Foundation Level in a Nutshell
Why Foundation?
The
Foundation Level qualification is aimed at professionals who need to
demonstrate practical knowledge of the fundamental concepts of software
testing. This includes people in roles such as test designers, test analysts,
test engineers, test consultants, test managers, user acceptance testers and IT
Professionals.
The
Foundation Level qualification is also appropriate for anyone who needs a basic
understanding of software testing, such as project managers, quality managers,
software development managers, business analysts, IT directors and management
consultants.
What are the entry criteria?
It is
suggested that candidates for the Foundation Level certification have at least
six months' practical experience in a professional testing role.
Which levels are available after Foundation?
Holders
of the Foundation certificate are eligible to continue on to higher level
software testing qualifications, certifying themselves at Advanced level, and
then at the Expert level, as shown below. The entire learning journey is
underpinned by the ISTQB® Glossary.
Foundation Level Content
Foundation Level Learning Objectives
Foundation Level professionals should be able to:
·
Use a common language for efficient and effective communication
with other testers and project stakeholders.
·
Understand established testing concepts, the fundamental test
process, test approaches, and principles to support test objectives.
·
Design and prioritize tests by using established techniques;
analyze both functional and non-functional specifications (such as performance
and usability) at all test levels for systems with a low to medium level of
complexity.
·
Execute tests according to agreed test plans, and analyze and
report on the results of tests.
·
Write clear and understandable incident reports.
·
Effectively participate in reviews of small to medium-sized
projects.
·
Be familiar with different types of testing tools and their
uses; assist in the selection and implementation process.
.
Detailed List of Foundation
Level Learning Objectives
Learning objectives are indicated for each section in the
syllabus and classified as follows:
·
K1: remember, recognize, recall
·
K2: understand, explain, give reasons, compare, classify,
categorize, give examples, summarize
·
K3: apply, use
·
K4: analyze
These are the Foundation Level Learning Objectives:
1. Learning Objectives for Fundamentals of Testing
|
1.1 Why is Testing Necessary?
(K2)
|
LO-1.1.1-->Describe,
with examples, the way in which a defect in software can cause harm to a
person, to the environment or to a company (K2)
LO-1.1.2-->Distinguish
between the root cause of a defect and its effects (K2)
LO-1.1.3-->Give
reasons why testing is necessary by giving examples (K2)
LO-1.1.4-->Describe
why testing is part of quality assurance and give examples of how testing
contributes to higher quality (K2)
LO-1.1.5-->Explain
and compare the terms error, defect, fault, failure and the corresponding terms
mistake and bug, using examples (K2)
1.2 What is Testing?
(K2)
LO-1.2.1-->Recall
the common objectives of testing (K1)
LO-1.2.2-->Provide
examples for the objectives of testing in different phases of the software life
cycle (K2)
LO-1.2.3-->Differentiate
testing from debugging (K2)
1.3 Seven Testing
Principles (K2)
LO-1.3.1-->Explain
the seven principles of testing (K2)
1.4 Fundamental Test
Process
LO-1.4.1-->Recall
the five fundamental test activities and respective tasks from planning to
closure (K1)
1.5 The Psychology of
Testing (K2)
LO-1.5.1-->Recall
the psychological factors that influence the success of testing (K1)
LO-1.5.2-->Contrast
the mindset of a tester and of a developer (K2)
2. Learning Objectives
for Testing Throughout the Software Life Cycle
2.1 Software
Development Models (K2)
LO-2.1.1-->Explain
the relationship between development, test activities and work products in the
development life cycle, by giving examples using project and product types (K2)
LO-2.1.2-->Recognize
the fact that software development models must be adapted to the context of
project and product characteristics (K1)
LO-2.1.3-->Recall
characteristics of good testing that are applicable to any life cycle model
(K1)
2.2 Test Levels (K2)
LO-2.2.1-->Compare
the different levels of testing: major objectives, typical objects of testing,
typical targets of testing (e.g., functional or structural) and related work
products, people who test, types of defects and failures to be identified (K2)
2.3 Test Types (K2)
LO-2.3.1-->Compare
four software test types (functional, non-functional, structural and
change-related) by example (K2)
LO-2.3.2-->Recognize
that functional and structural tests occur at any test level (K1)
LO-2.3.3-->Identify
and describe non-functional test types based on non-functional requirements
(K2)
LO-2.3.4-->Identify
and describe test types based on the analysis of a software system's structure
or architecture (K2)
LO-2.3.5-->Describe
the purpose of confirmation testing and regression testing (K2)
2.4 Maintenance
Testing (K2)
LO-2.4.1-->Compare
maintenance testing (testing an existing system) to testing a new application
with respect to test types, triggers for testing and amount of testing (K2)
LO-2.4.2-->Recognize
indicators for maintenance testing (modification, migration and retirement)
(K1)
LO-2.4.3-->Describe
the role of regression testing and impact analysis in maintenance (K2)
3. Learning Objectives
for Static Techniques
3.1 Static Techniques
and the Test Process (K2)
LO-3.1.1-->Recognize
software work products that can be examined by the different static techniques
(K1)
LO-3.1.2-->Describe
the importance and value of considering static techniques for the assessment of
software work products (K2)
LO-3.1.3-->Explain
the difference between static and dynamic techniques, considering objectives,
types of defects to be identified, and the role of these techniques within the
software life cycle (K2)
3.2 Review Process
(K2)
LO-3.2.1-->Recall
the activities, roles and responsibilities of a typical formal review (K1)
LO-3.2.2-->Explain
the differences between different types of reviews: informal review, technical
review, walkthrough and inspection (K2)
LO-3.2.3-->Explain
the factors for successful performance of reviews (K2)
3.3 Static Analysis by
Tools (K2)
LO-3.3.1-->Recall
typical defects and errors identified by static analysis and compare them to
reviews and dynamic testing (K1)
LO-3.3.2-->Describe,
using examples, the typical benefits of static analysis (K2)
LO-3.3.3-->List
typical code and design defects that may be identified by static analysis tools
(K1)
4.
