ISTQB CTAL-TM flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Organizational test strategy

A generic, reusable set of testing guidelines and standards that applies across projects in an organization. It defines test levels, types, techniques, and independence policies, while project-specific adaptations form the test approach.

Risk-based test approach

A project approach where test effort is allocated according to risk exposure, calculated as likelihood multiplied by impact. Highest-risk items receive the most rigorous techniques and earliest execution.

Reactive test approach

Testing driven by defects and observations found during execution rather than pre-planned conditions. It suits projects with unstable, poorly documented requirements and relies heavily on exploratory testing experience.

Methodical test approach

An approach following a predefined set of test conditions such as checklists, standards, or quality criteria, without formal risk analysis. It provides consistency and repeatability but may miss project-specific risks.

Consultative test approach

Test coverage is guided primarily by input from stakeholders and users rather than internal risk analysis or formal models. It is useful when user expectations dominate quality and documentation is limited.

Shift-left testing

Moving test activities earlier in the lifecycle, such as reviews, static analysis, and early test design, to find defects when correction is cheaper and feedback reaches developers sooner.

Test manager vs test leader

The test manager owns overall test planning, monitoring, control, and reporting across the project. The test leader coordinates test activities at a specific test level or phase, often reporting to the manager.

Test independence levels

A scale from low to high: authors testing their own work, teammates testing within the same team, independent testers in the same organization, and external testers. Higher independence reduces bias but can slow feedback.

Competency gap analysis

Comparing the skills required for each test role against the skills currently available in the team. Gaps are closed through training, mentoring, pairing, recruitment, or adjusting role assignments.

Test team skill categories

Three categories: testing-specific skills such as techniques and tools, domain knowledge of business and technology, and soft skills including communication, analytical thinking, and diplomatic defect reporting.

Entry and exit criteria

Entry criteria define preconditions for starting a test level, such as a stable build or ready test data. Exit criteria define completion conditions, such as coverage thresholds or defect closure rates.

Regression test selection

Choosing which existing tests to rerun after a change based on change impact analysis and risk, rather than rerunning the entire suite blindly. This keeps feedback fast as the suite grows.

Maintenance testing triggers

Four triggers: corrective for defect fixes, adaptive for environment changes, perfective for improvements and new requirements, and preventive for refactoring or reducing technical debt before failures occur.

Test completion activities

End-of-level or end-of-project tasks: archiving testware for reuse, handing over known defects and residual risk, capturing lessons learned, and releasing test environments and resources.

Shift-right testing

Testing and monitoring performed after release in production, including operational monitoring, A/B testing, and user feedback analysis. It complements shift-left by revealing real-world usage defects early.

Test plan core contents

Scope, objectives, test approach, entry and exit criteria, schedule, resources, product and project risks, deliverables, test environment needs, and the metrics used to monitor progress and report status.

Three-point estimation

An estimation technique using optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic effort values. The expected value equals optimistic plus four times most likely plus pessimistic, divided by six.

Defect detection percentage

DDP equals defects found by a given test level divided by total defects found by that level and all later phases, multiplied by 100. It measures how effective a test level is at catching defects.

Test progress vs summary report

A test progress report gives periodic factual status during testing, including execution and defect metrics. A test summary report is issued at completion and assesses results against exit criteria and residual risk.

Control actions for deviation

When monitoring shows actual status diverging from plan, options include re-prioritizing test cases, adjusting scope, reallocating resources, escalating risks, or renegotiating exit criteria with stakeholders.

Earned value indices

Schedule performance index equals earned value divided by planned value. Cost performance index equals earned value divided by actual cost. Values below one indicate schedule or cost overrun.

Test effort estimation factors

Effort depends on product risk, complexity, size, required coverage, process maturity, team skill, and tool support. These factors explain why identical functional size can need very different test effort.

Product versus project risk

Product risk is the chance that a product characteristic fails to meet stakeholder needs. Project risk is the chance the project misses objectives such as schedule, budget, or resource availability.

Risk analysis and control

Risk analysis combines identification with assessment of likelihood and impact. Risk control comprises mitigation, contingency planning, transfer, and acceptance of residual risk by accountable stakeholders.

RACI matrix for testing

A responsibility assignment matrix showing who is Responsible for doing work, Accountable for final decisions, Consulted before action, and Informed after decisions across test activities and deliverables.

Defect lifecycle states

Typical transitions: new, assigned, open, fixed, retest, closed, with reopen and reject or defer branches. Each transition is recorded with an audit trail of who changed status and when.

Severity versus priority

Severity measures impact on the system or business; priority measures urgency of fixing. They are independent, so a cosmetic low-severity defect can be high priority before a customer demonstration.

Defect triage meeting

A regular meeting of test lead, development lead, and product owner to decide each defect's disposition: fix now, defer to a later release, reject as not a defect, or mark duplicate.

Stakeholder information needs

Different stakeholders require different test information: executives need risk and release readiness, developers need defect detail, operations need environment and performance data, and regulators need compliance evidence.

PRAM risk framework

Pragmatic Risk Analysis and Management assigns risk levels using likelihood and impact scales, identifies risk owners, and defines mitigation and contingency actions that are tracked throughout the project.

Test approach documentation

The project-specific selection and tailoring of test levels, techniques, independence, environments, and automation, documented in the test plan and justified by product risk and constraints.

Agile test approach traits

Whole-team quality ownership, test-first practices such as ATDD and TDD, lightweight documentation, and continuous automated regression. Testers focus on collaboration, examples, and fast feedback rather than separate phase gates.