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

 In the context of Agile Technical Testing, when a test class fails, the immediate next step is to repair the failing code. This aligns with the Agile principle of fast feedback and continuous improvement. The failing test indicates that the current implementation does not meet the specified criteria, hence the need to correct the code. Once the code is repaired, it should be re-executed to verify that the test now passes, ensuring that the validation criterion is met.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester materials emphasize the importance of quick iterations and prompt responses to test failures. This approach helps maintain the momentum of the development process and ensures that issues are addressed as soon as they are identified1

After identifying test cases that require refactoring, the next task is to analyze the impact of the current iteration’s functionality on the existing regression tests. This involves assessing how the new changes will affect the tests and determining if the tests still cover the necessary aspects of the software. The goal is to ensure that the regression tests remain relevant and effective in light of the recent changes made to the application.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus and related materials emphasize the importance of maintaining the relevance and effectiveness of regression tests throughout the development iterations, which includes analyzing the impact of new functionalities on existing tests12.

The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus emphasizes the importance of optimizing Continuous Integration (CI) processes in Agile environments. Option C suggests reducing the extent to which automated tests interact with the user interface and instead using technical interfaces, which is often faster as it bypasses the GUI layer. Additionally, running a subset of tests during the day and the rest overnight can help manage the CI process without overloading the system during peak hours. These strategies align with the best practices for maintaining efficient CI cycles and ensuring that the CI process remains sustainable as the number of tests grows with the product.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents and training resources provide guidelines on test automation approaches and continuous deployment and delivery, which are relevant to optimizing CI processes12. Moreover, best practices for continuous testing in Agile suggest prioritizing tests that provide fast feedback and running extensive test suites outside of peak hours3.

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.

The correct BDD scenario for the given user story is option C, which aligns with the principles of Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) and the Gherkin syntax. This scenario clearly specifies the context (Given), the action (When), and the outcome (Then), along with handling alternate flows (ELSE). It ensures that the customer can access and update their booking details only if they provide both the correct surname and flight number, which is a common practice for verifying a customer’s reservation. This scenario also includes an error handling path, which is essential for a comprehensive test case.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus and related materials emphasize the importance of creating testable acceptance criteria for user stories using requirements engineering and test techniques, which include the formulation of BDD scenarios in Gherkin format123.

 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

Table 2 provides the best test coverage because it includes tests for adding a non-existent member (Member4), which should result in an error, and it also tests for removing a member and then deleting the group, which is the correct sequence of actions according to the requirements. The other tables either do not test all the required scenarios or have actions in the wrong order (e.g., attempting to delete the group before removing all members). References = ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents and Training resources.

This statement is true because increasing test suite coverage refers to adding more test cases or enhancing existing ones to cover more features or scenarios. This can be done independently of refactoring, which is the process of restructuring existing code without changing its external behavior. While refactoring can improve the design and maintainability of both production code and test scripts, it is not a prerequisite for increasing test suite coverage.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus outlines the importance of test automation in Agile projects, including the ability to increase test coverage through various test automation strategies12.

A service virtualization tool is used to create a simulated environment that mimics the behavior of components in a production environment. This allows for the creation of a shareable testing service from server or network traffic log data, enabling testing of applications and services without the need for the actual live production components. Service virtualization tools can capture and simulate the network traffic and data patterns, which is essential for creating robust and reliable test environments that are independent of the actual live systems12.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus and study resources discuss the use of service virtualization tools as part of the test automation approaches and continuous deployment and delivery processes. These resources highlight the importance of such tools in enabling effective testing within Agile environments12.

 The term ‘isolated’ in the context of unit testing refers to the practice of testing a unit of code in isolation from other units. This means that the test should only cover the functionality of the unit it is designed to test, without any interactions with other units or systems. This isolation helps to ensure that the test is focused, reliable, and not affected by external factors, making it easier to pinpoint the source of any issues that arise.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents outline the principles of unit testing, including the importance of isolation to ensure that each test is targeted and effective12.

