CAST Test Execution and Reporting 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What distinguishes defect 'priority' from defect 'severity'?
- Priority indicates the order in which it should be fixed; severity indicates impact (Correct answer)
- They are identical terms
- Priority is set only by testers
- Severity is always higher than priority
Correct answer: Priority indicates the order in which it should be fixed; severity indicates impact
Priority reflects business urgency for fixing while severity reflects technical impact.
Question 2: During execution, a previously passing test now fails after a new build. This most likely indicates:
- A regression defect introduced by recent changes (Correct answer)
- A documentation error
- A network outage only
- An expired license
Correct answer: A regression defect introduced by recent changes
A newly failing test that previously passed often signals a regression caused by recent code changes.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a defect lifecycle (workflow)?
- To track a defect's status from discovery through resolution and closure (Correct answer)
- To delete defects automatically
- To assign salaries
- To generate marketing leads
Correct answer: To track a defect's status from discovery through resolution and closure
The defect lifecycle defines the states a defect passes through from opening to closure.
Question 4: Which of the following is the best practice when writing a defect report title?
- Make it concise and specific about the problem (Correct answer)
- Use a single generic word like 'Bug'
- Leave it blank
- Include the entire stack trace only
Correct answer: Make it concise and specific about the problem
A clear, specific title helps stakeholders quickly understand and triage the defect.
Question 5: A 'deferred' defect status means:
- The fix is postponed to a future release (Correct answer)
- The defect was fixed immediately
- The defect is invalid
- The defect was a duplicate
Correct answer: The fix is postponed to a future release
A deferred defect is acknowledged but scheduled to be addressed in a later release.
Question 6: What should a tester do before reporting a defect to avoid duplicates?
- Search the defect tracking system for existing similar reports (Correct answer)
- Email every developer individually
- Restart the server
- Close all other defects
Correct answer: Search the defect tracking system for existing similar reports
Checking the tracker for existing reports prevents duplicate defect entries.
Question 7: Exit criteria for a test cycle are used to determine:
- When testing can be considered complete enough to stop (Correct answer)
- Who wrote the code
- The price of the product
- The color scheme of the UI
Correct answer: When testing can be considered complete enough to stop
Exit criteria define the conditions that must be met before testing is concluded.
CAST Test Execution and Reporting 3
What distinguishes defect 'priority' from defect 'severity'?