The ISTQB Advanced Level Test Analyst (CTAL-TA) certification validates the candidates with the skills and knowledge required to conduct structured and thorough software testing across the software development life cycle. It explains the test analyst's role and responsibilities in every stage of a standard test process and details essential test techniques.
This article will discuss what this certification is all about, its benefits, target candidates, exam format, and much more.
What is the Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst (CTAL-TA)?
The Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst (CTAL-TA) is a certification offered by the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) for software testers with advanced skills and knowledge in software testing. The ISTQB CTAL-TA certification is part of the ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level (CTAL) scheme, which comprises certifications for Technical Test Analysts and Test Managers.
In order to earn this certification, candidates must pass the ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level - Test Analyst exam, which assesses their understanding of testing processes, test design techniques, test management, defect management, test tools and automation, and quality assurance. The ISTQB CTAL-TA certification exam contains 60 multiple-choice questions and lasts 180 minutes. In order to pass this certification, you must obtain a minimum score of 65%.
The CTAL-TA certification targets test analysts with at least three years of practical testing experience who seek to demonstrate their expertise and competence in software testing. The certification can benefit them by enhancing their career prospects, improving their testing skills, and gaining recognition from their peers and employers.
Exam format
Here are the Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Analyst (CTAL-TA) certification exam details. Have a quick look:
No. of questions: 40
Total points: 80
Passing score: 52
Exam length: 120 minutes
What is software testing?
Software Testing is verifying and validating whether the software product meets the specified requirements and is free of defects. It involves executing software/system components using manual or automated tools to evaluate one or more attributes of interest. The objective of software testing is to detect errors, gaps, or missing requirements that deviate from the expected behavior.
Software Testing can be classified into two types: White Box Testing and Black Box Testing. In simple terms, Software Testing means Verifying the Application Under Test (AUT). This Software Testing course introduces the concept and importance of software testing to the audience and explains how to perform software testing effectively.
Why is software testing necessary?
Software testing is important for many reasons. Some of them are mentioned below. Have a quick look:
- Ensure the quality of the software product by detecting and correcting any bugs or errors before the software is delivered to the end users.
- Improve the software product's reliability, security, and performance by verifying and validating its functionality, usability, compatibility, security, scalability, and efficiency.
- Save time and money by preventing defects and failures in the later stages of the software development life cycle, which can be costly and time-consuming to fix.
- Increase customer satisfaction by delivering a software product that meets or exceeds their expectations and requirements and provides a positive user experience.
Target audience
The Advanced Level qualification of ISTQB Certified Technical Test Analyst is designed for test practitioners who have attained an advanced stage in their software testing careers and who anticipate participating actively in the technical aspects of software testing, such as test automation, non-functional testing, white-box testing, and who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills beyond the levels covered by the Foundation and Intermediate qualifications.
This certification exam is suitable for those in roles such as testers, test analysts, test engineers, test consultants, test managers, user acceptance testers, and software developers. Moreover, this Advanced Level qualification benefits anyone who desires a deeper understanding of software testing, such as project managers, quality managers, software development managers, business analysts, and management consultants.
Course objectives
- Identify and classify the typical risks associated with software performance, security, reliability, portability, and maintainability.
- Establish test plans for mitigating performance, security, reliability, portability, and maintainability risks.
- Based on code coverage and design coverage, select and apply appropriate structural design techniques to ensure that tests provide adequate confidence.
- Participate effectively in technical reviews with developers and software architects by understanding typical coding and architectural mistakes.
- Identify code and software architecture risks and develop test plan elements to mitigate those risks.
- Using static analysis, propose code security, maintainability, and testability improvements.
- Provide an overview of the costs and benefits of introducing specific types of test automation.
- Identify appropriate tools for automating technical testing.
- Learn how to apply test automation concepts and technical issues.
- Furthermore, after successfully completing the course and passing the exam, delegates should be able to apply the following learning objectives:
- Describe the generic risk factors that Technical Test Analysts need to consider.
- Describe how the Technical Test Analyst approaches testing activities based on risk.
- Apply the Statement testing test technique to achieve a defined level of coverage for a given specification item.
- Apply the Modified Condition/Decision Coverage (MC/DC) test technique to write test cases from a specification item.
- To achieve a defined level of coverage, write test cases using the Multiple Condition Testing test technique.
