CTAL-ATT Certified Tester Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester Question and Answers

 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.

 Service virtualization is a technique that allows teams to simulate the behavior of dependent systems or components that are not readily accessible during the testing phase. In the context of developing an e-shop application with a payment gateway still under development, service virtualization offers the following benefits:

Realistic Testing: It enables the testing of the e-shop application (SUT) in a manner that closely resembles the final production environment by simulating the payment gateway’s behavior. This allows for the identification of defects and issues early in the development process12.

Simplification of the Test Environment: By using virtual services, the complexity of the test environment is reduced. There’s no need to set up and maintain actual integrations with the third-party payment gateway until it is fully developed, which simplifies the testing process and infrastructure requirements12.

References = The benefits of service virtualization are well-documented in the ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus and other software testing resources, which highlight its role in enabling early and realistic testing, as well as simplifying the test environment3412.

 Option D is written in correct Gherkin format and is appropriate for the User Story. It clearly states the precondition (three Purchase Orders with a total value of £21.75 have been placed), the action taken by the Purchasing Manager (requesting the list of Purchase Orders placed this month), and the expected outcome (the 3 orders and their total value of £21.75 are displayed). This scenario directly addresses the Purchasing Manager’s desire to see a list of all Purchase Orders placed so far this month with their total value, which aligns with the User Story’s goal of controlling the amount of money being spent.

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

The epic described is broad and encompasses a system that involves multiple stakeholders and vehicle types, indicating that it is not a small piece of work that can be completed in a short iteration. This violates the ‘Small’ criterion of INVEST, which states that stories should be the smallest piece of work that delivers useful functionality to fit within an iteration12. Additionally, the epic’s acceptance criteria apply to all user stories derived from it, suggesting that the stories are not independent of each other, as changes to one could affect the others. This goes against the ‘Independent’ criterion, which emphasizes that stories should be self-contained to avoid delays caused by dependencies12.

References = The INVEST criteria are a set of guidelines used to evaluate the quality of user stories and epics in Agile development. They ensure that the stories are well-defined and suitable for Agile practices, focusing on creating value through independent, negotiable, valuable, estimable, small, and testable stories123.

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.

In Agile development, requirements engineering techniques are crucial for understanding and defining user needs and system requirements. The issues identified in the user story suggest the use of Personas and Storyboards. Personas are fictional characters created based on user research to represent different user types within a targeted demographic, attitude, and behavior set. They help in understanding various user needs and experiences, which is reflected in issue 1 and 2. Storyboards, on the other hand, are visual representations of a user’s interaction with the product, providing a narrative of how the product is used. They help in visualizing the process and identifying any missing elements, such as the lack of specified acceptance criteria for the booking process speed (issue 3) and the details on how confirmation is sent (issue 4). The need for a stub to test the payment method (issue 5) also aligns with the storyboard technique, which can help visualize the integration points and dependencies.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus and study resources provide insights into various requirements engineering techniques and their application in Agile environments12. These resources emphasize the importance of understanding user stories and acceptance criteria, which are key to uncovering the issues mentioned34567.

The correct sequence when refactoring test cases in an Agile project is to first identify the test cases that need refactoring. Following identification, an analysis is conducted to understand the changes needed. After analysis, the actual refactoring of the test case is done. Once refactored, the test cases are re-run to ensure they work as expected. Finally, an evaluation is performed to confirm that the refactoring has improved the test cases and that they meet the required standards.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus emphasizes the importance of refactoring test cases in Agile projects and provides a practical task-list for refactoring test cases123.

 For a Medium risk mission- or safety-critical system, a combination of automated, exploratory, and manual black-box tests is recommended. Automated tests ensure consistent and efficient coverage of known scenarios, while exploratory tests allow testers to investigate and discover unknown issues. Manual black-box tests are important for verifying the system from an end-user perspective without knowledge of the internal workings, which is crucial for safety-critical systems. References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus and materials emphasize the importance of a comprehensive testing approach that includes various techniques suitable for the system’s risk level and criticality123

 Story Mapping is a technique used in Agile development to create a visual representation of the system. It helps the team to understand the ‘overall’ story and the functional flow by arranging user stories along two independent dimensions. This method allows for a more holistic view of the project’s progress and priorities, ensuring that the development process aligns with the user’s needs and the product’s goals. References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus includes the analysis of user stories and epics using requirements engineering techniques and describes how these techniques can aid testers. Story Mapping is specifically mentioned as a method for managing requirements in an Agile context1.

