ISTQB-Agile-Public ISTQB Agile Public Sector Exam Questions and Answers

Continuous integration introduces the risk of having too many builds for testers to evaluate, potentially reducing the quality of testing. With frequent integration of new code and automated builds, testers may face challenges in keeping up with the pace, leading to less thorough testing and the possibility of defects slipping through​​.

The acceptance criteria for a sprint focused on improving the performance of a system, like the one described for Sprint 5, typically include ensuring that the system meets specific performance benchmarks and that the functionality implemented in previous sprints continues to work as expected. Therefore, the most relevant acceptance criteria for such a sprint would be:

• iii) "100% of the existing regression test suite has passed." This criterion ensures that the new performance enhancements have not adversely affected the existing functionalities of the system. It's a common practice in agile projects to maintain the integrity and quality of the system by running regression tests. This is supported by the notion that continuous testing and quality assurance are integral components of agile methodologies, ensuring that each increment of the project maintains and improves the quality of the product (Source: Agile Project Management methodologies).
• iv) "System is responding in less than 3 seconds, 90% of the time." This criterion directly addresses the goal of the sprint, which is to increase the performance of the system. Setting a specific target for response times is a quantifiable and testable way to measure the improvement in performance. This aligns with agile principles, which emphasize delivering valuable, working software and encourage adaptive planning and continuous improvement. Performance targets like these help the team focus on delivering specific, valuable improvements to the system (Source: Principles behind the Agile Manifesto).

Options i) and v) are less relevant to the specific focus of Sprint 5, which is on performance improvement, and more about user roles and software compatibility, which are not directly tied to the performance objectives of the sprint. Therefore, options iii) and iv) constitute the most appropriate acceptance criteria for Sprint 5, focusing on ensuring that the system's performance meets the set benchmarks without compromising existing functionalities.

In an agile project, testers often perform tasks beyond traditional testing roles, including implementing test strategy (i), measuring and reporting test coverage (iii), and coaching the development team on relevant aspects of testing (iv). Implementing test strategy involves planning how testing will be conducted within the agile framework, ensuring that testing aligns with agile principles and practices. Measuring and reporting test coverage help the team understand the extent to which the codebase is tested, which is crucial for maintaining quality in fast-paced agile environments. Coaching the development team involves sharing knowledge on testing best practices and fostering a quality-centric mindset across the team. These activities contribute to the collaborative and iterative nature of agile projects, where continuous feedback and improvement are emphasized​​.

The 3C concept in Agile development refers to Card, Conversation, and Confirmation. This concept emphasizes the collaborative and iterative nature of defining user stories and their acceptance criteria in Agile projects. In the context of the provided user story, "As a customer, I want to subscribe to the mailing list so that I can receive the latest deal in an email," option A is correct. The conversation should include the acceptance criteria discussion, which is an integral part of the 3C concept.

The Card represents the user story itself, which is a brief statement describing a feature or requirement from the user's perspective. The Conversation involves discussions between the development team and the product owner (or other stakeholders) to clarify the details and ensure a mutual understanding of the user story. This conversation is crucial for exploring the user story's implications, discussing potential implementation approaches, and agreeing on the acceptance criteria that define when the story is considered complete and satisfactory.

Confirmation involves agreeing on and documenting the acceptance criteria that emerge from the conversation. These criteria serve as a checklist to ensure that the implemented feature meets the user's needs and expectations as defined in the user story.

Option A is the verified answer because it accurately reflects the importance of including acceptance criteria discussions in the conversation phase of the 3C concept. This practice aligns with Agile principles by ensuring clarity, shared understanding, and a focus on delivering value to the customer.

Exploratory Testing is aligned with Quadrant 3 of the Testing Quadrants, which emphasizes business-facing tests that critique the product. This quadrant focuses on testing aspects that cannot be fully planned in advance and require a more ad-hoc, investigative approach to uncover issues from a business or user perspective. Exploratory Testing involves simultaneous learning, test design, and test execution, making it suitable for assessing the usability, relevance, and overall value of the product to the business, aligning with the goals of Quadrant 3.

In Agile projects, a "Business-oriented work product" refers to any deliverable that provides business value or is directly usable by the end users or stakeholders of the project. Among the options provided, a user manual is a typical example of a business-oriented work product because it is designed for end users, helping them understand and use the product effectively. Other options, such as the released product itself, acceptance testing criteria, and usability test results, while important, do not fit the definition of a business-oriented work product in the same direct manner as a user manual does​​.

Early and frequent feedback is fundamental in Agile methodologies to ensure the product meets customer needs and to identify and resolve issues promptly. However, the statement that early feedback decreases the time needed for system testing (Option C) is misleading. While early feedback helps in identifying and resolving issues at an early stage, it does notnecessarily reduce the overall time required for system testing. System testing is a comprehensive phase that assesses the system's compliance with the specified requirements. Agile practices, such as continuous integration and testing, aim to maintain a high quality throughout the development process, but they do not eliminate the need for thorough system testing to validate the product before release.

Scrum is the agile development approach that incorporates the practice of dividing a project into iterations called sprints, with each sprint resulting in a potentially releasable/shippable product. Scrum's iterative and incremental approach allows teams to deliver working software frequently, with a focus on delivering tangible value to the customer at the end of each sprint​​.

In Agile project environments, embedding testers within the Agile teams promotes close collaboration, immediate feedback, and continuous improvement, essential principles of Agile methodologies. This integration enables testers to be involved in all stages of the development process, from planning and design to execution and review, facilitating early detection of defects, understanding of user requirements, and adherence to quality standards. The Agile Manifesto emphasizes individuals and interactions over processes and tools, advocating for collaborative team environments where business people and developers work together daily throughout the project. This approach contrasts withtraditional methods where testing is often conducted in isolation or after development phases, potentially leading to delays and reduced quality due to the late discovery of issues.