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

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.

Given the high risk level and the need for a regression-averse strategy due to potential changes in screen design and functionality, the best test approach would involve a strong emphasis on test automation to ensure that new changes do not break existing functionality. Exploratory testing is neutral as it can be useful but is not the primary focus. Manual black-box testing is recommended to verify that the system meets the requirements from an end-user perspective.

Therefore, the option that aligns with these needs is:

• Test Automation: ♦+ (highly recommended)
• Exploratory Testing: o (neutral/optional)
• (manual) Black-box testing: ♦♦ (recommended)

This corresponds to Option 1, which suggests a heavy reliance on automated testing to manage regression risks efficiently, while still incorporating manual black-box testing to cover user experience aspects.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents and training resources emphasize the importance of test automation in Agile projects, especially when dealing with high-risk levels and the need for regression testing1. Additionally, the resources available at Software Testing Help provide insights into Agile testing strategies and best practices that support such an approach2.

 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

 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 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.

 Exploratory testing is a type of testing that emphasizes the personal freedom and responsibility of the individual tester to continually optimize the quality of his/her work by treating test-related learning, test design, test execution, and test result interpretation as mutually supportive activities that run in parallel throughout the project. While exploratory testing can be highly effective in certain contexts, for safety-critical systems, it is generally not recommended. Safety-critical systems require a high degree of assurance and predictability that each component of the system behaves as expected under all circumstances. Manual black-box tests, which are more structured and can be thoroughly planned and documented, are preferred in these scenarios to ensure comprehensive coverage and traceability.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus and training materials provide guidance on the appropriate use of different testing techniques in various contexts, including the recommendation of structured manual black-box testing over exploratory testing for safety-critical systems1234.

The user story provided is quite broad and encompasses multiple functionalities, which suggests it is more of an epic than a small, deliverable user story. The INVEST criteria for Agile user stories require that stories be Independent, Negotiable, Valuable, Estimable, Small, and Testable. In this case:

• Independent: This user story seems to have dependencies, as the ability to print the bill, view it in different currencies, and flag items are likely interconnected functionalities.
• Negotiable: The user story provides specific solutions rather than outlining the problem to solve, which limits the negotiation on how to implement the solutions.
• Valuable: The story does provide value to the hotel guest, which is clear.
• Estimable: With the information provided, the development team can likely estimate the effort required.
• Small: The story is not small; it covers multiple features that probably cannot be delivered in a single iteration.
• Testable: The acceptance criteria are testable, although they are quite detailed and prescriptive.

References = The explanation is based on the INVEST criteria as described in Agile methodologies1234. The criteria are used to assess the quality of a user story, ensuring it is well-defined and suitable for Agile development practices. The user story in question does not fully meet the ‘Negotiable’ and ‘Small’ criteria, which is essential for maintaining flexibility and delivering incremental value in Agile projects.

 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.

A test charter in exploratory testing is a document that outlines the scope, objectives, and focus of a test session. It guides the tester on what to test, how to test, and the boundaries of the test. The charter helps to direct the tester’s efforts during the exploratory testing session, ensuring that the testing is structured and focused on the areas of highest importance or risk. It does not provide expected outcomes or prevent timebox from being exceeded, nor does it offer bi-directional traceability; instead, it serves as a starting point for the exploratory testing process12.

References = ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents and Training resources34.

 In the context of continuous deployment, it is crucial to include a comprehensive level of automated testing that encompasses both integration and system testing. This ensures that all components of the application work together seamlessly and that the system as a whole functions correctly before deployment. Automated unit testing alone is not sufficient, as it does not cover the interaction between different parts of the system. Similarly, while UAT, other acceptance testing, and regression testing are important, they do not provide the same level of coverage as integration and system testing in a continuous deployment process.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents outline the importance of applying Agile techniques to ensure tests provide adequate coverage, including test automation approaches and supporting continuous deployment and delivery12.