Learning Objectives for Test Design Techniques-->
4.1 The Test Development
Process (K3)
LO-4.1.1-->Differentiate
between a test design specification, test case specification and test procedure
specification (K2)
LO-4.1.2-->Compare
the terms test condition, test case and test procedure (K2)
LO-4.1.3-->Evaluate
the quality of test cases in terms of clear traceability to the requirements
and expected results (K2)
LO-4.1.4-->Translate
test cases into a well-structured test procedure specification at a level of
detail relevant to the knowledge of the testers (K3)
4.2 Categories of Test
Design Techniques (K2)
LO-4.2.1-->Recall
reasons that both specification-based (black-box) and structure-based
(white-box) test design techniques are useful and list the common techniques
for each (K1)
LO-4.2.2-->Explain
the characteristics, commonalities, and differences between specification-based
testing, structure-based testing and experience-based testing (K2)
4.3
Specification-based or Black-box Techniques (K3)
LO-4.3.1-->Write
test cases from given software models using equivalence partitioning, boundary
value analysis, decision tables and state transition diagrams/tables (K3)
LO-4.3.2-->Explain
the main purpose of each of the four testing techniques, what level and type of
testing could use the technique, and how coverage may be measured (K2)
LO-4.3.3-->Explain
the concept of use case testing and its benefits (K2)
4.4 Structure-based or
White-box Techniques (K4)
LO-4.4.1-->Describe
the concept and value of code coverage (K2)
LO-4.4.2-->Explain
the concepts of statement and decision coverage, and give reasons why these
concepts can also be used at test levels other than component testing (e.g., on
business procedures at system level) (K2)
LO-4.4.3-->Write
test cases from given control flows using statement and decision test design
techniques (K3)
LO-4.4.4-->Assess
statement and decision coverage for completeness with respect to defined exit
criteria. K4)
4.5 Experience-based
Techniques (K2)
LO-4.5.1-->Recall
reasons for writing test cases based on intuition, experience and knowledge
about common defects (K1)
LO-4.5.2-->Compare
experience-based techniques with specification-based testing techniques (K2)
4.6 Choosing Test
Techniques (K2)
LO-4.6.1-->Classify
test design techniques according to their fitness to a given context, for the
test basis, respective models and software characteristics (K2)
5. Learning Objectives
for Test Management
5.1 Test Organization
(K2)
LO-5.1.1-->Recognize
the importance of independent testing (K1)
LO-5.1.2-->Explain
the benefits and drawbacks of independent testing within an organization (K2)
LO-5.1.3-->Recognize
the different team members to be considered for the creation of a test team
(K1)
LO-5.1.4-->Recall
the tasks of typical test leader and tester (K1)
5.2 Test Planning and
Estimation (K3)
LO-5.2.1-->Recognize
the different levels and objectives of test planning (K1)
LO-5.2.2-->Summarize
the purpose and content of the test plan, test design specification and test
procedure documents according to the 'Standard for Software Test Documentation'
(IEEE Std 829-1998) (K2)
LO-5.2.3-->Differentiate
between conceptually different test approaches, such as analytical,
model-based, methodical, process/standard compliant, dynamic/heuristic,
consultative and regression-averse (K2)
LO-5.2.4-->Differentiate
between the subject of test planning for a system and scheduling test execution
(K2)
LO-5.2.5-->Write
a test execution schedule for a given set of test cases, considering
prioritization, and technical and logical dependencies (K3)
LO-5.2.6-->List
test preparation and execution activities that should be considered during test
planning (K1)
LO-5.2.7-->Recall
typical factors that influence the effort related to testing (K1)
LO-5.2.8-->Differentiate
between two conceptually different estimation approaches: the metrics-based
approach and the expert-based approach (K2)
LO-5.2.9-->Recognize/justify
adequate entry and exit criteria for specific test levels and groups of test
cases (e.g., for integration testing, acceptance testing or test cases for
