ISTQB FOUNDATION 4.0 | Tutorial 9 | Sample Questions on Chapter 1 | ISTQB Foundation Sample Question

Summary

This tutorial covers the ISTQB Foundation Level certification, focusing on test objectives and principles. The instructor emphasizes recalling common test objectives, avoiding the pitfalls of tricky options, and the importance of revising regression test cases to prevent 'test wear out.' The video also discusses factors significantly influencing the test process, such as SDLC, product risk, and regulatory requirements. The session concludes with a promise of a playlist for further exploration, encouraging continuous learning and understanding.

Takeaways

• 📚 The tutorial is focused on the ISTQB Foundation Level certification, aiming to help understand the expected test questions and how to approach them.
• 🧐 Importance is placed on recalling test objectives from learnings before looking at the options to avoid getting misled by tricky options.
• 🔍 Principle 1 of testing is highlighted, stating that testing can show the presence of defects but cannot prove their absence.
• 🚫 Option A is refuted as a valid test objective because it suggests proving the absence of unfixed defects, which contradicts testing principles.
• 🛡️ Principle 7 is mentioned in relation to the absence of error fallacy, emphasizing that even if defects are found and fixed, the absence of failure is not guaranteed.
• 💡 The key objective of testing, as per option C, is to reduce risk levels and build confidence in product quality through risk identification and mitigation.
• 🚫 Option D is dismissed as it suggests verifying no untested input combinations, which is against the principle that exhaustive testing is impossible.
• 🔄 The 'Pesticide Paradox' or 'test wear out' is introduced as a principle that old regression test cases may not be effective as the product evolves.
• 🤔 The tutorial suggests skepticism when regression test cases have not been updated despite product changes, as per the Agile methodology.
• 🔑 Factors that significantly influence the test process include the SDLC, identified product risks, and new regulatory requirements.
• 🛠️ The test environment setup, while necessary, does not significantly drive the test process but is part of the overall testing activities.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the tutorial?

The main topic of the tutorial is the ISTQB Foundation Level certification, focusing on Chapter 1 and discussing sample questions to understand the expected format and the best approach to answer them correctly.

What is the first tip given for approaching multiple-choice questions in the tutorial?

The first tip is to try to answer the question from your own learnings first, and then look at the options to avoid getting confused by tricky options.

What is the principle that contradicts the statement 'to prove that there are no unfixed defects in the system under test'?

The principle that contradicts this statement is Principle 1, which states that testing is meant to show the presence of defects but cannot prove the absence of defects.

Why is it incorrect to say that testing aims to 'prove that there will be no failures after the system is implemented into production'?

This is incorrect because, according to Principle 7, even if defects are found and fixed, the absence of defects does not guarantee the absence of failures if the requirements are not fulfilled.

What is one of the valid test objectives mentioned in the tutorial?

One of the valid test objectives is to reduce the risk level of the test object and to build confidence in the quality level.

What testing principle explains the skepticism of a tester noticing no changes to existing regression test cases over several iterations?

The principle that explains this skepticism is the 'Pesticide Paradox' or 'Tests Wear Out,' which suggests that using the same test cases repeatedly without updating them as the product evolves can be ineffective.

What are the factors that significantly influence the test process according to the tutorial?

The factors that significantly influence the test process are the SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle), identified product risk, and new regulatory requirements.

Why is the number of defects detected in the previous project not a significant factor influencing the test process?

The number of defects detected in the previous project may provide some reference but does not drive the overall test process, as testing is about finding defects and not just relying on past data.

What is the role of regulatory requirements in the test process?

Regulatory requirements play a significant role in the test process because they can force formal testing methods like white box testing, and failing to meet these requirements can prevent the product from going to market.

Why is the test environment setup not considered a significant factor influencing the test process?

The test environment setup is an activity conducted as part of the business and product requirements but does not drive the test process itself.

What is the tutorial's advice on how to approach learning and understanding testing principles?

The tutorial advises to keep learning, exploring, and understanding the context of testing principles to enhance knowledge and apply them effectively in answering questions.

Outlines

00:00

📚 ISTQB Foundation Level Certification Tutorial Overview

This paragraph introduces a tutorial on the ISTQB Foundation Level certification, focusing on Chapter 1. The speaker emphasizes the importance of understanding sample questions to prepare for the exam effectively. They highlight the common test objectives and the pitfalls of reading options before forming an answer in one's mind. The paragraph discusses the incorrectness of proving the absence of defects as a test objective, as testing can only demonstrate the presence of defects, not their absence. It also touches on the principle of 'absence of error fallacy' and the impracticality of exhaustive testing, leading to the conclusion that reducing risk and building confidence in product quality is a valid test objective.

