CTFL-Foundation ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level Question and Answers

A dynamic analysis tool would have been the most effective at detecting a defect where a code component fails to release memory after use. These tools analyze the behavior of the software while it is running, allowing them to identify issues like memory leaks, which occur when memory is not properly freed. Dynamic analysis tools can monitor the allocation and deallocation of memory in real-time, helping to pinpoint the exact location and cause of the memory leak before the software is deployed​​ .

According to the decision table:

For TC1, since Paul is not a full member but is a Loyalty Card holder and requests 18 holes with a buggy/cart, the applicable action is £18 Green Fees plus £5 for buggy/cart, totaling £23.

For TC2, since Cheryl is not a full member, does not have a Loyalty Card, and requests 9 holes with a buggy/cart, the applicable action is £16 Green Fees with no buggy allowed​​.

Providing support for the test team using the tool is crucial for successful deployment. This includes training the test team on how to effectively use the tool, offering ongoing support to address any issues, and integrating the tool into existing processes. By ensuring that the team is well-equipped and confident in using the tool, the organization can maximize the benefits of the tool and improve overall testing efficiency​​.

For a system with complex business rules and many branches, decision testing (a white-box technique) is appropriate because it ensures that each decision point (branch) in the code is tested. Equivalence partitioning (a black-box technique) complements this by ensuring that all functional areas (based ondifferent inputs) are adequately tested. This combination provides thorough coverage of both the internal logic and the functional requirements of the system​​.

Good testing practice involves early involvement of testers in the software development process. This helps identify defects early and provides better understanding and clarification of requirements. Involving testers in reviewing requirements or user stories as soon as drafts are available allows for early detection of defects, which is more cost-effective and efficient. This practice is beneficial regardless of the software lifecycle model used​​ .

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Boundary value analysis involves testing at the boundaries between partitions. For the Frequency input, valid boundaries are 1 and 5, while invalid boundaries are 0 and 6. For the Duration input, valid boundaries are 1 and 60 minutes, while invalid boundaries are 0 and 61 minutes. Therefore, Option C includes the correct set of valid and invalid boundary values for both inputs​​.

A keyword-driven testing approach is effective because it separates the test logic (actions) from the test data. This makes the scripts more reusable and easier to maintain. By organizing tests this way, any changes in the data or the actions can be made independently without affecting the other, enhancing the efficiency and manageability of automated tests​​.

Equivalence partitioning is a black-box test design technique that divides input data into partitions that are expected to be treated similarly by the system. In this case, 0600 falls into the peak-time tariff, 1000 is at the boundary of peak-time but still included in it, and 1200 falls into the off-peak tariff. This ensures that each input is from a different equivalence partition, testing different functional areas of the system​​.

The testability of requirements is evaluated during the Test Analysis and Design stage of the fundamental test process. In this stage, the test team reviews the requirements to ensure they are clear, complete, and testable. The focus is on understanding the test basis and defining the test conditions, test cases, and test data necessary to verify the requirements​​.

The level of risk is determined by evaluating both the impact and the likelihood of an adverse event occurring. This approach ensures that both the severity of potential consequences and the probability of the event are considered. The impact assesses how serious the consequences would be if the event happened, while the likelihood evaluates how probable it is that the event will occur. This combination provides a comprehensive measure of risk, helping organizations prioritize their risk management efforts effectively​​.

The amount of testing effort is highly influenced by the predicted number of defects and the subsequent amount of rework required. If a high number of defects are expected, more effort will be needed to identify, document, and retest the defects after they are fixed. This impacts the overall testing workload significantly compared to other factors such as the ratio of developers to testers, which affects team dynamics but not the core testing effort​​.

Testing is primarily aimed at detecting defects, verifying the functionality, and providing information to stakeholders for decision-making. While investigating defects is part of the testing process, fixing defects is not typically considered an objective of testing; it falls under the development activities. The main objectives of testing include preventing defects (through early testing activities), gaining confidence in the system, and providing valuable information to stakeholders​​.

Static analysis tools are designed to analyze code without executing it. They are highly effective at identifying issues such as syntax errors, variable declaration, and usage problems. Options A, B, and D are types of defects that static analysis tools can typically detect because they relate to the code structure and syntax. However, Option C refers to a variable having the wrong numeric value passed into it, which is more of a logical error that typically requires dynamic testing to identify. Static analysis tools cannot understand the correct logical flow or expected values in the code, thus making Option C the correct answer​​ .

