,ISTQB Foundation Level Glossary – 281 Exam
Questions & Definitions for Software Testing,
QA, Agile & Test Design Mastery.
Acceptance Criteria
The criteria that a component or system must satisfy in order to be accepted by a user, customer, or
other authorized entity.
Acceptance Testing
Formal testing with respect to user needs, requirements, and business processes conducted to
determine whether or not a system satisfies the acceptance criteria and to enable the user, customers
or other authorized entity to determine whether or not to accept the system.
Accessibility
The degree to which a component or system can be used by people with the widest range of
characteristics and capabilities to achieve a specified goal in a specified context of use.
Accessibility Testing
Testing to determine the ease by which users with disabilities can use a component or system.
Actual Result / Outcome
The behavior produced/observed when a component or system is tested.
Ad-hoc Reviewing
A review technique carried out by independent reviewers informally, without a structured process.
Alpha Testing
Simulated or actual operational testing by potential users/customers or an independent test team at the
developers' site, but outside the development organization.
Alpha testing is often employed for off-the-shelf software as a form of internal acceptance testing.
Anomaly / Defect / Error / Fault / Failure / Incident / Problem
Any condition that deviates from expectation based on requirements specifications, design documents,
user documents, standards, etc., or from someone's perception or experience. Anomalies may be found
during, but not limited to, reviewing, testing, analysis, compilation, or use of software products or
applicable documentation.
Audit
, An independent examination of a work product, process, or set of processes that is performed by a third
party to assess compliance with specifications, standards, contractual agreements, or other criteria.
Availability
The degree to which a component or system is operational and accessible when required for use.
Behavior
The response of a component or system to a set of input, values and preconditions.
Beta Testing / Field Testing
Simulated or actual operational testing conducted at an external site, by roles outside the development
organization.
Black-Box Test Technique / Specification-based Technique
A procedure to derive and/or select test cases based on an analysis of the specification, either functional
or non-functional, of a component or system without reference to its internal structure.
Boundary Value
A minimum or maximum value of an ordered equivalence partition.
Boundary Value Analysis
A black-box test technique in which test cases are designed based on boundary values.
Burndown Chart
A publicly displayed chart that depicts the outstanding effort versus time in an iteration. It shows the
status and trend of completing the tasks of the iteration. The X-axis typically
represents days in the sprint, while the Y-axis is the remaining effort (usually either in ideal engineering
hours or story points).
Checklist-based Reviewing
A review technique guided by a list of questions or required attributes.
Checklist-based Testing
An experience-based test design technique whereby the experienced tester uses a high-level list of
items to be noted, checked, or remembered, or a set of rules or criteria against which a product has to
be verified.
Code Coverage
An analysis method that determines which parts of the software have been executed (covered) by the
test suite and which parts have not been executed, e.g. statement coverage, decision coverage or
condition coverage.
Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) / Off-the-Shelf Software
Questions & Definitions for Software Testing,
QA, Agile & Test Design Mastery.
Acceptance Criteria
The criteria that a component or system must satisfy in order to be accepted by a user, customer, or
other authorized entity.
Acceptance Testing
Formal testing with respect to user needs, requirements, and business processes conducted to
determine whether or not a system satisfies the acceptance criteria and to enable the user, customers
or other authorized entity to determine whether or not to accept the system.
Accessibility
The degree to which a component or system can be used by people with the widest range of
characteristics and capabilities to achieve a specified goal in a specified context of use.
Accessibility Testing
Testing to determine the ease by which users with disabilities can use a component or system.
Actual Result / Outcome
The behavior produced/observed when a component or system is tested.
Ad-hoc Reviewing
A review technique carried out by independent reviewers informally, without a structured process.
Alpha Testing
Simulated or actual operational testing by potential users/customers or an independent test team at the
developers' site, but outside the development organization.
Alpha testing is often employed for off-the-shelf software as a form of internal acceptance testing.
Anomaly / Defect / Error / Fault / Failure / Incident / Problem
Any condition that deviates from expectation based on requirements specifications, design documents,
user documents, standards, etc., or from someone's perception or experience. Anomalies may be found
during, but not limited to, reviewing, testing, analysis, compilation, or use of software products or
applicable documentation.
Audit
, An independent examination of a work product, process, or set of processes that is performed by a third
party to assess compliance with specifications, standards, contractual agreements, or other criteria.
Availability
The degree to which a component or system is operational and accessible when required for use.
Behavior
The response of a component or system to a set of input, values and preconditions.
Beta Testing / Field Testing
Simulated or actual operational testing conducted at an external site, by roles outside the development
organization.
Black-Box Test Technique / Specification-based Technique
A procedure to derive and/or select test cases based on an analysis of the specification, either functional
or non-functional, of a component or system without reference to its internal structure.
Boundary Value
A minimum or maximum value of an ordered equivalence partition.
Boundary Value Analysis
A black-box test technique in which test cases are designed based on boundary values.
Burndown Chart
A publicly displayed chart that depicts the outstanding effort versus time in an iteration. It shows the
status and trend of completing the tasks of the iteration. The X-axis typically
represents days in the sprint, while the Y-axis is the remaining effort (usually either in ideal engineering
hours or story points).
Checklist-based Reviewing
A review technique guided by a list of questions or required attributes.
Checklist-based Testing
An experience-based test design technique whereby the experienced tester uses a high-level list of
items to be noted, checked, or remembered, or a set of rules or criteria against which a product has to
be verified.
Code Coverage
An analysis method that determines which parts of the software have been executed (covered) by the
test suite and which parts have not been executed, e.g. statement coverage, decision coverage or
condition coverage.
Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) / Off-the-Shelf Software