05:02

🔍 Discussing Agile Methodology and the Pesticide Paradox

The second paragraph delves into a scenario where regression test cases have not been updated in an agile environment, despite no new defects being found. The speaker points out the importance of revising test cases as the product evolves, referencing the 'Pesticide Paradox' or 'test wear out' principle. This principle suggests that using the same test cases repeatedly without updating them as the software changes can lead to ineffective testing. The speaker advises not to be misled by a manager's satisfaction and to focus on the principles of testing, concluding that 'tests wear out' is the correct principle to explain the skepticism about unchanged test cases.

10:02

🛠 Influential Factors on the Test Process

In this paragraph, the discussion revolves around factors that significantly influence the test process. The speaker evaluates five potential factors, concluding that the SDLC, identified product risk, and new regulatory requirements are the most influential. They dismiss the number of defects found in previous projects and the test environment setup as not driving the test process significantly. The speaker emphasizes the importance of considering only those factors that have a substantial impact on defining and conducting the test process, leading to the identification of the correct answer that the first, third, and fourth factors are the significant contributors to the test process.

🎓 Conclusion and Future Tutorial Plans

The final paragraph wraps up the tutorial by summarizing the key points discussed in the previous sections and informing viewers about future plans. The speaker mentions the creation of a separate playlist for additional sample questions with explanations. They stress the importance of understanding the knowledge to arrive at the correct answers and invite viewers to comment with any queries. The tutorial concludes with an encouragement to keep learning and exploring, signaling the end of the video session.

Keywords

💡ISTQB Foundation Level

The ISTQB Foundation Level is an entry-level certification for software testers, demonstrating a basic understanding of software testing principles and practices. In the video, the tutorial is focused on this certification, indicating the target audience is preparing for this exam. The script discusses the importance of understanding test objectives and principles, which are foundational knowledge for the certification.

💡Test Objectives

Test objectives are the specific goals or criteria that testing aims to achieve. In the script, the video discusses the importance of identifying valid test objectives. For example, one of the sample questions asks to identify which statements describe a valid test objective, highlighting the need to understand what testing can and cannot prove, such as the presence of defects versus the absence of defects.

💡Principles of Testing

These are fundamental guidelines that inform the approach and strategy of software testing. The script refers to several testing principles, such as the 'absence of errors fallacy' and 'exhaustive testing is impossible,' to guide the viewer in evaluating test objectives and scenarios. These principles are key to understanding the limitations and goals of testing practices.

💡Defect

A defect in software testing refers to a flaw or error in the software that causes it to behave incorrectly or not as intended. The script mentions defects in the context of test objectives, emphasizing that testing aims to show the presence of defects rather than prove their absence, which is a common misconception.

💡Risk Mitigation

Risk mitigation is the process of identifying potential risks and taking steps to reduce their impact or likelihood. In the script, the video explains that one of the valid test objectives is to reduce the risk level of the test object and build confidence in the quality level, indicating that testing plays a role in managing and mitigating risks associated with software quality.

💡Regression Testing

Regression testing is a type of software testing that verifies that previously developed and tested software still performs correctly even after changes or bug fixes have been made. The script discusses a scenario where no changes have been made to existing regression test cases, which raises concerns about the adequacy of the test suite in an evolving software development process.

💡Pesticide Paradox

The pesticide paradox is a phenomenon where the same set of test cases, when run repeatedly, may become less effective in finding new defects as the software evolves. The script uses this concept to highlight the importance of regularly reviewing and updating test cases, especially in an agile development environment where the software changes frequently.

💡SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle)

SDLC refers to the process of creating software, which includes requirements, design, implementation, verification, and maintenance. The script mentions SDLC as a significant factor influencing the test process, indicating that the testing strategy is often aligned with the stages of the software development life cycle.

💡Product Risk

Product risk in the context of software testing refers to potential issues or failures that could occur due to the software's behavior or functionality. The script identifies product risk as a key factor in defining the test process, as understanding and mitigating these risks is crucial for ensuring software quality and reliability.

💡Regulatory Requirements

Regulatory requirements are mandatory standards or rules set by regulatory bodies that must be adhered to in the development and testing of certain types of software, especially those related to safety, finance, or healthcare. The script points out that new regulatory requirements can significantly influence the test process, as they may necessitate specific testing approaches, such as formal white box testing.