An independent test function in an organization helps improve defect finding during reviews and testing by providing an unbiased perspective on the software. Independent testers are not influenced by the development team’s constraints and can evaluate the software more objectively. This leads to the identification of defects that might be overlooked by developers who are too close to their own code. Independent testing enhances the quality and reliability of the software by bringing fresh insights and ensuring thorough testing​​.

Specification-based techniques, also known as black-box techniques, derive test cases from the specifications or requirements of the system. These techniques can be particularly useful when the test basis (such as documentation or requirements) is poorly defined or incomplete, as they provide a structured approach to testing based on the available specifications. This ensures that testing can proceed even when detailed documentation is lacking, helping to identify defects related to missing or incorrect functionality​​.

To meet the test plan requirements and logical dependencies, the test schedule should start with re-tests (those that have previously failed), followed by the highest priority tests. Additionally, tests should be scheduled to create necessary test data for subsequent tests. In this case, teste(log in as admin user and create a standard user) must be done first as it is necessary to perform all other actions. Following this, testa(log in as standard user and create customer account) creates the standard user needed for subsequent actions. Then, the highest priority testd(order twoitems or more), which has failed before, should be executed next, followed by testc(create invoice for order), and finally testb(order one item)​​.

According to the decision table, Test Case 1 is valid because an employee who is not a car or motorcycle driver cannot claim expenses, as shown in Rule 1. Test Case 3 is valid because a motorcycle driver can claim expenses, as indicated in Rule 2, with expenses claim band A. However, Test Case 2 is invalid because, according to Rule 5, a car driver with a diesel engine greater than 1600cc cannot claim expenses. The expected result should be that the expense claim is not allowed, not band C​​.

Common metrics used for monitoring test preparation and execution typically include quantitative measures such as the number of test cases passed and failed, the percentage of planned test cases designed, and the percentage of tasks completed in test environment preparation. These metrics provide insights into the progress and effectiveness of the testing process. However, the number of test plan review comments is not a typical metric for this purpose, as it does not directly measure the progress or quality of test execution​​.

Decision coverage is a testing metric used to ensure that all possible paths (decisions) in the code have been executed at least once. It is not used to verify the correctness of module calls, which ismore related to integration testing or control flow testing. Options A, B, and D describe valid uses of decision coverage, ensuring that decisions are exercised in programs, business processes, and measuring the extent of coverage by a test suite​​ .

An incident report typically includes the version(s) of the software under test, expected results and actual results, and precise steps to reproduce the problem. However, the test execution schedule is not a standard part of an incident report. It is more relevant to test planning and management documents rather than incident reporting​​.

The highest level of testing independence is achieved when the testing process is performed by individuals or teams who are completely independent of the development team and the organization. Option B, which involves outsourcing test design and execution to a different company, ensures that there is no bias or influence from the development team or company politics, thereby achieving the highest level of testing independence​​.

Static analysis tools are designed to analyze code without executing it. They are particularly good at finding defects related to code structure, such as variables that are not used or improperly declared. These tools can parse the code and identify issues that may not be easily detected through dynamic testing methods. Other issues like omission of a major requirement (A), inadequate decision coverage (B), and component memory leakage (C) are typically found through dynamic testing or higher-level verification techniques​​ .

The pesticide paradox in testing refers to the phenomenon where continuously using the same set of tests on the software eventually becomes less effective at finding new defects. Just as insects can develop resistance to pesticides over time, software defects become less detectable by tests that are not updated. Therefore, to maintain the effectiveness of testing, it is essential to regularly review and revise the test cases to introduce new tests and update existing ones​​.

Exploratory testing is highly effective when under severe time pressure because it allows testers to simultaneously learn, design, and execute tests. It is a flexible approach that does not require extensive preparation and documentation, making it ideal for situations where time is limited​​.

A Test Procedure Specification is a document that outlines the precise steps required to execute a test. It includes detailed instructions on the setup, execution, and teardown of the test environment, as well as the specific actions to be performed and the expected results. This document ensures that tests are conducted consistently and repeatably​​.

The purpose of test completion criteria in a test plan is to define when to stop testing. These criteria are used to determine if sufficient testing has been conducted to meet the test objectives and to decide whether the product is ready for release. They typically include coverage goals, risk levels, defect rates, and other quality indicators. According to the ISTQB CTFL Syllabus, defining test completion criteria helps ensure that testing is both thorough and efficient, avoiding unnecessary testing while ensuring the product meets quality standards​​.

