ISTQB FOUNDATION 4.0 | Tutorial 29 | Test Techniques Overview | Test Design Techniques | CTFL

Summary

This tutorial delves into the ISTQB Foundation Level Certification, focusing on Chapter 4: Test Analysis and Design Techniques. It introduces test techniques as solutions to the impracticality of exhaustive testing, emphasizing their role in reducing test cases while maintaining coverage. The script outlines three main categories: Black Box, White Box, and Experience-Based techniques, each with specific methods like Equivalence Partitioning, Boundary Value Analysis, and Error Guessing. The tutorial aims to equip testers with the knowledge to apply these techniques effectively, highlighting their importance in identifying defects that formal testing might miss.

Takeaways

• 📚 The tutorial introduces Chapter 4 of the ISTQB Foundation Level certification, focusing on Test Analysis and Design Techniques.
• 🔍 Test techniques are methods to reduce the number of test cases needed while maintaining coverage, addressing the impracticality of exhaustive testing.
• 🛠️ Test techniques aid in test analysis (what to test) and test design (how to test), not just in creating test cases but also in analyzing requirements.
• 📉 Techniques help in developing a small but sufficient set of test cases systematically, aiming for optimum coverage rather than exhaustiveness.
• 🔑 Test techniques assist in defining test conditions, identifying coverage items, and determining test data during the test analysis and design phase.
• 📦 Black-box test techniques, also known as specification-based techniques, rely on the specified behavior of the test object without considering its internal structure.
• 📝 Detailed requirements are essential for applying black-box test techniques, as they are derived from the product's expected behavior or specifications.
• 🔄 If the implementation changes but the required behavior remains the same, black-box test cases remain valid, as they are based on requirements, not code.
• 💡 White-box test techniques, or structure-based techniques, depend on the internal structure of the software, including code and design, and are applicable to those with coding knowledge.
• 🔑 Statement testing and branch testing are part of white-box techniques, with coverage measures like statement coverage and branch coverage.
• 🧐 Experience-based test techniques leverage the tester's past experience, domain knowledge, and understanding of typical defects, making them complementary to black-box and white-box techniques.
• 🔎 Techniques such as error guessing, exploratory testing, and checklist-based testing are categorized under experience-based, emphasizing the tester's skills and insights.

Q & A

What is the main focus of Chapter 4 in the ISTQB Foundation Level certification tutorial?

Chapter 4 focuses on 'Test Analysis and Design', specifically starting with an overview of test techniques in section 4.1.

Why is exhaustive testing considered impossible according to the principles discussed in the tutorial?

Exhaustive testing is deemed impossible because it is not practical to create and execute all possible test cases due to time constraints, deadlines, and the impracticality of covering every possible combination of test data.

What is the purpose of test techniques in the context of software testing?

Test techniques help to reduce the number of test cases needed, minimize effort, and ensure adequate coverage without compromising the quality, thus gaining confidence in the software product within a given timeline.

How do test techniques assist in the test analysis and design process?

Test techniques support testers in analyzing what to test and in designing how to test, helping to derive test cases from requirements, identify coverage items, and define test conditions and data.

What are the three main categories of test techniques covered in the tutorial?

The three main categories are black-box test techniques, white-box test techniques, and experience-based test techniques.

Why are black-box test techniques also known as specification-based techniques?

Black-box test techniques are called specification-based techniques because they rely on the analysis of the specified behavior of the test object without reference to its internal structure, focusing on requirements or specifications.

What is a prerequisite for applying black-box test techniques effectively?

A detailed and comprehensive set of requirements is a prerequisite for applying black-box test techniques, as they are based on the behavior specified in these requirements.

How do white-box test techniques differ from black-box test techniques?

White-box test techniques are based on the analysis of the test object's internal structure and processing, including code and design, and are typically used by developers with a deep understanding of the software's implementation.

At what knowledge level are the white-box test techniques and experience-based test techniques expected to be understood for the ISTQB Foundation Level certification?

White-box test techniques and experience-based test techniques are at K2 level, meaning candidates are expected to understand them theoretically and be able to answer theoretical questions about them.

Why are experience-based test techniques considered complementary to black-box and white-box techniques?

Experience-based techniques use the knowledge and experience of the testers to identify defects that might be missed by more formal black-box and white-box techniques, making them a valuable addition to the testing process.

What are the specific techniques covered under each of the three main categories of test techniques in the tutorial?