💡Test Environment Setup

The test environment setup refers to the configuration of the hardware, software, and network resources needed to conduct testing. While the script acknowledges that the setup is part of the testing activities, it does not significantly drive the test process itself. It is an essential component but not a primary influencer of the testing strategy or methodology.

Highlights

Introduction to the ISTQB Foundation Level Certification tutorial series.

Discussion on sample questions from Chapter 1 to understand the format and approach for answering.

Tip on answering questions: use your knowledge first, then refer to the options to avoid confusion.

Explanation of why proving the absence of defects is not a valid test objective.

Clarification on the difference between proving no failures post-implementation and the reality of testing.

Emphasis on reducing risk and building confidence in product quality as a key testing objective.

Highlighting the principle that exhaustive testing is impossible and its implications for test objectives.

The importance of revising regression test cases in an agile methodology to avoid the 'Pesticide Paradox'.

Manager's happiness should not influence testers' adherence to testing principles.

Identification of factors significantly influencing the test process, excluding the number of defects found in previous projects.

The significance of product risk identification in shaping the test process.

Influence of new regulatory requirements on the necessity for formal white box testing.

Clarification on the role of the test environment setup in the test process.

Identification of SDLC, identified product risk, and regulatory requirements as significant contributors to the test process.

Announcement of a separate playlist for further exploration of sample questions with explanations.

Encouragement for viewers to continue learning and exploring the context of software testing.