usability testing) (K2)
5.3 Test Progress
Monitoring and Control (K2)-->
LO-5.3.1-->Recall
common metrics used for monitoring test preparation and execution (K1)
LO-5.3.2-->Explain
and compare test metrics for test reporting and test control (e.g., defects
found and fixed, and tests passed and failed) related to purpose and use (K2)
LO-5.3.3-->Summarize
the purpose and content of the test summary report document according to the
'Standard for Software Test Documentation' (IEEE Std 829-1998) (K2)
5.4 Configuration
Management (K2)
LO-5.4.1--> Summarize
how configuration management supports testing (K2)
5.5 Risk and Testing
(K2)
LO-5.5.1-->Describe
a risk as a possible problem that would threaten the achievement of one or more
stakeholders' project objectives (K2)
LO-5.5.2-->Remember
that the level of risk is determined by likelihood (of happening) and impact
(harm resulting if it does happen) (K1)
LO-5.5.3-->Distinguish
between the project and product risks (K2)
LO-5.5.4-->Recognize
typical product and project risks (K1)
LO-5.5.5-->Describe,
using examples, how risk analysis and risk management may be used for test
planning (K2)
5.6 Incident
Management (K3)
LO-5.6.1-->Recognize
the content of an incident report according to the 'Standard for Software Test
Documentation' (IEEE Std 829-1998) (K1)
LO-5.6.2-->Write
an incident report covering the observation of a failure during testing(K3)
6. Learning Objectives
for Tool Support for Testing
6.1 Types of Test
Tools (K2)
LO-6.1.1-->Classify
different types of test tools according to their purpose and to the activities
of the fundamental test process and the software life cycle (K2)
LO-6.1.2-->Explain
the term test tool and the purpose of tool support for testing (K2)
6.2 Effective Use of
Tools: Potential Benefits and Risks (K2)
LO-6.2.1-->Summarize
the potential benefits and risks of test automation and tool support for
testing (K2)
LO-6.2.2-->Remember
special considerations for test execution tools, static analysis, and test
management tools (K1)
-->
6.3 Introducing a Tool
into an Organization (K1)
LO-6.3.1-->State
the main principles of introducing a tool into an organization (K1)
LO-6.3.2-->State
the goals of a proof-of-concept for tool evaluation and a piloting phase for
tool implementation (K1)
LO-6.3.3-->Recognize that factors other than simply acquiring a tool are required for good tool support (K1)
Foundation Level exam structure
To get
an ISTQB® Certified
Tester Foundation Level Certificate you must successfully pass the Foundation
Exam administered by yourNational or Regional Board or Examination Provider.
Upon successful
completion of the exam, you will be issued with an ISTQB® Foundation Level Certificate, which is
internationally recognized.
The
exam aims to verify that the candidate has acquired the professional knowledge
contained in the syllabus.
The Foundation Level exam is characterized by:
·
40 multiple-choice questions
·
a scoring of 1 point for each correct answer
·
a pass mark of 65% (26 or more points)
·
a duration of 60 minutes (or 75 minutes for candidates taking
exams that are not in their native or local language).
Exam questions are distributed across K-levels, which represent
deepening levels of knowledge, as shown in the following table:
Exam
|
Number
of questions per K levels
|
||||
K1
|
K2
|
K3
|
K4
|
Total
|
|
Foundation
|
20
|
12
|
8
|
40
|
|
Exam questions are distributed across Syllabus chapters as shown
in the following table:
Exam
|
Number
of questions per Chapter
|
||||||
Ch. 1
|
Ch. 2
|
Ch. 3
|
Ch. 4
|
Ch. 5
|
Ch. 6
|
Total
|
|
Foundation
|
7
|
6
|
3
|
12
|
8
|
4
|
40
|
Exams
may be taken as part of a course delivered by an Accredited Training Provider or taken independently at an examination
center or in a public exam.
The
typical duration of the Foundation Level Training offered by an Accredited
Training Provider is 3 days. Completion of an accredited training course is not
a prerequisite for participating to the exam.
Please
refer to the Web Sites of the ISTQB® Member Boards and ISTQB® Accredited Training Providers for exam and training availability.
