iSQI CTAL-TA_Syll2019 ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level - Test Analyst (Syllabus 2019) Exam Practice Test

Use cases can be used for performance testing to measure the response time and throughput of the system under different workloads and scenarios. Use cases describe the process flows through the system based on its most likely use, which can help to simulate realistic user behavior and identify potential bottlenecks and performance issues.

References =

• ISTQB Advanced Level Test Analyst Syllabus 2019, Section 3.2.2.2, page 411
• How to write a performance test case | MyLoadTest2
• Performance Testing Types, Steps, Best Practices, and Metrics - Stackify3

Test analysis is the process of analyzing the test basis and defining the test objectives to establish the test conditions. Test conditions are the inputs and outputs that are used to define the scope and goals of testing. Identifying test conditions is one of the main activities of test analysis, as it determines what to test in terms of measurable coverage criteria. The other options are activities that occur during other phases of the test process, such as test planning, test implementation, or test execution. References =

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst1, page 2
• Software Testing - Test Analysis - GeeksforGeeks2, section “Test Analysis”
• What is Test Analysis? - Software Testing Mentor3, section “What is Test Analysis?”

The classification tree shows the combinations of power units and body styles for the Supercar online vehicle sales website. Since SUVs are not available in hybrid, and the existing test cases already cover petrol SUV, electric saloon, and petrol hatchback, the missing test case is hybrid hatchback to achieve minimum class coverage. References = ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst, Section 3.2.3, Classification Trees1; ISTQB Advanced Level Test Analyst (CTAL) Exam Study Guide, Section 3.2.3, Classification Trees2

The correct answer isD.Functional appropriateness.

Functional appropriateness

Functional appropriateness is the type of testing that ensures the application is suitable for the intended purpose and the user’s needs. It evaluates the relevance, usefulness, and user-friendliness of the application’s functions and features. In this case, the application should be tested for its suitability for senior citizens, who may have different preferences, expectations, and abilities than younger users.The interface should be easy to understand, navigate, and operate, and the application should provide adequate help and feedback to the users1.

References=

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Test Analyst2, Section 3.2.2 Functionality
• ISTQB Test Analyst Syllabus and Study Guide3, Section 3.2.2 Functionality
• Usability Is Ageless: Conducting Usability Tests with Older Adults4, Section 1.1 Conceptualizing and Assessing Usability

A Test Analyst is responsible for testing the functional and non-functional aspects of the system that are related to the business domain, user needs, and quality characteristics. A Test Analyst will typically test the requirements that specify the expected behavior and functionality of the system, such as P101, P102, and P103. P104 is a performance requirement that specifies a measurable criterion for the system’s efficiency and responsiveness. This type of requirement is usually tested by a Technical Test Analyst, who has the skills and tools to design and execute performance tests. References = ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst 2019, Chapter 1.1.2, Roles and Responsibilities of the Technical Test Analyst; ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Test Analyst 2019, Chapter 1.1.2, Roles and Responsibilities of the Test Analyst; ISTQB Glossary, Version 4.0.2, Performance Testing, Functional Testing, Non-functional Testing.

User experience (UX) is a broad term that encompasses the overall impression and satisfaction that a user has when interacting with a software product. It includes aspects such as value, desirability, adaptability, and usability. Usability is a specific aspect of UX that focuses on how easy, efficient, and error-free it is for a user to perform a task or achieve a goal with the product. Usability is a necessary but not sufficient condition for a good UX. A product can be usable but not desirable, or desirable but not usable. References = ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Test Analyst, Section 3.1.1, Usability and User Experience Testing1; Usability vs. User Experience: What’s the Difference? - HubSpot Blog, Section Usability vs. User Experience

The test basis is the collection of documents that provide the basis for testing, such as requirements, design documents, user manuals, etc. The test analyst examines the test basis to understand the scope and objectives of testing, as well as the risks and assumptions involved. This task is performed during the test analysis phase, which is the first phase of the test process. References =

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Overview of Syllabi1, page 10
• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst2, page 2
• Test Analysis and Test Design are key for software testing3, section “Test Analysis”

The level of detail and documentation required for test cases in the project depends on the type of application under test, the standards followed by the organization, and the maturity of the development process. For a medical domain application that is undergoing frequent changes, it is advisable to use low-level test cases that provide more details and specifications for each feature. Low-level test cases can support both the external audit and the new junior testers by ensuring traceability between the requirements and the test scenarios, as well as by facilitating future changes or enhancements. Low-level test cases can also be reviewed and updated by both experienced domain-based testers and junior testers who have extensive knowledge of the medical domain. References =

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Overview of Syllabi1, page 10
• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst2, page 2
• Healthcare Domain Testing: 60 Sample Test Case Examples3, section “Testing Types for Healthcare Applications”

Pairwise testing is a technique that reduces the number of test cases by testing only pairs of values for each data item, instead of testing all possible combinations. Pairwise testing is based on the assumption that most defects are caused by interactions of at most two factors. Pairwise testing can be applied to this problem using the classification tree, which shows the data items and their values. By using pairwise testing, the number of test cases will be lower than exhaustive testing, which would require testing every combination of values for each data item. References =

