NO.71 You are a Test Manager on a new project. The software that is being created will be used to control the projectors in movie theaters. This is a time critical project because the software must be released before the Christmas holiday season which has the highest movie attendance of the year. You have decided to implement a review process for the work products that are a part of this release to save both time and money. In order to expedite the training, you brought in a consultant to train the participants and moderators in proper review processes. Your team is enthusiastic about participating in the reviews. Your manager is questioning the money you have spent on this training effort. He wants to know how you intend to justify the expense when you present your numbers at the annual budget meeting in February. What would be a reasonable way for you to justify the cost of the training and the reviews when you present your information at the budget meeting? [3]
The cost of the training and the reviews can be justified by showing the return on investment (ROI) that they generate. ROI is a measure of the profitability of an investment, calculated by dividing the net benefit by the cost1. The net benefit of the training and the reviews is the difference between the cost of the reviews and the cost of dealing with defect escapes. Defect escapes are defects that are not detected during the review process and are found later in the development or testing phases, or even in production. The cost of dealing with defect escapes includes the cost of rework, testing, debugging, deployment, customer support, and potential loss of reputation or revenue2. The cost of the reviews includes the cost of the training, the time spent by the reviewers and moderators, the tools and resources used, and the overheads3. By calculating the ROI, you can demonstrate how much money the training and the reviews have saved or earned for the company, compared to the alternative of not conducting them. Therefore, option D is the correct answer. Option A is incorrect because comparing the production defects from the previous project to the production defects from this project does not account for the cost of the reviews or the cost of dealing with defect escapes in other phases. Option B is incorrect because showing the defects that were found in the review sessions and the cost of quality regarding the perfect phase containment for those caught defects does not account for the cost of the training or the cost of dealing with defect escapes in production. Option C is incorrect because explaining that the reviews are a way of expanding the knowledge of your people and motivating them to work harder and faster is not a quantifiable or verifiable way of justifying the cost of the training and the reviews. References: 1: ISTQB Glossary, Return on Investment 2: ISTQB Advanced Level Test Manager Syllabus, Section 2.3.2 3: How to manage formal reviews & management audits? Skills, metrics …
NO.75 Your test team is in the process of completing final regression testing one week before the release date. One of your staff has just uncovered a critical defect that causes data corruption. What should you do? [2]
The best action that you should take in this situation is to write a high priority defect and follow the escalation communication plan as defined in your test plan. This is because a critical defect that causes data corruption is a serious issue that can affect the quality, functionality, and reliability of the system, and it needs to be reported and resolved as soon as possible. By writing a high priority defect, you can document the details and the impact of the defect, and alert the development team and the project manager about it. By following the escalation communication plan, you can ensure that the defect is communicated to the appropriate stakeholders, such as the business sponsors, the customers, or the senior management, in a timely and effective manner, and that the necessary actions are taken to address the defect. Defect Reporting – ISTQB not-for-profit association References: Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Manager (CTAL-TM) – ISTQB not-for-profit association, ISTQB Test Manager Certification – ISTQB Exams Worldwide – ISTQB Official Registration, Defect Reporting – ISTQB not-for-profit association
NO.80 You are managing a project that will be using a model-based testing strategy. Which of the following is an activity that will be needed in order to implement this strategy? [1]
A model-based testing strategy is a testing strategy that uses models to represent the desired behavior and structure of the system under test, and to derive test cases, test data, test procedures, and test oracles1. A model-based testing strategy requires an activity to select an appropriate quality standard, such as ISO 9126, to be used to guide the testing. A quality standard is a set of criteria, guidelines, or characteristics that define the quality attributes of a software product, such as functionality, reliability, usability, efficiency, maintainability, and portability2. A quality standard can help to define the quality requirements, objectives, and measures for the system under test, and to evaluate the quality of the test results and the test process3. Therefore, option C is the correct answer. Option A is incorrect because conducting a quality risk analysis with all affected stakeholders is not an activity specific to a model-based testing strategy, but rather a general testing activity that can be applied to any testing strategy. A quality risk analysis is a process of identifying and assessing the quality risks that may affect the system under test, and prioritizing them based on their impact and likelihood4. Option B is incorrect because conducting operational profiling to determine the expected usage of the system is not an activity specific to a model-based testing strategy, but rather an activity related to a usage-based testing strategy. An operational profile is a statistical representation of the relative frequencies of the inputs, operations, and operating conditions of a system in its operational environment. Option D is incorrect because creating the test charters for the exploratory testing sessions is not an activity specific to a model-based testing strategy, but rather an activity related to an exploratory testing strategy. A test charter is a document that defines the scope, objective, and approach of an exploratory testing session. References: 1: ISTQB Glossary, Model-Based Testing 2: ISTQB Glossary, Quality Standard 3: ISTQB Advanced Level Test Manager Syllabus, Section 1.3.1 4: ISTQB Glossary, Quality Risk Analysis : ISTQB Glossary, Operational Profile : ISTQB Glossary, Test Charter : Model-Based Tester – ISTQB not-for-profit association : ISTQB Model-Based Testing Certification – ISTQB Exams Worldwide – ISTQB … : ISTQB – ABOUT MODEL-BASED TESTER EXT. : ISTQB Certified Tester – Model-Based Tester (CT-MBT)
NO.81 During what step of the Fundamental Test Process should you define the methods to be used to collect test metrics? [1]
The correct answer is B. Planning. This is because test metrics are quantitative measures that are used to monitor and control the test process, and to evaluate the test results and quality. Test metrics should be defined during the planning step of the Fundamental Test Process, which is the activity of establishing the test objectives, scope, approach, resources, schedule, and deliverables. By defining the methods to be used to collect test metrics during the planning step, the test team can ensure that the test metrics are aligned with the test plan and the project goals, and that the data collection process is consistent and efficient. Test Metrics – ISTQB not-for-profit association References: Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Manager (CTAL-TM) – ISTQB not-for-profit association, ISTQB Test Manager Certification – ISTQB Exams Worldwide – ISTQB Official Registration, Test Metrics – ISTQB not-for-profit association