Definition of "Deterministic" in Unit Testing:

A deterministic test produces consistent results when executed under the same conditions.

Analyzing the Options:

A: Correctly describes deterministic behavior.

B: Refers to test coverage, not determinism.

C: Refers to atomicity, not determinism.

D: Speed is unrelated to determinism.

References:Aligned with ISTQB Agile Technical Tester syllabus emphasizing the need for tests to be consistent and predictable.

FIRST Acronym in Unit Testing:

Fast: Unit tests should execute quickly.

Isolated: They should run independently of other tests.

Repeatable: Tests should yield consistent results under the same conditions.

Self-validating: Results should indicate a pass or fail automatically.

Thorough: Each test should comprehensively cover the targeted functionality.

Analyzing the Options:

A: Incorrect terms such as "Iterative" and "Tolerant" are unrelated to unit tests.

C: Includes terms like "Recorded" and "Source-controlled," which do not align with FIRST.

D: Terms like "Immediate" and "Transparent" are unrelated to unit testing principles.

References:Aligned with ISTQB Agile Technical Tester syllabus defining unit test characteristics using the FIRST acronym.

Definition of "Atomic" in Unit Testing:

An atomic test focuses on a single, isolated piece of functionality.

This ensures clarity and simplicity in verifying the behavior of that specific functionality.

Analyzing the Options:

A: Describes a deterministic test, not an atomic one.

B: Atomic tests do not verify all details but rather focus on a specific area.

D: Speed is a desirable characteristic but does not define atomicity.

C: Testing only the targeted functionality aligns with the definition of atomicity.

References:Aligned with ISTQB Agile Technical Tester objectives regarding unit test properties like scope and focus.

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.

Debriefing Meetings in Exploratory Testing:

Debriefing meetings serve as a feedback mechanism where testers and stakeholders review the outcomes of exploratory testing.

The focus is on progress, coverage, and findings to evaluate the test session's effectiveness and adjust charters or objectives if needed.

Analyzing the Options:

A: Identifying defects is a part of testing but not the primary focus of the debriefing meeting.

B: Defining the test charter occurs before the session, not during the debriefing.

D: Reviewing tester actions is not a primary purpose and could be seen as micromanagement.

C: Providing status updates and coverage details aligns directly with the primary goal of debriefing meetings.

References:ISTQB Advanced Agile Technical Tester syllabus emphasizes debriefing as a critical step in exploratory testing for evaluating progress and coverage.

Aligning the BDD Test with the User Story:

The BDD test specifies a withdrawal operation, including entering a PIN, checking account balance, dispensing cash, and providing a receipt.

The user story must describe the behavior and motivation of a customer performing this action.

Analyzing Options:

A: Describes a deposit operation, which does not align with the BDD test.

B: Too vague and describes the ATM’s role, not the customer's perspective.

C: Correctly matches the behavior and motivation of the withdrawal process.

D: Focuses on the bank teller, which is irrelevant to the BDD test.

References:Aligned with ISTQB principles emphasizing the importance of user stories that closely match BDD test scenarios.

Exploratory Testing and Risk Levels:

Exploratory testing is a flexible approach that involves simultaneous test design and execution, making it highly valuable across all risk levels.

For high-risk systems, exploratory testing is essential as it uncovers critical issues efficiently.

For medium- and low-risk systems, it is equally beneficial for identifying functional and usability defects, especially when formal test cases may not cover all scenarios.

Analyzing the Options:

A and B: These fail to emphasize the importance of exploratory testing for high-risk systems.

D: States that exploratory testing is "not recommended" for high-risk systems, which is inaccurate.