Under black-box techniques, equivalence partitioning, boundary value analysis, state transition testing, and decision table testing are covered. For white-box techniques, statement testing and branch testing are included. Experience-based techniques encompass error guessing, exploratory testing, and checklist-based testing.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Test Techniques

This paragraph introduces the concept of test techniques as solutions to the impracticality of exhaustive testing. It emphasizes the importance of these techniques in reducing the number of test cases needed while maintaining adequate coverage of the software. The speaker explains that test techniques support testers in both test analysis (deciding what to test) and test design (figuring out how to test). The paragraph also highlights that these techniques help in developing a systematic and sufficient set of test cases, identifying test conditions, coverage items, and test data during the analysis and design phase. The introduction to blackbox test techniques is given, explaining that they are specification-based and do not require knowledge of the internal structure of the software being tested.

05:01

🔍 Detailed Explanation of Blackbox and Whitebox Test Techniques

The second paragraph delves deeper into blackbox test techniques, emphasizing the necessity of detailed requirements for their application. It outlines that blackbox test cases are independent of the software's internal implementation, meaning they remain valid even if the implementation changes, as long as the required behavior stays the same. The paragraph lists four specific blackbox techniques: equivalence partitioning, boundary value analysis, state transition testing, and decision table testing, all categorized at the K3 level of understanding. It then contrasts these with whitebox test techniques, which are dependent on the internal structure of the software and require a good understanding of the code. Whitebox techniques include statement testing, statement coverage, branch testing, and branch coverage, and are considered at the K2 level for the certification exam.

10:02

🤖 Experience-Based Test Techniques and Their Complementarity

The final paragraph introduces experience-based test techniques, which rely heavily on the tester's knowledge and experience rather than formal requirements or code. It explains that these techniques can uncover defects that may be missed by blackbox and whitebox testing methods, making them a valuable complementary approach. The effectiveness of experience-based techniques is directly related to the tester's skills and familiarity with similar applications or domains. The paragraph lists three experience-based techniques: error guessing, exploratory testing, and checklist-based testing, all of which are at the K2 level of understanding. The speaker concludes by encouraging viewers to keep learning and exploring the subject matter, offering assistance for any further queries.

Keywords

💡ISTQB Foundation Level Certification

The ISTQB Foundation Level Certification is an international qualification for software testers. It signifies that the individual has a foundational understanding of software testing principles and practices. In the video, this certification serves as the context for the entire tutorial, with the script focusing on a specific chapter related to test techniques, which is a key part of the certification curriculum.

💡Test Techniques

Test techniques are methods used by testers to determine what to test and how to test it. They are essential for reducing the number of test cases needed while ensuring comprehensive coverage. In the script, test techniques are introduced as solutions to the impracticality of exhaustive testing, emphasizing their role in minimizing effort without compromising test coverage.

💡Exhaustive Testing

Exhaustive testing refers to the theoretical concept of testing every possible scenario in a system. The script mentions it as being impossible due to practical limitations such as time and resources, thus necessitating the use of test techniques to achieve efficient and effective testing.

💡Blackbox Test Techniques

Blackbox test techniques, also known as specification-based techniques, are methods that rely solely on the functionality specified for the software without considering its internal structure. The script explains that these techniques are used when detailed requirements are available, and they help in deriving test cases based on the expected behavior of the application.

💡Whitebox Test Techniques

Whitebox test techniques, or structure-based techniques, are those that depend on the internal structure and code of the software. The script mentions that these techniques require a good understanding and access to the code, making them more suitable for developers or testers with coding knowledge.

💡Experience-Based Test Techniques

Experience-based test techniques leverage the tester's past experience, domain knowledge, and understanding of typical defects in similar applications. The script highlights that these techniques are complementary to blackbox and whitebox techniques and can detect defects that might be missed by formal testing methods.

💡Equivalence Partitioning

Equivalence partitioning is a blackbox test technique that involves dividing the input data of a software system into partitions of equivalent data from which test cases can be derived. The script mentions it as one of the K3 level techniques that candidates are expected to apply during the examination.

💡Boundary Value Analysis

Boundary value analysis is another blackbox technique that focuses on testing the boundaries of input ranges, rather than the interior values. The script includes it as one of the techniques that help in reducing the number of test cases needed for effective testing.

💡Statement Coverage

Statement coverage is a measure in whitebox testing that indicates the percentage of statements in the code that have been executed during testing. The script explains that while statement testing is a technique, statement coverage is a metric used to evaluate the thoroughness of testing.

💡Branch Testing

Branch testing is a whitebox technique that focuses on ensuring that all possible paths or branches in the code are tested. The script mentions it as a K2 level concept, requiring understanding but not application during the examination.

💡Error Guessing

Error guessing is an experience-based technique where the tester uses their intuition and experience to predict where errors might occur and design tests accordingly. The script positions it as a K2 level technique, emphasizing its role in identifying defects that standard techniques might overlook.

Highlights

Introduction to the ISTQB Foundation Level Certification Chapter 4 on Test Analysis and Design Techniques.

Explanation of why exhaustive testing is impossible and impractical due to time and resource constraints.