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

 The correct statement about performing exploratory testing with test charters is that the result of such testing is finding defects and specification defects. Exploratory testing with test charters is a structured but flexible approach that focuses on learning about the system and designing tests as one explores the system12. It allows testers to uncover not just defects in the code, but also gaps or ambiguities in the specifications or requirements. This approach is particularly useful when there are no detailed specifications available, as it relies on the tester’s skill and intuition to explore the system’s behavior12. Test charters guide the exploratory testing session but do not prescribe specific expected results upfront, as is done in black-box testing. Instead, they provide a mission or objective for the testing session, allowing for a more investigative approach to testing12.

References =

ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester Syllabus1

ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester Learning Objectives2

Please ensure to refer to the latest ISTQB documents and resources for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

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.

The appropriate test charter for the user story provided should focus on the customer’s experience and the functionality described in the story. Option C is the most suitable because it covers the entire process from the customer’s perspective: logging in, purchasing an item, receiving information about the requirement for free shipping, adding more items, and then verifying that the delivery is free upon checkout. This test charter effectively tests the acceptance criteria of the user story by ensuring that the system provides the necessary information and applies the free shipping offer correctly when the conditions are met.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus outlines the importance of creating test charters that align with user stories and epics using requirements engineering techniques. It emphasizes the need for test charters to be comprehensive and to evaluate the acceptance criteria effectively123.

 The correct use of Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) to design test scenarios involves specifying the behavior in a given-when-then format. This format helps to clarify the conditions under which a particular outcome should occur. Option A follows this structure correctly:

Given that the shopper scans their card (the precondition),

When they checkout (the action),

Then they should receive all the quantity discounts for everything they have purchased (the expected outcome).

This scenario clearly outlines the behavior of the system in response to the user’s actions, which is central to BDD.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus emphasizes the importance of creating testable acceptance criteria for a given user story using requirements engineering and test techniques, which include the application of BDD in the context of a given user story12.

When a conflict arises regarding user story requirements, it is essential to engage in active collaboration to resolve the issue. The tester should work with the Business Analyst (BA) and the product owner to clarify and negotiate the requirements. This approach ensures that the user story reflects the needs of all stakeholders and that the acceptance criteria are agreed upon before testing proceeds. It aligns with Agile principles, which emphasize teamwork, customer collaboration, and the ability to respond to change.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents highlight the importance of collaboration and communication within Agile teams to resolve differences and refine requirements. It also underscores the role of the tester in facilitating discussions to ensure that the user stories are well-understood and testable12.

The main flaw in the proposed test charter is that it does not cover the main functionality of the user story. The user story focuses on the customer wanting to be informed about the delivery time of their items so they can plan to be home. The proposed charter only tests for the absence of a shipping fee and does not address whether the system provides the customer with the delivery time information.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus emphasizes the importance of aligning test charters with the user story’s main functionality to ensure that tests provide adequate coverage12. It is crucial in Agile methodologies to create and evaluate testable acceptance criteria that reflect the user story’s objectives12.

The pseudocode provided for review indicates a password entry system with a lockout mechanism after a certain number of failed attempts. The issues identified during the code review are:

Variables have not been properly defined with meaningful names - the variables used in the pseudocode are not descriptive, which can make the code difficult to understand and maintain.

There are unused variables defined - the pseudocode includes variables that are declared but not used, which is inefficient and can lead to confusion.

Loop counters are not properly initialized - if a loop counter is used, it must be initialized correctly to ensure the loop functions as intended.

There are statements within the loop that should be outside the loop - certain messages or actions may be repeated unnecessarily within a loop when they should be placed outside to execute only once.

References = ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester documents and study resources emphasize the importance of clear, maintainable code, which includes using meaningful variable names, removing unused variables, proper initialization of loop counters, and correct placement of code statements to avoid redundancy and inefficiency in code execution. These principles are essential for agile technical testing to ensure that the code remains robust and adaptable to changes.

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.

The increase in automated test coverage allows for more frequent and extensive testing of the software, which in turn provides more up-to-date information about the current state of the system. This enables testers to apply reactive strategies effectively, as they can focus manual testing efforts on areas that are most likely to be affected by recent changes or that are identified as high-risk. Reactive strategies are adaptive and context-dependent, making them well-suited for the dynamic and iterative nature of Agile projects.

