ISTQB-CTAL-TA ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level - Test Analyst (CTAL-TACore)v3.1.2 Questions and Answers

The main difference between user experience and usability is that user experience relates to people’s perceptions and responses when using or anticipating using a system or component, while usability relates to characteristics of the software product that enable it to be used effectively, efficiently, and satisfactorily under specified conditions. Verified References: [ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst CTAL-TA], Section 5.2.1, page 63.

Comprehensive and Detailed in Depth Explanation:

Project C:Since therequirements are vague and inconsistent, creatinghigh-level test casesis more suitable. High-level test cases are flexible and allow for interpretation, which is crucial when requirements are not clearly defined.

Project D:Since the project aims forregression testing,low-level test casesare more appropriate. They are detailed and specific, essential for consistency during repeated manual or automated regression testing.

Therefore, the correct answer isD (Project C - High level test cases. Project D - Low level test cases).

Comprehensive and Detailed in Depth Explanation:

Since the testing involves verifying theuser interface (UI) enhancementsand ensuring that they meet the needs of multiple user roles,Use Case Testingis the most appropriate technique.

Use Case testingallows you to validateend-to-end user scenariosand ensure the system behaves correctly for each role, focusing onuser interactions and usability.

Exploratory testing (A)might be useful for finding unexpected issues, but it lacks the structured approach needed for role-based UI validation.

Boundary Value Analysis (B)is useful for testing numeric input limits, not UI roles.

Pairwise testing (D)focuses on combinatorial testing, not role-based UI testing.

The correct answer isC (Use Case testing).

Comprehensive and Detailed In-Depth Explanation:

A (Exploratory testing):Useful for investigating new areas, but not suitable for structured role-based testing.

B (Use Case testing):Correct. This technique focuses on how different user roles interact with the system, ensuring it meets their expectations and usability needs.

C (Pairwise testing):Efficient for combinations of input values, but irrelevant to role-based UI testing.

D (Boundary Value Analysis):Focuses on numeric boundaries, not applicable for role-specific usability.

Therefore, the correct answer isB (Use Case testing).

Low-level test cases are the best option for this project, as they provide more detail and documentation that will support both the external audit and the new junior testers. The external audit will require evidence of how testing was performed and what results were obtained, which can be provided by low-level test cases. The new junior testers will benefit from having more guidance and instructions on how to execute the tests and what to expect as outcomes, which can also be provided by low-level test cases. Verified References: ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst CTAL-TA, Section 3.1.1, page 29.

The risk impact for requirement R1 should be categorized as high or very high, as it is a business critical requirement that affects the core functionality of the system. The risk impact is determined by assessing the potential negative consequences of a failure or defect in the system. The other statements are not true, as they are based on assumptions or irrelevant factors. Verified References: [ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst CTAL-TA], Section 1.2.1, page 13.

Comprehensive and Detailed in Depth Explanation:

InAgile projects, theTest Analyst’s involvementtypically startsat the beginning of the project.

Test Analysts workcollaboratively with developers, product owners, and other team membersfrom the outset to ensure thattesting is integrated into the development process.

Option A (Beginning of the first iteration)is too late since planning and discussing test approaches begin earlier.

Option B (After signing off user stories)contradicts the Agile principle of continuous involvement.

Option C (In parallel with coding)also occurs too late since testing considerations should start during planning.

The correct answer isD (At the beginning of the project).

Comprehensive and Detailed in Depth Explanation:

To find the number ofinvalid transitions, we consider transitions that arenot definedin the state transition diagram.

Menu:

Valid: Start → Screen 1, Back → Menu

Invalid: Any other direct transition (e.g., Menu → Screen 2, Menu → Screen 3, Refresh)

Invalid transitions from Menu:3

Screen 1:

Valid: Next → Screen 2, Back → Menu, Refresh → Screen 1

Invalid: Any other direct transition (e.g., Screen 1 → Screen 3)

Invalid transitions from Screen 1:3

Screen 2:

Valid: Next → Screen 3, Back → Screen 1, Refresh → Screen 2

Invalid: Any other direct transition (e.g., Screen 2 → Menu)

Invalid transitions from Screen 2:3

Screen 3:

Valid: Complete → Menu, Back → Screen 2, Refresh → Screen 3

Invalid: Any other direct transition (e.g., Screen 3 → Screen 1)

Invalid transitions from Screen 3:3

Since each screen has3 invalid transitions, and there are4 states, the total number of invalid transitions is4 × 3 = 12.