The role of test techniques in reducing the number of test cases while maintaining coverage without compromising quality.

Test techniques support test analysis and design by helping to determine what to test and how to test it.

Test techniques help develop a systematic and small set of test cases to achieve optimum coverage.

The importance of detailed requirements for applying blackbox test techniques effectively.

Blackbox test techniques are based on the specified behavior of the test object without reference to its internal structure.

If project requirements are high-level or brief, applying blackbox techniques may be complicated or impossible.

Test cases derived from blackbox techniques remain valid even if the implementation changes, as long as the required behavior stays the same.

Overview of the four blackbox test techniques: Equivalence Partitioning, Boundary Value Analysis, State Transition Testing, and Decision Table Testing.

White box test techniques are based on the internal structure and processing of the test object, requiring access to and knowledge of the code.

White box techniques are more suitable for developers and those with a good understanding of the code.

Techniques covered under white box testing include Statement Testing, Branch Testing, and their respective coverage measures.

Experience-based test techniques rely on the tester's past experience, domain knowledge, and knowledge of typical defects in similar applications.

Experience-based techniques can detect defects that may be missed by blackbox and white box techniques.

Techniques under experience-based testing include Error Guessing, Exploratory Testing, and Checklist Based Testing.

Encouragement for continuous learning and exploration in the field of software testing.

Transcripts

Hello friends and greetings for the day

welcome back to another tutorial on

istqb Foundation level certification we

are getting started with a brand new

chapter that is chapter four test

analysis and design and as a part of

this particular tutorial we'll be

covering the first segment of it which

is 4.1 the test techniques overview and

here you'll get to know what are the

different categories we have in the

syllabus and what are the different

techniques under each of these category

what we will be covering as a part of

the syllabus

[Music]

