BCS ISTQB Foundation in Software Testing

Key Points of the Syllabus:

1. The fundamentals of testing:

Why testing is necessary; harm caused by defects in software; root causes; testing and quality assurance; what testing is; general testing

principles; fundamental test process and the psychology of testing.

2. Testing throughout the software life cycle:

Software development models; relationship between development, test activities and work products in the development life cycle, project and

product characteristics and context; test levels, objectives, typical objects and targets of testing; functional, non-functional, structural and change related testing; confirmation and regression testing; maintenance testing; regression testing and impact analysis in maintenance.

3. Static techniques:

Reviews and the test process; software work products and the different static techniques; importance and value of static techniques; difference between static and dynamic techniques; typical formal review process; different types of review: informal review, technical review, walkthrough and inspection; explain the factors for successful performance of reviews; static analysis by tools; defects and errors identified by static analysis; typical benefits; typical code and design defects identified.

4. Test design techniques:

Identifying test conditions and designing test cases; categories of test design techniques; Specification-based (black-box) and structure based

(white-box) approaches; equivalence partitioning; boundary value analysis; decision tables; state transition diagrams, use case testing; structure-based or white-box techniques; code coverage; statement and decision coverage; control flows using statement testing and decision

testing; coverage; experience based techniques; choosing techniques.

5. Test management:

Test organization; independent testing; tasks of typical test leader and tester; test planning and estimation; ‘Standard for Software Test Documentation’ (IEEE 829); typical factors that influence the effort related to testing; estimation approaches (metrics-based and expert-based);

test preparation and execution tasks; exit criteria; test progress monitoring and control; metrics and reporting; configuration management; risk and

testing; incident reporting and management.

6. Tool support for testing:

Types of test tool; effective use of tools; potential benefits and risks; introducing a tool into an organization.