Acceptance test cases are derived from requirements to ensure that the system meets the agreed-upon criteria and works as expected from an end-user perspective. These tests validate that the system satisfies business needs and requirements before it is accepted for deployment. Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 4.5.3​​.

In general, project risk and product risk can be hard to differentiate. Anything that impacts on the quality of the delivered system is likely to lead to delays or increased costs as the problem is tackled. Anything causing delays to the project is likely to threaten the delivered system's quality. The risk-based approach is an approach to managing product risk through testing, so it impacts most directly on product risk.

The typical sequence of formal review activities includes planning, kick-off, individual preparation, and review meeting. The planning phase sets the scope and objectives, the kick-off initiates the review process, individual preparation involves participants reviewing the materials on their own, and then the review meeting is held to discuss the findings. Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 3.2.2​​.

Incident management is the collection and processing of incidents raised when errors and defects are discovered. Test monitoring identifies the status of the testing activity on a continuous basis. Risk management identifies, analyses and mitigates risks to the project and the product. Configuration management is concerned with the management of changes to software components and their associated documentation and testware.

(i) Executing component integration tests is usually done by developers. Developers are usually responsible for unit and component integration testing. Independent testing usually follows at system and acceptance test levels.

(ii) Static analysis is usually done by developers because: it requires an understanding of the code and therefore the person doing this needs skills in the programming language; and it can be done as soon as the code is written. Therefore it is quick and effective for the developer to do it. The risk of a lack of test independence can be mitigated by performing independent system and acceptance testing.

(iii) Setting up the test environment is an activity typically performed by a tester. It may require support from developers and staff from other departments and on some occasions environmentscould be set up by developers. However, it is a task that could be done by a tester rather than a developer.

(iv) Deciding how much testing should be automated is typically a decision made by the test leader, who will consult other staff in the decision-making process. Developers may be involved and their skills may be required to automate some tests. However, the decision on how much to automate should not be made by developers.

Static analysis tools are used to detect certain types of defects without executing the code. According to the ISTQB CTFL syllabus v4.0, typical defects found by static analysis tools include variables that are never used, security vulnerabilities, and unreachable code. Poor performance and business processes not followed are not typically identified by static analysis tools​​.

Boundary value testing focuses on testing at the boundaries between partitions. It tests conditions on, below, and above the edges of input and output equivalence classes to identify defects that occur at the boundaries. This technique is different from equivalence partitioning, which divides input data into partitions but does not specifically target boundary conditions. Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 4.2.1​​.

Exploratory testing is used when it is unclear what the system is supposed to do. Therefore test execution tools are of little use because expected results cannot be predicted.

However, the record feature of a test execution tool can be used to log the actions performed so that defects can be recreated (option (A)) and rectified more easily.

The V-model enables test planning to start as early as possible. This model is an extension of the waterfall model and emphasizes the importance of early test planning and development of test cases, which corresponds to the development stages. By planning tests early, the V-model ensures that testing is integrated into every phase of the software development lifecycle. Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 2.1.2​​.

Structure-based testing, also known as white-box testing, uses information about the software’s internal structure to derive test cases. This method often involves measuring coverage, such as statement coverage or decision coverage, to ensure that different parts of the code are exercised by the tests. These techniques require a deep understanding of the software's construction and are used to validate the implementation rather than the functionality. Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 4.3.1​​.

A risk-based approach to testing provides information on the types of test techniques to be employed. This approach prioritizes the testing of features and functions based on their risk of failure and their impact on the organization. By identifying the areas of highest risk, test managers can allocate resources and select test techniques that are most likely to uncover defects in these critical areas. This approach ensures that testing efforts are focused where they are most needed. Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 5.2 .QUESTION NO: 85

When assembling a test team to work on an enhancement to an existing system, which of the following has the highest level of test independence?

A. A business analyst who wrote the original requirements for the system.

B. A permanent programmer who reviewed some of the new code, but has not written any of it.

C. A permanent tester who found most defects in the original system.

D. A contract tester who has never worked for the organization before.

Answer: D

In this scenario, the contract tester who has never worked for the organization before has the highest level of test independence. The three others are less independent as they are likely to make assumptions based on their previous knowledge of the requirements, code and general functionality of the original system.

