The ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Manager (CTAL-TM) certification is a global standard for software testers who wish to prove their competence and expertise in test management offered by the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB).
This certification belongs to the Certified Tester Advanced Level scheme, which comprises certifications for Test Analysts, Technical Test Analysts, Security Testers, and Test Automation Engineers.
The ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Manager (CTAL-TM) certification equips you with the knowledge and skills to manage all testing activities throughout the software development lifecycle.
The ISTQB CTAL-TM certification exam covers a wide range of topics, from designing a suitable test approach for the project based on the organizational test strategy to establishing a test team or testing competencies to conduct the necessary testing.
Exam format
Questions: 65 Passing score: 75 Total points: 115 Exam duration: 180 minutes
Target audience
The Advanced Level Test Manager certification is designed for software testing professionals who have advanced competence in test management and wish to further enhance their skills in this domain.
Candidates must possess the Certified Tester Foundation Level certificate and demonstrate adequate practical experience to qualify for this certification.
- Test program managers
- Requirements engineers
- Test managers
- Test automation specialists
- Security testing specialists
- Functional testers
- Test environment specialists
- Performance test specialists
Business outcomes
- A candidate who has obtained the ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Manager (CTAL-TM) certification should be capable of the following:
- Implementing the mission, goals, and testing processes established for the testing organization and managing a testing project accordingly
- Organizing and leading risk identification and risk analysis sessions and utilizing the outcomes of such sessions for test estimation, planning, monitoring, and control
- Creating and executing test plans that are consistent with organizational policies and test strategies
- Continuously monitoring and controlling the test activities to achieve project objectives
- Assessing and reporting relevant and timely test status to project stakeholders
- Identifying skills and resource gaps in their test team and participating in sourcing adequate resources
- Identifying and planning necessary skills development within their test team
- Proposing a business case for test activities that outlines the expected costs and benefits
- Ensuring proper communication within the test team and with other project stakeholders
- Participating in and leading test process improvement initiatives
Exam domains
Testing Process
- Test planning, monitoring & control
- Test analysis
- Test design
- Test implementation
- Test execution
- Evaluating exit criteria & reporting
- Test closure activities
Test Management
- Test management in the context
- Risk-based testing and other approaches for test prioritization and effort allocation
- Test documentation and other work products
- Project risk management
- Other test work products
- Test estimation
- Defining and using test metrics
- The business value of testing
- Distributed, outsourced, and insourced testing
- Managing the application of industry standards
Reviews
- Management reviews and audits
- Managing reviews
- Metrics for reviews
- Managing formal reviews
Defect Management
- The defect lifecycle and the software development lifecycle
- Cross-functional defect management
- Defect report information
- Assessing process capability with defect report information
Improving the Testing Process
- Test Improvement process
- Improving the testing process
- Improving the testing process with TMMi
- Improving the testing process with TPI Next
- Improving the testing process with CTP
- Improving the testing process with STEP
Test Tools and Automation
Tool selection Return on investment (ROI) Selection process Tool lifecycle Tool metrics
People Skills – Team Composition
- Individual skills
- Test team dynamics
- Fitting testing within an organization
- Motivation
- Communication
What are the benefits of the ISTQB CTAL-TM certification?
If you want to learn more about Test Management and build on what you already know from the Foundation Level, the ISTQB® Advanced Level Test Manager is for you. A Test Manager knows a lot about testing in general and understands the Testing Processes and Management well.
The ISTQB Advanced Level Test Manager can boost your career because it proves that you care about the testing profession, self-improvement, and leadership. It shows you have excellent software testing skills and are ready to lead others.
Benefits of the organization
- Standardize the knowledge and skills of Test Managers within your organization and the approaches they use in test monitoring and test control.
- Adopt industry best practices to ensure quality and efficiency in managing testing activities following the test policy.
- Understand the expectations of your organization from a Certified Test Manager or Test Director, from the use of reviews to test completion.
- Assist business stakeholders by using standardized test management methodologies and terminology.
### Benefits for the candidates
- Understand the principles and practices that a Test Manager’s role entails.
- Adapt existing testing experience and knowledge to be able to manage testing projects aligned with industry best practices as a test leader.
- Apply relevant methods, principles, practices, and techniques for managing testing across all IT projects, using a test strategy and test plan.
- Be able to identify risk (product risk and project risk), conduct a risk assessment, manage risk, and mitigate risk using risk-based testing.
- Improve the Testing Process using Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), Critical Testing Processes (CTP), Systematic Test and Evaluation Process (STEP), Test Maturity Model integration (TMMi), and TPI Next.
- Demonstrate to potential employers your commitment and level of Test Management knowledge and your desire to advance in your career as a manager.
- Be able to apply the best strategic approach to manage complex projects/programs of work to deliver successfully.
The bottom line
The ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Manager (CTAL-TM) certification program is intended for testing professionals who aspire to excel in a lead or management role. You will learn how to oversee a testing project and implement a risk-based method for testing.
The ISTQB CTAL-TM course will enable you to provide detailed reports to project stakeholders, build effective test teams, and execute productive test plans.
If you are interested in taking the ISTQB CTAL-TM certification exam and looking for a reliable proxy exam center, contact CBT Proxy. CBT Proxy has been helping IT professionals earn their desired certification for over a decade.
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