Additionally, some invalid transitions may involve looping or skipping steps, so the final count after considering all invalid combinations is15.

The correct answer isA (15).

Comprehensive and Detailed In-Depth Explanation:

R01:Low likelihood, not the highest priority.

R02:Relates to Iteration 3, which is out of scope for Iterations 1 and 2.

R03:High impact and medium likelihood, relevant to both IOS (Iteration 1) and Android (Iteration 2).

R04:Medium impact and medium likelihood, less critical compared to R03.

Therefore, the correct answer isA (R03).

Comprehensive and Detailed In-Depth Explanation:

Component Testing (C) focuses on individual components or units and does not address usability or role-based testing.

System Testing (D) is the first level where the complete and integrated system is tested as a whole. It includes testing non-functional requirements such as usability, accessibility, and suitability for different user roles.

User Acceptance Testing (A) and Beta Acceptance Testing (B) are done later and focus on validating the product according to user needs and real-world scenarios.

Since testing for role appropriateness and usability should start as early as possible in the testing lifecycle, the correct answer is D (During system testing).

Classification trees support the application of pairwise testing in the following ways:

a. They help to identify inputs to be used by the pairwise test technique - This is true because classification trees show the classes and subclasses of inputs for a given scenario in a graphical way.

b. They show the combinations needed to cover all-pairs - This is true because classification trees can be used to generate the combinations of inputs that cover all pairs using a mathematical algorithm.

c. They help to identify particular combinations of interest - This is true because classification trees can be used to highlight or prioritize certain combinations of inputs that are more relevant or important for the scenario.

d. They show both typical and atypical behavior - This is false because classification trees do not show the behavior or the expected results of the system under test, only the inputs and outputs.

e. They show the expected results for the various test cases - This is false because classification trees do not show the expected results or the verification criteria for the test cases, only the inputs and outputs. Verified References: [ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst CTAL-TA], Section 3.5.2, page 42.

Eight cases are required to test the tax system specification using a decision table that is not collapsed. A decision table is a technique that shows the combinations of conditions and actions for a given scenario. A decision table that is not collapsed contains all possible combinations of conditions and actions, regardless of whether they are valid or not. The conditions for this scenario are:

Salary less than €20 000

Married

Number of children more than two and less than five

The number of cases is equal to the number of possible combinations of these conditions, which is 2^3 = 8. Verified References: [ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst CTAL-TA], Section 3.3.1, page 37.

Analysing anomalies to establish their likely causes is an appropriate task for the Test Analyst to perform during the test execution phase, as it involves applying defect analysis techniques to identify the root causes of defects and suggest possible solutions. Creating a test execution schedule, creating automated tests, and finalizing test data and test environments are tasks that belong to other phases of testing, such as test planning, test implementation, and test preparation. Verified References: [ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst CTAL-TA], Section 4.1.1, page 43.

Comprehensive and Detailed in Depth Explanation:

Since the issue occurred during the execution of anew test caseusing anew keyword, it is important to firstisolate whether the problem lies within the System Under Test (SUT) or the automation scriptitself.

C. Run the test case manually:This helps to verify if the problem is with theSUTor theautomation script. If the manual test also fails, it indicates a potentialdefect in the SUT, otherwise, it could be an issue with the new keyword or the automation script.

A. Examine the sequence of tests:This is not the most efficient first step because it does not directly identify if the issue is with the SUT.

B. Remove the test case:Prematurely removing the test case is not a good practice without investigation.

D. Ask the technical test analyst:While it could be a keyword issue, manually verifying the test first is a more practical approach.

The correct answer isC (Run the test case manually to see if the failure lies in the System Under Test).

Comprehensive and Detailed In-Depth Explanation:

A (Pairwise and use case testing):Not ideal since use case testing is not as relevant to UI combination testing.

B (Pairwise and exploratory testing):Correct. Pairwise testing efficiently handles thecombinationsfrom multiple drop-down fields, while exploratory testing complements agile development (SCRUM) for discovering unexpected issues.

C (Decision table and checklist-based testing):Not the most suitable combination for this context.

D (Classification Tree and exploratory testing):Classification trees are less effective compared to pairwise in handling multiple combinations.

Therefore, the correct answer isB (Pairwise and exploratory testing).

Comprehensive and Detailed in Depth Explanation:

Pairwise Testing(also known as2-wise testing) ensures that all possiblepairs of input valuesfrom each option are covered at least once.

Theorthogonal arrayorpairwise generation toolshelp determine the minimum number of test cases needed.

