ISTQB CTAL-TM

Description

The ISTQB® Advanced Level Test Management (CTAL-TM) certification provides the knowledge and competencies to manage all testing activities across the software development lifecycle. It covers everything from designing a suitable test approach for the project based on the organizational test strategy to building a test team or testing competencies to complete the necessary testing.

Chapter 1: Managing the Test Activities

• The Test Process
  • Summarize test planning
  • Summarize test monitoring and test control
  • Summarize test completion
• The Context of Testing
  • Compare why different stakeholders are interested in testing
  • Explain why stakeholders' knowledge is important in test management
  • Explain testing in a hybrid software development model
  • Summarize test management activities for various software development lifecycles
  • Compare test management activities at various test levels
  • Compare test management activities for various test types
  • Analyze a given project and determine test management activities that emphasize test planning, test monitoring, and test control
• Risk-Based Testing
  • Explain the various measures that risk-based testing takes to respond to risks
  • Give examples of different techniques a test manager can use for identifying risks related to product quality
  • Summarize the factors that determine the risk levels related to product quality
  • Select appropriate test activities to mitigate risks according to their risk level in a given context
  • Differentiate between heavyweight and lightweight examples of risk-based testing techniques
  • Give examples of success metrics and difficulties associated with risk-based testing
• The Project Test Strategy
  • Explain typical choices for a test approach
  • Analyze an organizational test strategy and the project context to select the appropriate test approach
  • Use the S.M.A.R.T. goal methodology to define measurable test objectives and exit criteria
• Improving the Test Process
  • Explain how to use the IDEAL model for test process improvement on a given project
  • Summarize the model-based improvement approach to test process improvement and understand how to apply it on a project context
  • Summarize the analytical-based improvement approach to test process improvement and understand how to apply it on a project context
  • Implement a project or iteration retrospective to evaluate test processes and discover testing areas to improve
• Test Tools
  • Summarize the best practices for tool introduction
  • Explain the impact of different technical and business aspects when deciding on a tool type
  • Analyze a given situation to create a plan for tool selection, covering risks, costs, and benefits
  • Differentiate among the stages of the tool lifecycle
  • Give examples for metric collection and evaluation by using tools

Chapter 2: Managing the Product

• Test Metrics
  • Give examples of metrics to achieve the test objectives
  • Explain how to control test progress using test metrics
  • Analyze test results to create test reports that empower stakeholders to make decisions
• Test Estimation
  • Explain the factors that need to be considered in test estimation
  • Give examples of factors that may influence test estimates
  • Select an appropriate technique or approach for test estimation for a given context
• Defect Management
  • Implement a defect management process, including the defect workflow, that can be used to monitor and control defects
  • Explain the process and participants required for effective defect management
  • Explain the specifics of defect management in Agile software development
  • Explain the challenges of defect management in hybrid software development
  • Use the data and classification information that should be gathered during defect management
  • Explain how defect report statistics can be used to devise process improvement

Chapter 3: Managing the Team

• The Test Team
  • Give examples of typical skills needed by test team members within four areas of competence
  • Analyze a given project context to determine required skills for test team members
  • Explain typical techniques for skill assessments for test team members
  • Differentiate between the typical approaches for developing skills of test team members
  • Explain skills required to manage a test team
  • Give examples of motivating and hygiene factors for test team members
• Stakeholder Relationship
  • Give examples for each of the four categories determining the cost of quality
  • Apply a cost-benefit calculation to estimate the added value of testing for stakeholders

Business outcomes

Holders of the ISTQB® CTAL Test Manager certificate can…

• Apply test management processes established for the project team or test organization to manage testing in various software development projects.
• Identify test stakeholders and software development lifecycle models relevant to a given context.
• Organize risk identification and risk assessment sessions within any software development lifecycle and use the results to guide testing to meet the test objectives.
• Define a project test strategy consistent with the organizational test strategy and project context.
• Continuously monitor and control testing to achieve project goals.
• Assess and report test progress to project stakeholders.
• Identify necessary skills and develop those skills within your team.
• Prepare and present a business case for testing in different contexts that outlines the costs and expected benefits.
• Lead test process improvement activities in projects or software development product streams and contribute to organizational test process improvement initiatives.
• Plan the test activities, including the required test infrastructure, and estimate the effort required to test.
• Create defect reports and a defect workflow suitable for a software development lifecycle.

In general, an Advanced Test Manager is expected to have acquired the necessary skills to enable further development at the Expert Level in the areas of test management and improving the test process.