Note that independence does not necessarily equate to most useful. In practice most test or project managers would recruit a permanent tester who has worked on the original system in preference to a contract tester with no knowledge of the system. However, when assembling a team it would be useful to have staff with varying levels of test independence and system knowledge.

Incident management tools are most useful during test implementation and execution as this is the stage at which the tool is used to raise, manage, retest and close incidents.

The data collected during the defect life cycle can then be manipulated into information that is useful for other activities within the fundamental test process.

Information on numbers of defects outstanding may be useful for evaluating exit criteria (option (D)). This information could also be used for planning future testing and for taking control (option (A)).

Incident management tools can also assist in test analysis and design (option (B)) as information about defects found when testing the previous release of the system could be used when analyzing the type of testing required for the next enhancement.

The requirement phase serves multiple purposes. It aims to understand user needs, freeze the requirements to provide a stable basis for development, and define the scope of testing. These activities ensure that the project has a clear direction, and the testing efforts are aligned with the defined requirements. The ISTQB CTFL Syllabus outlines that a thorough requirement phase is essential for the success of subsequent phases in the software development lifecycle​​.

According to the ISTQB Glossary, regression testing is performed to ensure that changes or modifications in the software have not introduced new defects. The primary purpose of regression testing is to verify that the existing functionality of the software remains unaffected by recent changes, enhancements, or bug fixes.

The syllabus states that regression testing helps in confirming that the recent modifications do not negatively impact the previously working functionalities of the software​​.

Regression testing serves to demonstrate that unchanged areas of the software have not been unintentionally affected by changes. The ISTQB CTFL syllabus v4.0 states that while regression testing can be carried out at various stages of the lifecycle and is often automated, its primary purpose is to ensure that existing functionality remains unaffected after changes​​.

To cover all possible sequences of statements (paths) in the given program fragment, considering two independent conditions, we have the following scenarios:

Condition 1 true, Condition 2 true

Condition 1 true, Condition 2 false

Condition 1 false, Condition 2 true

Condition 1 false, Condition 2 false

These scenarios require 4 test cases to ensure all paths are tested. Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 4.3.3​​.

Maintenance testing is performed on an existing operational system that has undergone planned enhancements, corrections, or other modifications. The goal is to ensure that the changes have been implemented correctly and that the system continues to function as intended. This type of testing is not typically used for defect correction during development, user acceptance testing complaints, or the integration of functions in new system development​​.

Regression testing is designed to verify that recent code changes have not adversely affected existing functionality. It is particularly well-suited for test automation because automated tests can be rerun quickly and consistently. While regression tests are essential in many testing phases, they are distinct from acceptance testing, which focuses on validating that the system meets business requirements.

Failures in software can be caused by various reasons, including testing faults, software faults, design faults, environment faults, and documentation faults. The ISTQB CTFL syllabus v4.0 discusses that these types of issues can all contribute to failures in software, highlighting the importance of thorough testing and review processes throughout the software development lifecycle​​.

Code Coverage is a measure used to describe the degree to which the source code of a program is tested by a particular test suite. It helps in determining the effectiveness of testing by indicating the parts of the code that have been exercised by the tests and those that have not. It is an important metric for evaluating test coverage and identifying areas that may require additional testing. Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 4.3.2​​.

The main objective during development testing is to cause as many failures as possible to identify defects in the software. This proactive approach ensures that defects are discovered and addressed early in the development process, improving the overall quality and reliability of the final product​​.

Variance from programming standards defects (option (A)) are found during the review or static testing process. Therefore a test harness is unlikely to find a defect in programming standards.

Memory leak defects (option (C)) could potentially be found by a test harness designed to run many test cases.

Regression defects (option (D)) could be found using many types of test tool.

Defects in middleware (option (B)) are generally more likely to be found by a test harness or a dynamic analysis tool than by any other type of tool.

Re-testing and regression testing are essential concepts in software testing, each serving a different purpose. According to the ISTQB CTFL Syllabus, version 4.0, the difference between these two types of testing is highlighted as follows:

Re-testing(also known as confirmation testing) involves executing the same tests again on the same version of the software after defects have been fixed. The primary goal is to confirm that the original defects have been successfully removed and that the software behaves as expected.

Regression testing, on the other hand, is performed to ensure that recent code changes have not adversely affected the existing functionalities of the software. This testing aims to detect any unexpected side effects introduced by the new changes.