C: Correctly states that exploratory testing is "highly recommended" across all risk levels, aligning with the ISTQB syllabus guidance.

References:ISTQB Advanced Agile Technical Tester syllabus highlights exploratory testing as a versatile and valuable technique for all risk levels.

Preferred Approach for Acceptance Criteria:

Collaboratively eliciting examples from the product owner ensures that the acceptance criteria reflect real-world usage and expectations.

Combining these examples with testing techniques ensures coverage of edge cases and system behavior.

Analyzing Options:

A: Proposes specific criteria but does not involve the product owner in the process.

B: Boundary value analysis is useful but does not address broader acceptance criteria.

D: Lists numerous acceptance criteria without first understanding the product owner’s expectations.

References:Aligned with ISTQB Agile Technical Tester syllabus emphasizing collaboration with stakeholders to define robust acceptance criteria.

Storyboards are a visual tool used in Agile methodologies to represent and analyze user stories and epics. They provide a sequential depiction of interactions, which aids in understanding and categorizing functionalities.

Visualization of Stories: Storyboards offer a visual representation of user interactions, making it easier to categorize stories into different functional areas. This visualization helps teams understand the flow and grouping of functionalities within the system.

Categorization into Functional Areas: By depicting user interactions and system responses, storyboards assist in organizing user stories and epics into specific categories or modules. This categorization is crucial for planning development and testing activities.

Therefore, option D accurately reflects the benefit of using storyboards in analyzing user stories and epics.

Automation and System Criticality:

For mission-critical systems, automation ensures consistent, repeatable testing, particularly for high-risk functionalities.

As risk increases, automation plays a key role in validating critical features and reducing the chance of human error.

For non-critical systems, the focus on automation is generally reduced, depending on cost-benefit analysis.

Analyzing the Options:

A: Correctly states that automation is prioritized for mission-critical systems as risk increases.

B: Incorrectly diminishes the importance of automation for non-critical systems without clarifying context.

C: Misrepresents automation levels as equal for critical and non-critical systems.

D: Incorrectly dismisses automation for non-critical systems, which can be valuable depending on the context.

References:ISTQB Agile Technical Tester syllabus emphasizes automation for high-risk systems while balancing cost and risk for non-critical systems.

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.

One of the fundamental characteristics of unit tests is that they should be independent of other system components. This means that a unit test should only cover the functionality of a single component or unit of code, without relying on or interacting with external systems or modules. This independence ensures that the tests are focused, reliable, and can be run quickly, providing immediate feedback on the code quality of the unit being tested.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents outline the importance of unit test independence as a key aspect of technical testing in an Agile context. This characteristic is crucial for maintaining the effectiveness and efficiency of the testing process within Agile development cycles1.

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.

Continuous testing facilitates continuous delivery by ensuring that every change made to the codebase is tested automatically and immediately, which helps in identifying defects as early as possible. Automated testing in the delivery environment is crucial as it validates the success of the delivery process by ensuring that the software operates as expected in the production-like environment before the actual release.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester certification highlights the importance of technical testing skills in Agile development, including test automation approaches and continuous deployment and delivery1234.

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

 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.

The pseudocode provided for review indicates a password entry system with a lockout mechanism after a certain number of failed attempts. The issues identified during the code review are:

Variables have not been properly defined with meaningful names - the variables used in the pseudocode are not descriptive, which can make the code difficult to understand and maintain.

There are unused variables defined - the pseudocode includes variables that are declared but not used, which is inefficient and can lead to confusion.

Loop counters are not properly initialized - if a loop counter is used, it must be initialized correctly to ensure the loop functions as intended.

There are statements within the loop that should be outside the loop - certain messages or actions may be repeated unnecessarily within a loop when they should be placed outside to execute only once.

References = ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents and study resources emphasize the importance of clear, maintainable code, which includes using meaningful variable names, removing unused variables, proper initialization of loop counters, and correct placement of code statements to avoid redundancy and inefficiency in code execution. These principles are essential for agile technical testing to ensure that the code remains robust and adaptable to changes.