ISQI CTAL-TAE : ISTQB Certified Tester Advanced Level, Test Automation Engineering

A TAS is used to run on a test environment a suite of automated regression tests, written at the UI level, on different releases of a web app: all executions complete successfully, always providing correct results (i.e., producing neither false positives nor false negatives). The tests, all independent of each other, consist of executable test scripts based on the flow model pattern which has been implemented in a three-layer TAF (test scripts, business logic, core libraries) by expanding the page object model via the facade pattern. Currently the suite takes too long to run, and the test scripts are considered too long in terms of LOC (Lines of Code).
Which of the following recommendations would you provide for improving the TAS (assuming it is possible to perform all of them)?

• A. Modify the TAF so that test scripts are based on the page object model, rather than the flow model pattern
• B. Implement a mechanism to automatically reboot the entire web app in the event of a crash
• C. Modify the architecture of the SUT to improve its testability and, if necessary, the TAA accordingly
• D. Split the suite into sub-suites and run each of them concurrently on different test environments

Which of the following metrics could suggest, under certain condition that an automated regression test suite has NOT been updated for new functionalities added to the SUT?

• A. The ratio of commands to executable statements in the automation code of the regression test suite
• B. The defect density in the automation code of the regression test suite.
• C. The ratio of comments to executable statements in the SUT code.
• D. The SUT code coverage provided by the execution of the regression test suite.

You are executing the first test run of a test automation suite of 200 tests. All the relevant information related to the state of the SUT and to the automated test execution is stored in a small database. During the Automated test run you observe that the first 10 test pass, while an abnormal termination occurs when executing the 11thtest. This test does not complete its execution and the overall execution of the suite is aborted. An immediate analysis of the abnormal termination is expected to be time consuming and you have been asked to produce a detailed report of the execution results for the first test run, as soon as possible.
What is the MOST important FIRST step to be taken immediately after the abnormal occurred when executing the 11thtest?

• A. Take a backup of the database in its current state. So It can be analyzed later
• B. Return the database to a consistent state that allows subsequent test to run
• C. Re-run the test automation suite starting from the 1sttest.
• D. Re-run the test automation suite starting from the 12thtest

You have agreed with your organization's managers to conduct a pilot project to introduce test automation.
Managers' expectations about the benefits of automation are too optimistic. Which of the following is LEAST relevant when deciding the scope of the pilot project's objectives?

• A. Evaluate the knowledge and skills of people who will be involved in automating test cases for applicable test automation frameworks and technologies
• B. Evaluate the potential cost savings and benefits (e.g., faster test execution, better test coverage) of using automated testing versus manual testing
• C. Evaluate the performance of an organization's network infrastructure in terms of factors such as availability, bandwidth, latency, packet loss, and jitter
• D. Evaluate the suitability of different test automation tools based on the technology stack used by the applications for which the automated tests will be developed

Consider a TAS implemented to perform automated testing on native mobile apps at the UI level, where the TAF implements a client-server architecture. The client runs on-premise and allows creation of automated test scripts using TAF libraries to recognize and interact with the app's UI objects. The server runs in the cloud as part of a PaaS service, receiving commands from the client, translating them into actions for the mobile device, and sending the results to the client. The cloud platform hosts several mobile devices dedicated for use by this TAS. The device on which to run test scripts/test suites is specified at run time. You are currently verifying whether the test automation environment and all other TAS/TAF components work correctly. Which of the following activities would you perform to achieve your goal?

• A. Check whether the references to the device on which the given test scripts/test suites will be executed are correctly hard-coded within these test scripts/test suites
• B. Check whether the TAF libraries that the test scripts will use to recognize and interact with the app's UI objects (widgets) function as expected
• C. Check whether all test scripts that will be executed by the TAS as part of a given test suite have expected results
• D. Manage the infrastructure that hosts the server, including hardware, software updates, and security patches