References = The ISTQB Advanced Level Agile Technical Tester syllabus and study materials emphasize the importance of integrating automated testing within the Agile process to support continuous integration and delivery. It also highlights the need for manual testing to complement automated tests by focusing on areas that require human judgment and exploratory testing skills12.

Purpose of Service Virtualization:Service virtualization allows simulation of external services during testing, enabling cost-effective and efficient testing without relying on the live service.

Cost Reduction:The bank charges per transaction, and using the actual service during continuous testing could incur significant fees. Virtualized services eliminate these fees, reducing costs.

Analysis of Options:

A: While a virtualized service may improve speed, the primary benefit here is cost savings.

B: Correct, as eliminating transaction fees directly addresses the problem.

C: Virtualization doesn’t inherently improve security for automation code.

D: Virtualized services don’t necessarily reduce data management needs.

Conclusion:Option B is correct as it highlights the key advantage of cost savings.

Behavior-Driven Development (BDD):

BDD uses the Gherkin syntax to write test scenarios in a human-readable format: Given-When-Then.

The focus is on defining the behavior of the system in terms of user actions and outcomes.

Evaluating Options:

A: Correctly follows the Given-When-Then format, aligns with the user story, and focuses on the shopper's experience and entitlement to discounts.

B: Written from the perspective of the store clerk, which does not match the story's focus on the shopper.

C: Does not fully capture the conditions and behavior expected in the story.

D: Swaps the order of "Then" and "When," which violates the proper BDD syntax.

References:Aligned with ISTQB guidance on creating effective BDD scenarios that reflect user stories and desired behaviors.

Step by Step Comprehensive Detailed Explanation with all References of Advanced Agile Technical Tester Objectives and Study Guides documents

Criticality of Application:Pill dispensing is a safety-critical domain. The ISTQB Advanced Agile Technical Tester syllabus recommends thorough and structured testing strategies for high-risk items in such domains, prioritizing precision, repeatability, and consistency over flexibility.

Exploratory Testing:For safety-critical systems, exploratory testing is reduced compared to other testing types. While it is valuable for uncovering defects, it lacks the repeatability and structure necessary for safety-critical applications. A 25% allocation aligns with the syllabus's guidance to use exploratory testing selectively.

Black-Box Testing:Black-box testing focuses on verifying functionality against specifications and is essential in safety-critical applications. A 75% allocation ensures comprehensive coverage of requirements and potential edge cases.

Test Automation:Automation is crucial for ensuring repeatability and efficiency in testing safety-critical systems. The syllabus recommends high levels of automation (e.g., 75%) to ensure rigorous regression testing, with frequent execution (e.g., for every code release).

Conclusion:Option D reflects a balanced approach prioritizing structured and automated testing, which is essential for the new safety-critical application.

Data-Driven Testing:Data-driven testing focuses on varying inputs and verifying expected outputs. For this story, the key input is the quantity of items purchased, and the output is whether free shipping applies.

Relevant Columns:

Item ID: Identifies the product.

Quantity Purchased: Determines whether the free shipping threshold is met.

Free Shipping (y/n): Validates if the message is correctly displayed.

Conclusion:Option B is correct as it includes the minimum required data to test the user story effectively.

Common Test Automation Challenges:As test suites grow, execution time often increases, leading to delays in feedback cycles. This can make it challenging to run tests frequently, especially in continuous integration pipelines.

Scalability Concerns:Longer execution times can affect productivity and may require optimization or selective test execution strategies.

Conclusion:Option B is correct as it describes a common scalability problem in automation suites.

What is Static Code Analysis?

Static code analysis examines code without executing it, identifying issues such as inefficiencies, complexities, and vulnerabilities.

How It Reduces Technical Debt:

By pinpointing areas of inefficient or overly complex code, developers can address these issues early, reducing the accumulation of technical debt over time.

Security vulnerabilities identified through static analysis prevent future costly rework or fixes.

Analyzing the Options:

A: Correctly identifies the benefits of identifying inefficiencies, complexities, and insecure code.

B: Static analysis happens after code is written, not during the writing process.

C: Static analysis complements but does not replace code reviews.

D: Static analysis does not replace unit tests, as they serve different purposes.

References:Aligned with ISTQB Advanced Agile Technical Tester syllabus on technical debt management and the role of static code analysis.