- Using McCabe's simplified baseline method, create test cases based on specification items.
- Learn about API testing and the types of defects it finds.
- Determine the appropriate white-box test technique for a given project.
- Check for control flow anomalies in code using control flow analysis.
- Describe how data flow analysis is used to detect anomalous data flow in code.
- Propose ways to improve the maintainability of code by applying static analysis.
- Explain the use of call graphs for establishing integration testing strategies.
- Apply dynamic analysis to achieve a specified goal.
- For a particular project and system under test, analyze the non-functional requirements and write the respective sections of the test plan.
- Given a particular product risk, define the particular non-functional test type(s) which are most appropriate.
- Understand and explain the stages in an application's lifecycle where non-functional tests should be applied.
- For a given scenario, define the defects you would expect to find using non-functional testing types.
- Explain why security testing is included in a test strategy and/or test approach.
- Explain the principal aspects to be considered in planning and specifying security tests.
- Explain why reliability testing is included in a test strategy and/or test approach.
- Explain the principal aspects to be considered in planning and specifying reliability tests.
- Explain why performance testing is included in a test strategy and/or test approach.
- Explain the principal aspects to be considered in planning and specifying performance efficiency tests.
- Explain why maintainability testing is included in a testing strategy and/or test approach.
- Explain the reasons for including portability tests in a test strategy and/or approach.
- Explain the reasons for compatibility testing in a testing strategy and/or test approach.
- Explain why review preparation is important for the Technical Test Analyst.
- Analyze an architectural design and identify problems according to a checklist provided in the syllabus.
- Analyze a section of code or pseudo-code and identify problems according to a checklist in the syllabus.
- Summarize the Technical Test Analyst's activities when setting up a test automation project.
- Summarize the differences between data-driven and keyword-driven automation.
- Summarize common technical issues that cause automation projects to fail to achieve the planned return on investment.
- Construct keywords based on a given business process.
- Summarize the purpose of tools for fault seeding and fault injection.
- Summarize the main characteristics and implementation issues for performance testing tools.
- Explain the general purpose of tools used for web-based testing.
- Explain how tools support the practice of model-based testing.
- Outline the purpose of tools used to support component testing and the build process.
- Outline the purpose of tools used to support mobile application testing.
Exam outline
Introduction
- Testing in the software development lifecycle
- Test monitoring and control
- Test design
- Test implementation
- Test execution
- Evaluating exit criteria and reporting
- Test closure activities
Test Management: Responsibilities for the Test Analyst
- Test progress monitoring and control
- Distributed, outsourced, and insourced testing
- The test analyst's tasks in risk-based testing
Test Techniques
- Specification-based techniques
- Equivalence partitioning
- Boundary value analysis
- Decision tables
- Cause-effect graphing
- State transition testing
- Combinational testing techniques
- Use case testing
- User story testing
- Domain analysis
- Defect-based techniques
- Using defect-based techniques
- Defect taxonomies
- Experience-based techniques
- Error guessing
- Checklist-based testing
- Exploratory testing
Testing Software Quality Characteristics
- Glossary of testing terms
Reviews
- Using checklists in reviews
- Web application testing checklist
- QA software testing checklists
Defect Management
- When can a defect be detected?
- Defect report fields
- Defect classification
- Root cause analysis
Test Tools
- Test tools and automation
- Test design tools
- Test data preparation tools
- Automated test execution tools
Why earn the ISTQB Advanced Level Test Analyst (CTAL-TA) certification?
ISTQB Advanced Level Test Analyst can take your career to a higher level. After earning this certification, candidates will:
- Have a solid commitment to the testing profession and self-improvement. You enjoy testing and working with the users.
- Have advanced software testing skills because you understand what it takes to be a top-notch test analyst.
- Have the desire to move higher in your career and your organization. You are the kind of test leader others want to hire and keep in their organization.
The bottom line
The ISTQB Advanced Level Test Analyst (CTAL-TA) certification is one of the well-known and widely-recognized credentials, validating candidates' skills and knowledge to perform structured and thorough software testing across the software development life cycle.
If you want to take the ISTQB CTAL-TA certification exam, CBT Proxy can only help you pass the exam on your first attempt. To know more about the exam and how to get started, click the chat options below, and one of our consultants will guide you.