to begin with of course the very first

thing we talking about is what are test

techniques indeed test techniques are

those solutions to the principle number

two which said that exhaustive testing

is impossible if you quickly recall back

from the chapter one The principle

number two it says exhaustive testing is

impossible and we told you that it's not

really possible and practical enough to

conduct as many test as possible that

means you just can't come up with all

certain combinations of test data and

then try to test the system which could

be sometime very very impractical in

terms of the time the deadlines and time

to Market Etc now the question was how

can we gain confidence and be confident

about the work products which we are

making within that timeline without

creating exhaustive test cases because

one way you're not letting the people or

test Engineers create all the test cases

what they want to and at the same time

you are claiming that we must find

defects and gain confidence about it and

so on so how is that even possible and

that's what this chapter is going to

answer that is test technique test

techniques are techniques which helps

you reduce the number of test cases in

order to minimize your effort but not

compromising on the coverage so instead

of creating say for example 40 test

cases maybe only four test cases would

be enough to gain the similar amount of

coverage on the code now in that context

we will be learning different techniques

from different categories but a quick

short introduction about this let's

quickly have a look about it so test

techniques at a context and here the

test techniques support the tester in

test analysis that is what to test and

in test design that is how to test that

means the techniques are just not

limited to uh write the test cases but

also helps you analyze what exactly to

test because techniques can certainly be

helpful in do driving test cases from

the requirements and for that you can

certainly analyze those requirements too

also to add here the test techniques

helps to develop a relatively small but

sufficient set of test cases in a very

systematic way certainly we don't look

forward to have exhaustive test cases to

be a part of it but reduce the number of

test cases and G gain Optimum coverage

what we need for that particular

functionality also to add here when it

comes to test technique it also helps

helps the tester to Define test

conditions identify the coverage items

and identify the test data during the

test analysis and design that means

techniques are just not to give you the

number of test cases parallely it helps

you identify the different test cases

what you need the test data to support

it the various conditions and certainly

the you know the way it should be

conducted like positive and negative can

also be derived from here that means the

valid test cases and invalid test cases

can be easily derived using all these

techniques so further we will be talking

about what are the three categories we

are covering here and one by one we'll

be also discussing what are the

techniques under them so let's go with

the very first one here and that is

blackbox test techniques so when we talk

about the blackbox test techniques

indeed this was covered as an

introductory Concept in Chapter 2 where

we differentiated between white box and

blackbox and certainly if a blackbox

tester has to reduce their number of

test cases they would prefer using

blackbox test techniques now blackbox

test techniques is also called as

specification based techniques which are

basically based on the analysis of the

specified behavior of the test object

without reference to its internal

structure that means I'm not worried

about what is the design of the product

I'm not worried about what is the code

underneath that particular product but

my major intention is what is the

expectation of the product what is the

ask of the application and that is what

you refer to as requirements or

specification and you refer these

information in order to derive your test

cases another important point to add

here is that if in case your project

follows a very little detailed or very

brief requirement which is high level

requirements then applying these

techniques may be a little complicated

or some time may not be even possible so

it's very very important to understand

that in order to apply blackbox test

techniques the basis is detailed

requirement if you don't have any

detailed requirement in your project

then blackbox test techniques is not

applicable the reason I told you this

point very clearly is sometime they just

frame a question from here stating that

hey which one of this is one of the

characteristics of blackbox test

techniques then you must be clear about

that that requirements are mandatory to

be there in detailed format in order to

apply blackbox test techniques further

to add here of course uh the test cases

are independent of how the software is

implemented because of the internal

structure is not dependent here

consequently if the implementation

changes but but the required Behavior

stays the same then the test cases are

still useful and can be applied back

once again so point being made is as far

as the requirement Remains the Same no

matter the code changes it still is

valid for us the test cases what we

might have written already is still

valid because our test cases were

derived right from the requirements not

depending on the code the techniques

what will be covering here are four

equivalence partition boundary value

analysis Street transition testing and

de decision table testing so these four

techniques are at K3 again if you don't

remember what is K3 K3 is apply that

means you'll be given with a scenario

like a typical sample specification and

asked to apply any of these technique to

get the number of test cases so you will

have to apply this technique during the

examination to get to the right answer

so all the four techniques are at K3

level in order to apply them during the

examination the next category we talking

about is white box test techniques and

if you're remember again from chapter 2

white box techniques are used by white

box testers which is more of like

developer and we use it at the back end

that means this is completely dependent

on the code and someone who has good

understanding and knowledge of the code

should be able to apply these techniques

now here in simple words the basis is

access to code and knowledge of code if

you are someone who doesn't know what is

coding if you are someone who doesn't

have access to code then white Bost

techniques are not for you okay so let's

quickly see what the pointers and

characteristics are trying to say about

this category and what techniques we'll

be covering here so when it comes to

white box test techniques also known as

structure-based test technique which is

another synonym for that are based on

the analysis of the test objects

internal structure and processing which

includes the code and design both as the

test cases are dependent on how the

software is designed they can only be

created after the design or

implementation of the test objects now

technique what we'll be covering here

are statement testing and statement

coverage however not both the things are

techniques for us statement testing is

technique and statement coverage is a

measure measure means a matrix similarly

we do have Branch Testing and Branch

coverage which we will be covering as a

part of the syllabus another important

thing to talk about when it comes to

white box testing it is both at K2 level

because this certification is mainly for

the test engineers and we do not expect

a test engineer to be very well worsed

with coding standards so we don't want

you to evaluate at that level right so

the questions will be at K2 level that

means you just need to understand what

is statement testing and what is

statement coverage similarly Branch

Testing and Branch coverage and that's

it all that you have to answer is a

theoretical question but you will not be

asked to solve what this technique is

all about and finally the third category

that we are covering here is called as

experience-based test techniques as the

name suggests it's all dependent or

based on the experience of the test

engineer here we don't talk about

requirements here we don't talk about

code but certainly talk about the

experience of the test engineer who is

performing these techniques or

executions now what do you think about

the word experience here it certainly

consists of the past experience of

testing similar applications same way if

I'm talking about domain knowledge where

the product belongs so you must be good

at that and third if you have any

knowledge about typical defects what you

get in such applications in that context

experienced person is someone who is

really working in this industry with

similar type of products for quite some

time so in that context if I say can I

ask a new be or fresher to be to apply

this particular technique answer is

absolutely not okay say for example I've

been working with banking domain for

last seven years and I switched to

automotive industry is that like I have

experience and I can apply experience

based techniques absolutely not because

your experience or past experience and

your domain knowledge comes from Bank

and we are talking about testing an

automotive product so two things are

totally different so experience

certainly means when we talk about

experience it means the past experience

domain knowledge and knowledge of

typical defects so let's quickly have a

look what exactly we are talking about

from the syllabus so experience-based

test techniques effectively use the

knowledge and experience of the testers

for the design and implementation of

test cases the effectiveness of these

techniques depends heavily on the tester

skills

experience-based test techniques can

detect defects that may be missed by the

blackbox and white box techniques now

that's really interesting point we will

tell you when we come to this category

and techniques that how exactly this is

even possible but yes experience based

techniques can be very helpful in

identifying those defects which your

formal testing techniques cannot find

also to add here the techniques uh hence

the experience-based test techniques are

complimentary to the blackbox and white

box test techniques and the techniques

what we'll be covering here includes

error guessing exploratory testing and

checklist based testing all three

techniques will be at K2 level which

means you just have to understand them

and answer a theoretically based

question so put together these are all

the techniques what you'll be covering

in our syllabus and should have good

understanding of them and for the Black

Box you must know how to apply them as

well so we'll be covering them

accordingly with more details and

examples 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

[Music]

learning