The syllabus states: "Re-testing is running a test again; regression testing looks for unexpected side effects"​​. This explanation clarifies that while re-testing focuses on verifying specific defect fixes, regression testing ensures the overall stability and integrity of the software after changes.

If the project isn't big enough to justify extensive testing, using risk-based analysis to find out which areas need to be tested is the best approach. Risk-based testing prioritizes testing activities based on the risk of failure and the impact of those failures, ensuring that critical areas of the application are tested thoroughly even with limited resources. This approach helps in focusing testing efforts where they are most needed. Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 5.2.3​​.

The purpose of exit criteria is to determine when to stop testing. Exit criteria are specific conditions or set of conditions agreed upon to declare that a particular test level or a test activity is completed. These criteria are used to ensure that the testing process has reached a certain level of coverage and quality before it is considered complete. Typical exit criteria include achieving a certain level of code coverage, passing a specified number of tests, or fixing a certain number of defects. Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus V4.0, Section 5.1.3 .

One limitation of static analysis tools is that they tend to generate a large number of warning messages when applied to new code. This can occur even if the code meets established coding standards, as the tools are designed to identify a wide range of potential issues, leading to a high volume of output that needs to be reviewed and addressed.

For a web-based service designed to be available 24/7, a comprehensive testing approach is necessary to ensure functionality, security, reliability, and performance. Functional testing at the system level will verify the security aspects. Load testing at the system level will ensure the system can handle expected loads and remain available. Regression testing across all levels will confirm that changes do not introduce new defects. Structure-based testing at the component level will ensure the internal structure of components is robust. The ISTQB syllabus outlines these testing types and their importance in different contexts and levels​​.

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State transition testing is the most effective test design technique for testing screen-dialog flows. This technique is used to model the different states of a system and the transitions between those states, which is ideal for verifying that the system behaves correctly as the user navigates through different screens and dialogs.

Debugging is the process where developers identify, locate, and correct defects. Testers are then responsible for confirming that the correction has resolved the original defect. This separation of responsibilities ensures that defects are properly fixed and verified.

Experience-based and intuition-based testing techniques, such as error guessing and exploratory testing, can be valuable in uncovering defects that formal techniques might miss. These approaches leverage the tester's knowledge, intuition, and experience, providing a complementary layer to more structured and formal testing techniques.

Static techniques involve the examination and evaluation of software products without executing them. According to the ISTQB syllabus, these techniques include both manual and automated reviews and analyses of code and project documentation. This helps identify defects early in the development process, improving the overall quality and reducing the cost of fixing defects later in the lifecycle​​.

A valid objective of testing is to prevent defects. While correcting defects and locating defects in the code are part of the testing process, the primary goal is often to prevent defects by identifying issues early in the development cycle and improving the overall quality of the software. Ensuring no defects are present is an unrealistic objective, as testing can demonstrate the presence of defects but not their absence.

Integration testing focuses on the interactions between integrated components or systems. It aims to identify defects in the interfaces and interaction points between different parts of the system. According to the ISTQB syllabus, the test basis for integration testing typically includes software and system design documents, while the test objects are the interfaces and interactions between components. The goal is to ensure that the integrated parts function together as intended​​.

According to the IEEE 829 Standard for Software Test Documentation, an incident report should include the identification of configuration items of the software or system (i), the software or system lifecycle process in which the incident was observed (ii), a description of the anomaly to enable reproduction of the incident (iii), and the classification of the cause of the incident formetrics and reporting purposes (v). The number of occurrences of the incident is not typically included.

For user acceptance testing (UAT) of the first release of a new software product aimed at a general market and built using Agile methods, appropriate test objectives would be to ensure the product works as expected (c) and to assess the overall quality of the product (d). These objectives focus on validating that the software meets user needs and overall quality standards.

The fundamental test process consists of several sequential steps: planning and control, analysis, design, implementation, execution, evaluation of exit criteria and reporting, and test closure. This comprehensive process ensures that testing is methodical and covers all necessary aspects from preparation to conclusion.

The requirements for reliability and security in a product significantly impact the testing effort. High requirements for reliability and security necessitate more extensive and thorough testing to ensure that the product meets these stringent criteria. This often includes additional test cases, more complex test environments, and longer test execution times.

Static analysis tools are designed to examine the code without executing it. They are particularly effective at identifying structural issues in the code, such as potential infinite loops (B), which can occur due to incorrect logic that would cause the code to execute indefinitely. These tools analyze the code's structure and logic flow to find such issues early in the development process, helping to improve the code's quality before it is run​​.