Transcripts

Hello friends and greetings for the day

welcome back to another tutorial on

istqb Foundation level certification we

are in chapter 1 and we are done with

all the tutorials of this particular

chapter but shall be looking forward to

have discussions on some of the sample

questions from this chapter to

understand how exactly the expected

questions look like and what could be

the best way to tackle them to get to

the right

answers

well to get started with the very first

question we have here on the screen is

to talk about that which of the

following statements describe a valid

test objective now we must at this point

recall quickly that what exactly are

those common test objectives which we

have with respect to the test

specifications and we must look forward

to recall them in order to get the right

answer number one and most important tip

at this point of time I would like to

share

is always try to get your answer first

within your mind from your learnings and

then look at the options because

sometimes the options are a little

tricky and if you start reading the

options without bringing in your own

result you may get confused and get to

the wrong answer also so it is very

important that you look forward to start

talking about your learning first and

once you have some conclusion in your

mind then look at the options so right

the options here are option A to prove

that there are no unfixed defects in the

system under test I think that's a

contradictory statement with respect to

principle number one the principle one

said that testing is just to show the

presence of defect but cannot prove the

absence of defect and that certainly

becomes a big challenge to say as one of

the objective of testing it's not one of

the objective of testing and certainly

cannot be taken for granted always so

the second option what we have is option

b and that option b is talking about to

prove that there will be no failures

after the implementation of system into

production now after that is like when

we talk about the absence of error

fallacy it is of course something which

we are trying to build up but it may not

be something which I can go and promise

you that the failures will not result

into any kind of drawbacks so if you

look into the statement right here it

clearly says that to prove that there

will be no failures after the system

which is again contradicting with our

principle 1 and principle 7 as well

principle 7even in the sense like

absence of error fallacy I may just find

and fix defects but if the requirements

are not fulfilled it may not make any

sense so as far as I have met the

requirements I may not go and tell you

that what other failures will happen but

if in case anything happens I cannot be

ass sure or confident about that that

will not result into a failure so I

cannot make any such statement as one of

the key objectives of testing when I

talk about that option C and we are

talking about here we have to reduce the

risk level of the test object and to

build confidence in the quality level

that certainly is one of the key

objectives what we have discussed and

learned about that as a part of testing

we try to first of all of course we have

risk identification process taking place

which helps us to identify the risk

areas and then proportionate amount of

testing is being conducted to mitigate

those risks sometime we don't just

mitigate everything but we do bring down

the level of risk and certainly to gain

confidence about the quality of the

product right so that's one of the key

objectives but just cross check with

option D the option D is saying to

verify that there are no untested

combination of inputs I think

contradicting with principle number two

principle number two says exhaustive

testing is impossible and there we say

that we cannot just try everything a set

of combinations in order to test a

particular scenario so that's not

something which is very very

straightforward to say that you have to

check that there are no untested

combinations because there would be many

as we do not test everything what comes

into the permutation and combination so

in that context when we look at all the

four options once again the right answer

here

is C to reduce the risk level of test

objects and to build confidence in the

quality level is one of the valid

objectives of testing well look Ming on

the the next question the question

number two what we have here for you is

you have been assigned as a tester to a

team producing a new system

incrementally you have noticed that no

changes have been made to existing

regression test cases for a several

iteration and no new regression defects

were identified your manager is happy

but you are not which testing principle

explains your skeptism now of course I

think we are pretty much aware what

exactly is being discussed but I don't

want to give you that straightforward

rather assume that even I'm not sure

what exactly they're talking about the

most important thing what they're

discussing in this particular question

is number one that they are referring to

things which are following a methodology

of agile and second important thing they

highlighted that your existing

regression test cases or regression test

Suite has not been revised over a period

of time and I think right at this point

I should quickly come back to the

principles of testing and should think

about one of the princip which talks

about tests we out which clearly talks

about that pesticide Paradox that means

you there's no point using the same test

cases again and again as far as the

product evolves over a period of time so

as the code is changing every single

iteration because the methodology is

agile every single Sprint new code is

being added it is certainly something

which I should keep revising over a

period of time a manager may be happy is

just a diversion for you sometimes some

statements you do find which which are

just a tricky one to give you a

diversion so that you start thinking

about it rather than concentrating on

the answer so let the manager be happy

because we are progressing well but even

if that doesn't happen I don't care

about it because they are talking about

the principles here not about who should

be happy right so in that context I

think the things which comes to our mind

is the pesticide Paradox and also called

as test wear out so let's quickly check

out which option is that and I'm I think

we would have already got the answer

here so we have option A tests wear out

which is pesticide Paradox B absence of

error fallacy C defects cluster together

D exhaustive testing is impossible and I

think we have already discussed what

should be the right answer here so the

right answer

is a tests wear out is the right

principle what we are talking about when

it comes to revision of test cases

especially the regression test

Suite moving on to the next question

which is question number three and here

we are talking about another situation

which is talking from the perspective of

the test process context and the factors

influencing that so the question says

which of the following factors that is

first to five have significant influence

on the test process so here we need to

just consider those important things

which will significantly that means more

importantly being concerned towards the

test process influenc right so maybe

sometime you will get those options

which are pretty much look correct but

when the word significant is used uh it

must be considered from the perspective

of that you know which are the important

ones not everything so in that context

let's have a look on the five steps here

so we have the first one as the sdlc of

course that's one of the key criterias

which drive your test process to the

number of defects detected in previous

project that could be a good reference

for us but not necessarily uh something

which influenc the test process because

entire testing is all about uh finding

defects so the number of defects

detected in previous projects may have

some influence but not something which

drives the overall process so

significantly that's not something what

I would take into account not I everyone

should not take that into account number

three the identified product risk of

course that's a key contributor to

overall test process because as far as

you have the product identified you need

to look forward to mitigate them as much

as possible so it's a key factor to take

into account to Define your test process

which we'll be looking forward to

mitigate them and when I talk about

number four the new regulatory

requirements forcing formal white box

testing now that's another interesting

thing which is uh number four it is the

regulatory requirement without which if

in case you fail to fulfill these

regulatory contractual and standard

driven requirements then maybe your

product may not go Al and that could be

a big challenge for the organization at

the end of the day so yes I should

consider that also as one of the

parameter and fifth the test environment

setup I think the test environment setup

is something which basically happens as

a part of the requirement of the

business and the product and that has

nothing to drive your test process so it

does not have significant influence as a

part of the process but yes it is one of

the activity which we do conduct but it

does not drive the process as such right

so in that context put together we have

four options so option A says one and

two have significant influence no two is

not considered as one of the relevant

one B 134 looks correct c 2 4 and five

can be ruled out and D 3 and 5 can be

ruled out so I think put together the

right answer here

is B where it is saying first third and

fourth fourth which means the sdlc the

identified product R and the regular

requirements are certainly one of the

significant contributors from the given

list of course we do have many but from

the given list these are the three items

which are significantly going to

influence your test process so that's

all from these sample questions team of

course we do know there are many other

so we'll be creating a separate playlist

later after this to guide you with all

other sample questions with explanation

but for now these three papers are but

this D sample questions are just enough

so you should get an idea from here more

importantly the knowledge is more

significant to get to the right answer

so that's all from this particular

tutorial team should you have anything

else feel free to comment below I'm

always there to address your queries and

answer them well till then keep learning

keep exploring keep understanding the

context thanks for watching the video

team and happy

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learning

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