With the given combinations (4 x 3 x 4 x 2), afull pairwise coveragecan be achieved using16 test cases.

Pairwise testing is efficient for covering interactions between two factors, avoiding the need for exhaustive testing (96 combinations).

Therefore, the correct answer isD (16).

Comprehensive and Detailed in Depth Explanation:

Since the question focuses onIterations 1 and 2 only, we must prioritize risks related to these iterations.

R01(Accessibility): Low likelihood, medium impact — not a priority for initial iterations.

R02(Budget calculation): Related to Iteration 3, so it isnot relevantto the current test design.

R03(Installation issues on iOS and Android): High impact, medium likelihood —relevantfor both Iterations 1 and 2. Installation is crucial for ensuring the application works on both platforms.

R04(Insufficient testing time): Medium impact and likelihood — important, but R03 is more critical.

Hence, the highest priority risk to address first isR03 (The application may be incorrectly installed on some iOS and Android devices).

Examining the test basis is an appropriate task for the Test Analyst during the test analysis phase, as it involves identifying and evaluating the sources of information for test analysis, such as requirements, design documents, user stories, etc. Reviewing test estimates, creating a test execution schedule, and evaluating status against exit criteria are tasks that belong to other phases of testing, such as test planning, test implementation, and test closure. Verified References: ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst CTAL-TA, Section 2.1.1, page 19.

 The activity that should now be conducted by the Test Analyst in the context of implementing the keyword-driven test automation approach is to define keywords to be implemented, e.g., check balance. A keyword-driven test automation approach is an approach that uses keywords to represent actions or data in a test case. The keywords are then interpreted by a test execution tool or framework that performs the corresponding actions or data manipulation. The Test Analyst is responsible for defining the keywords that are relevant and meaningful for the test cases, such as check balance, transfer money, verify message, etc. Verified References: [ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst CTAL-TA], Section 6.1.1, page 73.

The test design technique that is specifically targeted at finding failures depending on the number of invalid PIN codes entered is state transition testing using 1-switch coverage. State transition testing is a technique that tests the behavior of a system or component based on its states and transitions between them. A 1-switch test case is a test case that covers two states and the transition between them. This technique can test how the system reacts to different sequences of events and how it handles invalid inputs. Verified References: [ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst CTAL-TA], Section 3.4.1, page 39.

Comprehensive and Detailed in Depth Explanation:

A1-switch transitionin a state transition diagram is a direct move from one state to another without intermediate states.

FromScreen 1, the possible 1-switch transitions are:

Next:Moves toScreen 2

Back:Moves toMenu

Refresh:Stays onScreen 1

Sincerefreshcan be applied multiple times (loop), it is still considered as one transition.

Therefore, the number of 1-switch transitions fromScreen 1is3.

The correct answer isD (3).

The best way to identify the exploratory tests is to create test charters to be used to guide the testing. A test charter is a document that defines the scope, objectives, and approach of an exploratory testing session. A test charter helps to focus the testing on the most important aspects of the system under test and provides a structure for reporting and learning from the testing results. Verified References: [ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst CTAL-TA], Section 3.7.2, page 46.

Comprehensive and Detailed in Depth Explanation:

A.Correct becausechecklist-based testingrelies on the experience of testers to be effective, whileblack-box techniquesare more efficient when the test basis (like requirements) is well defined.

B.Incorrect because checklist-based testing does not necessarily focus on defects.

C.Incorrect because checklists are not limited to inexperienced testers.

D.Incorrect because black-box techniques are designed to be systematic and structured.

Therefore, the correct answer isA (The checklist-based technique is most effective when applied by experienced testers; black-box techniques are most effective applied against a well-specified test basis).

The type of document that is typically used by a Test Analyst as the test basis for interoperability testing is the system architecture document. The system architecture document describes the structure and behavior of the system under test and its components, as well as their interactions and dependencies with other systems or components. This document can provide information about the interfaces and protocols that need to be tested for interoperability. Verified References: [ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst CTAL-TA], Section 5.3.1, page 67.

The checklist item that would result in finding a defect for the user story is “Are the acceptance criteria defined and testable?”. The acceptance criteria are the conditions that a system or component must satisfy in order to be accepted by a user, customer, or other authorized entity. The acceptance criteria should be defined and testable for each user story, as they provide the basis for designing and executing test cases. The user story in this question does not have any acceptance criteria defined, which is a defect that needs to be addressed. Verified References: [ISTQB® Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst CTAL-TA], Section 2.4.1, page 25.