Test Principles and

Concepts
CSTE Body of Knowledge
Category II: Test
Skills/Approaches
Domain 5: Testing Principles and
Concepts

Testing Principles and

Concepts
Definition of Test Specifications
Testing Techniques (Not covered)
Testing Methods (Not covered)
Independent Testing (Not covered)
Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS)
Software (Not covered)

Testing Principles and

Concepts
Testing Code Developed Under

Outside Contract (Not covered)

Test Quality (Not covered)
Testing Life Cycle (Not covered)
Vocabulary

Definition of Test
Specifications
Establishing test objectives
Purpose
Approaches
Pass/fail criteria
Entrance/exit criteria

Establishing Test Objectives

The process of exercising software
to verify that it satisfies specified
requirements and to detect errors

Glossary of The British Computer Society Specialist Interest

Group in Software Testing

Establishing Test Objectives

Factors for determining objectives

Nature of application
Code Coverage
Technology
Platform
User Requirements
Government Regulations

Establishing Test Objectives

Examples

To obtain a 85% passing rate on all

assigned tests cases

To ensure software is compliant with
current HIPPA code
To verify database access time is
reduced by 35%

Purpose of Testing
The purpose of testing is to discover
errors. Testing is the process of
trying to discover every conceivable
fault or weakness in a work product.
The Art of Software Testing, Glenford Myer

The purpose of testing is to ensure

the customers spoken and unspoken

expectations are met. Mark Curtiss, VeriTest

Purpose of Testing
Detect the existence of defects
Ensure functionality and usability
Increase customer satisfaction
Reduce legal liability
Ensure compliance with government
regulations

Purpose of Testing
Examples

To reduce support calls on new

product releases by 25% over

previous years
Find and fix all critical defects prior to
release
Verify boundary conditions are not
exceeded on a given field

Testing Approaches
Black-box testing
White-box testing
Regression testing
Stress testing
Load testing
Configuration testing

Pass / Fail Criteria

Ensure textbox will not recognize

numbers
Ensure Next button will take user to
the next page
Ensure all components are removed
after an Uninstall

Entrance / Exit Criteria

Vendor Validation testing has been

completed without any failures

All tests have been run successfully
Code Complete has been reached

Sample Exam Questions

Critical Skills Questions
What is COTS?
Commerical off-the shelf software
(shrink-wrapped)

Sample Exam Questions

Critical Skills Questions
The purpose of software testing is
to :

a) Demonstrate that the application

works properly
b) Detect the existence of defects
c) Validate the logical design

Sample Exam Questions

Critical Skills Questions
The purpose of software testing is
to :

a) Demonstrate that the application

works properly
b) Detect the existence of defects
c) Validate the logical design

Sample Exam Questions

Critical Skills Questions
For black-box testing:
a) The tester is completely unconcerned
about the internal behavior of the program
b) The tester is concerned with finding
circumstances in which the program does
not behave according to specifications
c) Test data is derived solely from
specifications
d) All the above

Sample Exam Questions

Critical Skills Questions
For black-box testing:
a) The tester is completely unconcerned
about the internal behavior of the program
b) The tester is concerned with finding
circumstances in which the program does
not behave according to specifications
c) Test data is derived solely from
specifications
d) All the above

Sample Exam Questions

Critical Skills Questions
Boundary value testing:
a) Is the same as equivalence partitioning
tests
b) Test boundary conditions on, above, and
below the edges of input and output
equivalence classes
c) Tests combinations of input
circumstances
d) Is used in white-box testing strategy

Sample Exam Questions

Critical Skills Questions
Boundary value testing:
a) Is the same as equivalence partitioning
tests
b) Test boundary conditions on, above, and
below the edges of input and output
equivalence classes
c) Tests combinations of input
circumstances
d) Is used in white-box testing strategy

Sample Exam Questions

Critical Skills Questions
Decision/branch coverage strategy:
a)
b)
c)

Always satisfies statement coverage

Is used in black-box testing
Means that every branch direction is
traversed at least once
d) Is the same as condition coverage

Sample Exam Questions

Critical Skills Questions
Decision/branch coverage strategy:
a)
b)
c)

Always satisfies statement coverage

Is used in black-box testing
Means that every branch direction is
traversed at least once
d) Is the same as condition coverage

Sample Exam Questions

Critical Skills Questions
Acceptance testing means:
a) Testing performed on a single standalone module or unit of code
b) Testing after changes have been made
to ensure that no unwanted changes
were introduced
c) Testing to ensure that the system meets
the needs of the organization and the
end user

Sample Exam Questions

Critical Skills Questions
Acceptance testing means:
a) Testing performed on a single standalone module or unit of code
b) Testing after changes have been made
to ensure that no unwanted changes
were introduced
c) Testing to ensure that the system meets
the needs of the organization and the
end user

Sample Exam Questions

Critical Skills Questions
Joe is performing a test to see that it

complies with the user requirements that

a certain field be populated by using a
dropdown box containing a list of values.
Joe is performing:

a)
b)
c)
d)

White-box testing
Black-box testing
Load testing
Regression testing

Sample Exam Questions

Critical Skills Questions
Joe is performing a test to see that it

complies with the user requirements that

a certain field be populated by using a
dropdown box containing a list of values.
Joe is performing:

a)
b)
c)
d)

White-box testing
Black-box testing
Load testing
Regression testing