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

A virtualized service in the context of Agile Technical Testing is a simulated version of a real service that mimics the behavior and data handling of the actual service. It is designed to be stateful, meaning it can maintain state across multiple interactions, which is essential for testing scenarios that require a consistent and predictable response from the service being tested. This allows testers to validate the integration and interaction with the service without the need for the actual service to be available or operational, facilitating continuous testing and development.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus includes the concept of service virtualization as part of the technical skills necessary for testers in an Agile environment. It is mentioned as a technique to support continuous integration and delivery by providing a stable and controllable test environment12.

 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.

 For the user story in question, the data file for the data-driven test automation script should include columns that directly relate to the criteria for free shipping. The column ‘item ID’ is necessary to identify the specific items being purchased. ‘Quantity purchased’ is required to determine if the number of items meets the threshold for free shipping. The ‘free shipping (y/n)’ column is essential to verify if the free shipping message displays correctly based on the quantity purchased. This setup aligns with the principles of data-driven testing where inputs and expected outcomes are clearly defined to validate the functionality being tested.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus and materials emphasize the importance of creating data files that support the automated testing of user stories. The data file should contain columns that are relevant to the story’s acceptance criteria and enable the automation to verify the correct behavior of the system12.

Refactoring test cases in Agile projects is primarily done to ensure that the test cases continue to provide adequate coverage for the product’s functionality, which may have evolved or changed. This process involves revising and improving the test cases to adapt to any updates in the product’s code or features, thereby maintaining their effectiveness and relevance.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents highlight the importance of refactoring test cases to align with the continuous evolution of the product in an Agile environment123.

The testable acceptance criteria for the user story are those that can be verified through testing to ensure they meet the user’s needs and the system’s functionality. In this case:

• Criterion (i) is testable because you can verify the payment methods.
• Criterion (ii) is testable as you can check if the acknowledgement email is sent after form submission.
• Criterion (iv) is testable by confirming that the information is stored in the database correctly.

Criteria (iii) and (v), while important, are not explicitly testable from the user story’s perspective without further clarification on how spam protection is measured and what constitutes ‘incorrect’ user inputs.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester materials emphasize the importance of creating testable acceptance criteria that are clear, measurable, and verifiable within the context of the user story12. This ensures that the developed feature meets the user’s requirements and functions as intended2.

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.

Service virtualization can be highly beneficial in a continuous testing environment, especially when dealing with external services that incur costs per transaction. By creating a virtualized service that mimics the behavior of the bank’s application, the project can avoid the transaction fees that would otherwise be charged for each test execution. This not only reduces the cost of testing but also allows for more frequent and comprehensive testing without the concern of incurring high expenses.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus outlines the importance of understanding service virtualization concepts as part of supporting test automation activities in an Agile project12. It is a key technique to ensure tests provide adequate coverage without the additional costs associated with using real services1.

 Refactoring test cases is crucial in Agile projects to ensure they remain easy to understand and maintain as the code-under-test evolves. Agile projects are characterized by frequent changes and iterations, and the test cases need to keep up with these changes. When test cases are clear and well-structured, other testers can quickly understand and modify them, which is essential for maintaining the pace of Agile development. Thispractice supports continuous integration and delivery by allowing test cases to be updated alongside the evolving codebase, ensuring that testing remains effective and efficient.

References = The importance of refactoring test cases in Agile projects is covered in the ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus, which emphasizes the need for test cases to be easily understandable and maintainable in the context of frequent changes characteristic of Agile projects12.

Updating the test automation suite during each iteration as the code is received ensures that the suite evolves with the software. It allows for immediate feedback on the impact of changes, supports continuous integration, and helps in identifying defects early in the development process. This practice is in line with Agile principles, which advocate for continuous testing and integration to improve quality and reduce the time to market1.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents outline the importance of maintaining and updating test automation suites in an Agile environment to support continuous integration and delivery, and to ensure that the tests provide adequate coverage throughout the development cycle2.