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst1, page 2
• Data Combination Test (DCoT) | TMap2, section “Coverage level”
• Pairwise Software Testing - GeeksforGeeks3, section “Introduction”

The use case only describes the normal or happy path scenario, where the user performs a successful cash withdrawal. However, it does not consider any alternative or exceptional scenarios, such as invalid card, incorrect PIN, insufficient balance, network failure, etc. These scenarios are important to test the robustness and reliability of the ATM system, and should be included in the use case specification. References = ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Test Analyst, Section 2.2.1, Use Case Testing1; ISTQB Advanced Level Test Analyst (CTAL) Exam Study Guide, Section 2.2.1, Use Case Testing2

The correct answer isA.Functional correctness testing.

Functional correctness testing

Functional correctness testing is the type of testing that measures the degree of accuracy in a mortgage rate calculation module of the software you are testing. It verifies that the module produces the correct results for different inputs and scenarios, such as different interest rates, loan terms, payment frequencies, etc.It also checks that the module complies with the specifications and requirements of the mortgage rate calculation1.

References=

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst2, Section 3.2.2 Functionality
• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Test Analyst3, Section 3.2.2 Functionality
• ISTQB Test Analyst Syllabus and Study Guide4, Section 3.2.2 Functionality

Experience-based testing is a technique that relies on the tester’s intuition, skills, and past experiences to create test scenarios. However, this approach makes it challenging to measure and assess the test coverage, as there is no clear criteria or method to determine which areas of the software have been tested and which have not. This can lead to gaps in the testing process and potential risks of missing defects1

References =

• ISTQB Advanced Level Test Analyst Syllabus 2019, Section 3.2.3.1, page 462
• Experience Based Testing: What It Is and Why It Matters?3
• Experience based testing technique - ToolsQA4

The test conditions are the inputs and outputs that are used to define the scope and objectives of testing. They should be understandable by business stakeholders because they affect their expectations and satisfaction with the software product. Business stakeholders can provide valuable feedback to the test analyst on the test conditions, such as clarifying any ambiguities, suggesting any changes, or identifying any gaps or risks. References =

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Overview of Syllabi1, page 10
• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst2, page 2
• Who are the stakeholders in software testing? How to identify them?3, section “Stakeholders in testing will require attention”

Defect taxonomies are categorized lists of defects that can be used to identify and prevent common types of errors in software development and testing. They can also be used to design test cases that target specific defect types, such as security vulnerabilities. Therefore, using a list of known defect types to penetrate the security of computer systems is an example of the use of defect taxonomies. References = Defect Taxonomies - The Practical Guide to Defect Prevention (Chapter 10), Using Defect Taxonomies for Testing Requirements, Defect Based Approach using Defect Taxonomy, Requirements-based testing with defect taxonomies

Equivalence partitioning is a technique that divides the input domain into classes of data that are expected to behave similarly. The test sets should cover one value from each equivalence class, as well as the boundary values between them. The equivalence classes for the metro fare system are:

• Before 9:30 am (full fare)
• Between 9:30 am and 5:00 pm (saver ticket)
• Between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm (full fare)
• After 7:00 pm (saver ticket)

The boundary values are 9:30 am, 5:00 pm, and 7:00 pm. Therefore, the test set that provides the best equivalence partitioning coverage is the one that includes one value from each equivalence class and the boundary values, which is option D. References =

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst1, page 2
• Boundary Value Analysis and Equivalence Partitioning Testing2, section “Equivalence Partitioning”
• Equivalence Partitioning Method3, section “Example 1: Equivalence and Boundary Value”

A 0-switch test case is a test case that covers one transition from one state to another. To achieve 100% 0-switch coverage, all the transitions in the state diagram must be tested. The state diagram has seven states: Login, Menu, Logout, Withdraw, Deposit, Get Balance, and Access Account. There are 13 transitions in the state diagram, as shown by the arrows. Therefore, 13 0-switch test cases are needed. References =

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst1, page 2
• How to Design Test Cases Using State Transition Testing Technique?2, section “0-switch coverage”
• State Transition Testing - Tutorialspoint3, section “State Transition Diagram”

Test conditions are the inputs and expected outputs of a test case, based on the requirements. To identify the test conditions from REQ2 and REQ3, we need to consider all the possible combinations of the categories of hours exposed to the sun (A, B, C) and the labels of sun intensity (low, medium, high, extreme). There are 12 such combinations in total. However, the three test cases given only cover 3 of them: A-low, C-medium, and A-low. Therefore, there are 9 test conditions that are not covered by the test cases. However, some of these test conditions are invalid or impossible, such as A-extreme or C-low, because the sun intensity is correlated with the hours exposed to the sun. Therefore, we need to exclude these invalid test conditions from the count. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the sun intensity is usually low before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m., medium between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., high between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., and extreme between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the summer or at high altitudes. Based on this information, we can assume that the valid test conditions are:

• A-low
• A-medium
• B-medium
• B-high
• C-high
• C-extreme

These six test conditions are not covered by the three test cases, so the answer is C. 6. References = ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst (Section 3.2.1), Be Safe in the Sun (Section 2.1)

Testing pairs of combinations is a technique that reduces the number of test cases by testing only two factors at a time, instead of testing all possible combinations. Testing pairs of combinations is based on the assumption that most defects are caused by interactions of at most two factors. Testing pairs of combinations can be applied to this problem using the installation environments, which are the browsers, the operating systems, and the languages. By using testing pairs of combinations, the number of test cases will be lower than exhaustive testing, which would require testing every combination of factors. The formula for calculating the number of test cases for testing pairs of combinations is:

N = P * (P - 1) / 2

where N is the number of test cases, and P is the number of values for each factor. In this problem, P is 4, as there are four browsers, four operating systems, and four languages. Therefore, the number of test cases for testing pairs of combinations is:

N = 4 * (4 - 1) / 2 N = 4 * 3 / 2 N = 12 References =

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst1, page 2
• Pairwise Software Testing - GeeksforGeeks2, section “Introduction”
• Pairwise Testing: A Best Practice That Isn’t3, section “Pairwise Testing”

The correct answer isB.The acceptance criteria are not testable.

The acceptance criteria are not testable

The acceptance criteria are not testable because they are vague and subjective. They do not specify any measurable or observable outcomes or conditions that can be verified by the test analyst.For example, what does “as fast as possible” or “easily” mean in terms of performance and usability? How can the test analyst determine if the user does not leave during the transaction or if they log in easily? The acceptance criteria should be rewritten to include clear and quantifiable criteria, such as response time, error rate, user satisfaction, etc1.

References=

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Test Analyst2, Section 2.1.1 Test Analyst Tasks in the Test Process
• ISTQB Test Analyst Syllabus and Study Guide3, Section 2.1.1 Test Analyst Tasks in the Test Process
• What is User Story and Acceptance Criteria (Examples)4, Section 2. What is Acceptance Criteria?

The iterative model is a cyclical process in which the software product is developed and tested incrementally in short cycles called iterations. Each iteration delivers a working version of the product that can be evaluated and improved. Compared to the V-model, which is a linear and sequential process that follows a fixed set of phases and activities, the iterative model requires a reduced set of standard test processes for each iteration, as well as more flexibility and adaptability to changing requirements and feedback. The test analyst and the test team might expect to make this adjustment when working on an iterative model project. References =

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst1, page 2
• What is an iterative approach and what are its benefits?2, section “What is agile, iterative development, or the PDCA cycle?”
• Iterative Model (Software Engineering) - javatpoint3, section “Iterative Model”

The correct answer isD.Traceability documentation.

Traceability documentation

Traceability documentation is a way of linking the requirements and use cases to the test cases, test results, and other artifacts that are related to them. It helps to ensure the completeness, consistency, and coverage of the testing process, as well as to facilitate the impact analysis, change management, and defect tracking.Traceability documentation should be added to the checklist for the requirements/use case review, as it is an important part of the test analyst’s role and responsibilities1.

References=

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Test Analyst2, Section 2.1.1 Test Analyst Tasks in the Test Process
• ISTQB Test Analyst Syllabus and Study Guide3, Section 2.1.1 Test Analyst Tasks in the Test Process
• Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM) - A Complete Guide4, Section 1. What is Requirements Traceability Matrix?

A decision table is collapsed when duplicate or impossible cases are removed. In this decision table, there are two duplicate cases: column 2 and column 4 have the same actions (A1 and A2), and column 5 and column 6 have the same action (A1). There are also two impossible cases: column 7 and column 8 have no actions, which means that there is no outcome for these combinations of conditions. Therefore, after collapsing the decision table, only two cases are left: column 1 and column 3, which have different actions (A1 and A2 for column 1, and A1 for column 3). References =

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst1, page 2
• Decision Table-Based Testing2, section “Don’t Care Entries and Rule Counts”
• A Guide on Building Decision Tables3, section “How to ensure that the Table is Complete?”

Use cases are a test basis that describe the interactions between the users and the system in terms of scenarios. Use cases capture the functional requirements and the expected outcomes of the system. By visiting locations, spending time with expertusers, and walking through their scenarios, the test analyst is using use cases as the test basis. However, use cases do not provide enough information to validate that the transactions are realistic, such as the prices, discounts, taxes, and fees involved in the car buying process. This information is still missing and needs to be obtained from other sources, such as the business rules or the data model. References =

• ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst1, page 2
• Use Case Testing - Tutorialspoint2, section “Use Case Testing”
• Use Case Testing: A Complete Guide3, section “What is Use Case Testing?”

Functional correctness testing is a type of testing that verifies whether the system or software performs its intended functions correctly and accurately, according to the specified requirements. It can detect defects such as non-compliance to requirements, calculations that produce incorrect results, and improper handling of data or situations. References = Functional Testing: What Is It, Types, Best Practices, Tools (Section 1.1), ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Syllabus Technical Test Analyst (Section 3.1.1)