CAST Risk-Based Testing Strategies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In risk-based testing, how is the level of risk for a feature typically calculated?
- Likelihood of failure multiplied by impact of failure (Correct answer)
- Number of lines of code in the feature
- Time since the feature was last changed
- Count of developers who wrote the feature
Correct answer: Likelihood of failure multiplied by impact of failure
Risk level is the product of the probability that a failure occurs and the impact that failure would have.
Question 2: A payment module rarely fails but a defect there would stop all revenue. How should it be prioritized?
- High priority due to severe business impact (Correct answer)
- Low priority because failures are rare
- Ignored until a defect is reported
- Tested only after low-impact modules
Correct answer: High priority due to severe business impact
High impact alone can justify high test priority even when failure likelihood is low.
Question 3: What is the primary benefit of risk-based testing when schedule time is limited?
- It focuses testing effort on the most critical areas first (Correct answer)
- It guarantees 100% code coverage
- It removes the need for regression testing
- It eliminates all defects before release
Correct answer: It focuses testing effort on the most critical areas first
Risk-based testing optimizes limited resources by addressing the highest-risk items first.
Question 4: Which stakeholders should typically participate in identifying product risks?
- Business, development, and testing representatives together (Correct answer)
- Only the test team in isolation
- Only end users after release
- Only the project sponsor
Correct answer: Business, development, and testing representatives together
Risk identification is most effective when business, technical, and testing perspectives are combined.
Question 5: What is a 'risk item' in the context of risk-based testing?
- A specific condition that could lead to a negative outcome (Correct answer)
- A completed test case
- A passed acceptance criterion
- A finalized release note
Correct answer: A specific condition that could lead to a negative outcome
A risk item is an identified potential problem that could harm the product or project.
Question 6: How should test coverage relate to assessed risk levels?
- Higher-risk areas receive deeper and more thorough coverage (Correct answer)
- All areas receive identical coverage regardless of risk
- Lower-risk areas receive the most coverage
- Coverage is assigned randomly
Correct answer: Higher-risk areas receive deeper and more thorough coverage
Test depth should be proportional to risk, with more rigor applied where risk is greatest.
Question 7: What distinguishes a product risk from a project risk?
- Product risk concerns the quality of the deliverable; project risk concerns managing the work (Correct answer)
- They are identical concepts
- Product risk only applies to hardware
- Project risk is always lower than product risk
Correct answer: Product risk concerns the quality of the deliverable; project risk concerns managing the work
Product risks relate to the system's quality while project risks relate to delivery factors like schedule and staffing.
CAST Risk-Based Testing Strategies 2
In risk-based testing, how is the level of risk for a feature typically calculated?