A test condition is defined as an item or event that can be verified by one or more test cases. It can include functions, transactions, structural elements, or quality attributes that need to be tested to ensure the system behaves as expected.

To ensure that the statement 'Print 'Hold'' is exercised:

X=2, Y=4, Z=3 This test case will follow the path where X ≤ Y (False), Y > Z (True), leading to the 'Print 'Hold'' statement.

Use-case testing involves scenarios based on the use cases of a system. In a use-case diagram, an actor represents a type of user (i). A use-case describes interactions between actors and the system (iii). Test cases can be based on use-case scenarios (v), and use-case testing often identifies gaps not found by testing individual components (vi). However, an actor is not always a human user (iv), and use-cases are not the most common test basis for unit testing (ii).

System testing is a level of software testing where a complete and integrated software is tested. The purpose of this test is to evaluate the system's compliance with the specified requirements. System testing is conducted on the entire system to verify that it behaves as expected and meets the functional and non-functional requirements defined in the scope of the project.

Testing support tools are typically used to automate activities that are resource-intensive when done manually, repetitive tasks, and repetitive inspections. However, they are not usually designed to automate activities that cannot be executed manually at all, as such activities may require complex and sophisticated human intervention or decision-making.

In state transition testing, test cases are designed to execute specific sequences of state transitions. Referring to the provided state transition diagram:

For test case (i) X-Z-V-W, the corresponding state transitions are S1 (X) → S2, S2 (Z) → S3, S3 (V) → S4, and S4 (W) → S2. Therefore, the sequence of state transitions is S1 – S2 – S3 – S4 – S2.

For test case (ii) W-Y-U-U, the corresponding state transitions are S4 (W) → S2, S2 (Y) → S4, S4 (U) → S4, and S4 (U) → S4. Therefore, the sequence of state transitions is S4 – S2 – S4 – S4 – S4.

This ensures that the transitions accurately reflect the states and paths described in the test cases.

When considering the use of testing tools, it is essential to first perform an analysis of the current test process. This analysis helps identify areas where tool support can provide the most benefit. Introducing tools without this assessment might lead to inefficiencies or the selection of inappropriate tools. A thorough evaluation ensures that the tools will effectively support and enhance the existing test process.

The Black-box testing technique is a method where the internal structure or workings of the item being tested are not known to the tester. This technique focuses on the input and output of the software system, ensuring that it meets the specified requirements without considering the internal code structure. It contrasts with White-box testing, which involves testing internal structures or workings of an application.

Equivalence Partitioning is a black-box testing technique that divides the input data of a software unit into partitions of equivalent data from which test cases can be derived. It helps in reducing the number of test cases while maintaining adequate test coverage.

Maintenance testing is essential when there is a need to ensure that the software continues to function correctly after it has been modified. Migration to a new platform is a significant change that can impact the software's functionality, requiring thorough maintenance testing to verify that the software performs as expected in the new environment. This ensures that any platform-specific issues are identified and resolved​​.

Testers should be involved in the review of the User Acceptance Testing (UAT) specification as soon as it is drafted. Early involvement of testers ensures that the UAT criteria are clear, complete, and testable. This approach aligns with the shift-left testing strategy, which advocates for early testing activities to identify defects and issues as soon as possible. The ISTQB syllabus emphasizes the importance of early and continuous testing throughout the software development lifecycle​​.

Test planning involves defining the overall approach to testing, including setting objectives, strategies, and resources. It ensures that the level of detail in test procedures is appropriate for the subsequent test execution phase. Effective test planning helps in aligning the testing activities with the project goals and ensures that the tests are executed as per the defined procedures.

White box testing design is characterized by its focus on the internal structure of the component or system. It involves testing based on knowledge of the code structure, architecture, and internal design. This approach contrasts with black box testing, which is based on functional specifications without any knowledge of the internal workings of the software.

To run all the tests successfully, one must follow the logical sequence dictated by the dependencies between the actions. The process should start with creating the account (e) and setting it up (i), then creating the account user (f) and making any amendments (g). Only after these steps can an invoice be created (a) and processed (c), followed by amending (b) and deleting (d) the invoice. Finally, the sequence concludes with managing the account user and the account itself (h, j). This logical order ensures all dependencies are respected and all functionalities are tested​​.