ISTQB Advanced Level 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In risk-based testing, what is the primary purpose of a risk assessment?
- To eliminate all identified risks before testing begins
- To prioritize test efforts based on likelihood and impact of failure (Correct answer)
- To assign risk ownership to developers rather than testers
- To document risks for post-release audits only
Correct answer: To prioritize test efforts based on likelihood and impact of failure
Risk assessment prioritizes test effort by evaluating the likelihood and impact of potential failures so high-risk areas receive more testing attention.
Question 2: Which defect management metric best indicates the effectiveness of the testing process itself?
- Total number of defects found
- Defect detection percentage (DDP) (Correct answer)
- Number of defects reopened
- Average time to fix a defect
Correct answer: Defect detection percentage (DDP)
Defect detection percentage measures the proportion of defects found by testing versus those found post-release, directly reflecting testing effectiveness.
Question 3: A test manager is asked to estimate effort using the three-point estimation technique. Which values are required?
- Best case, worst case, and most likely case (Correct answer)
- Velocity, capacity, and backlog size
- Story points, complexity, and team size
- Historic data, risk level, and deadline
Correct answer: Best case, worst case, and most likely case
Three-point estimation uses optimistic (best case), pessimistic (worst case), and most likely estimates to calculate a weighted average.
Question 4: During a review, a participant raises an issue unrelated to the artifact under review. What is the moderator's correct action?
- Allow discussion since all quality issues are relevant
- Log it in the parking lot and return focus to the review (Correct answer)
- Reject the issue since it is out of scope
- Halt the review until the issue is resolved
Correct answer: Log it in the parking lot and return focus to the review
The moderator should record off-topic issues in a parking lot to keep the review focused while ensuring the concern is not lost.
Question 5: Which test design technique is most appropriate when testing a system where valid inputs must satisfy multiple simultaneous conditions?
- Boundary value analysis
- Equivalence partitioning
- Decision table testing (Correct answer)
- Statement coverage
Correct answer: Decision table testing
Decision table testing systematically covers combinations of conditions and their resulting actions, making it ideal for multi-condition business rules.
Question 6: What distinguishes a test policy from a test strategy in ISTQB terminology?
- A test policy is project-specific; a test strategy is organization-wide
- A test policy states principles and goals; a test strategy describes how to achieve them (Correct answer)
- A test policy is written by developers; a test strategy is written by testers
- A test policy covers functional testing; a test strategy covers non-functional testing
Correct answer: A test policy states principles and goals; a test strategy describes how to achieve them
A test policy defines the organization's principles and objectives for testing, while a test strategy describes the general approach used to achieve those objectives.
Question 7: In exploratory testing, what is a test charter?
- A formal test plan approved by stakeholders
- A brief mission statement guiding a time-boxed exploration session (Correct answer)
- A complete list of test cases to execute
- A defect report template used during exploration
Correct answer: A brief mission statement guiding a time-boxed exploration session
A test charter provides the scope and goal for an exploratory testing session, guiding the tester's focus without prescribing exact steps.
ISTQB Advanced Level 2
In risk-based testing, what is the primary purpose of a risk assessment?