensure that the user stories are well-understood and testable12.

 The correct use of Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) to design test scenarios involves specifying the behavior in a given-when-then format. This format helps to clarify the conditions under which a particular outcome should occur. Option A follows this structure correctly:

Given that the shopper scans their card (the precondition),

When they checkout (the action),

Then they should receive all the quantity discounts for everything they have purchased (the expected outcome).

This scenario clearly outlines the behavior of the system in response to the user’s actions, which is central to BDD.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus emphasizes the importance of creating testable acceptance criteria for a given user story using requirements engineering and test techniques, which include the application of BDD in the context of a given user story12.

When creating a user story, it is essential to consider the perspective of the end user. This is because user stories are meant to capture the requirements and experiences of the actual users who will interact with the system or product. The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus emphasizes the importance of analyzing user stories and epics using requirements engineering techniques, which include creating and evaluating testable acceptance criteria from the end user’s perspective. This approach ensures that the developed features will meet the real needs and expectations of the users, leading to a more user-centered and valuable product.

References = ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents and Training resources12.

The TDD process, as described, seems to lack comprehensive testing that covers all the acceptance criteria. Specifically, the tests provided by the developers do not address the full range of input validation, such as ensuring that names with up to 30 characters are accepted and that standard error processing is in place to limit user errors. This indicates that the tests are insufficient and need to include more options to fully validate the feature against its acceptance criteria. The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus emphasizes the importance of creating testable acceptance criteria within an Agile team and implementing various Agile test approaches using appropriate techniques12. It also highlights the need for supporting and contributing to test automation activities in an Agile project12, which includes ensuring that all acceptance criteria are met and that tests are sufficiently robust to catch potential errors.

References =

ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester Syllabus1

ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester Learning Objectives2

 Refactoring of test cases in agile projects is primarily done to ensure that the test cases remain relevant and effective as the functionality of the product evolves. This process involves updating and improving the test cases to match the current state of the product’s functionality. The main benefits of this practice include enhancing the quality and effectiveness of regression test cases and ensuring that the tests continue to align with the code base and product functionality. This alignment is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the testing process and ensuring that the tests accurately reflect the product’s requirements and behavior.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus and related materials emphasize the importance of refactoring test cases in agile projects. It is highlighted as a necessary activity to adapt to changes in functionality and to maintain the relevance and effectiveness of the test suite1.