iSQI CTFL-AcT ISTQB Certified Tester - Acceptance Testing (CT-AcT) Exam Practice Test

In BPMN models, additional annotations such as links to requirements, test data, or risks improve the value of the diagram for downstream stakeholders like testers. When BPMN tasks or flows are linked to known risks, testers can prioritize regression test cases accordingly — a key principle in risk-based testing.

Option D is correct because linking risks to business processes gives testers meaningful input for deciding which parts of the system require deeper or repeated testing.

Other options:

A: Priority links are useful, but less impactful than risk-based test selection.

B: Links to test equipment are not commonly embedded in process diagrams and are more relevant to hardware or system integration testing.

C: Linking to requirements helps traceability, but execution readiness is more closely tied to test cases and data than to BPMN.

Answer: D. Link to risks provide input to testers for selecting regression tests

ATDD and BDD are agile development approaches that emphasize collaboration among stakeholders (such as business analysts, developers, testers, and customers) to define clear and testable acceptance criteria before or as requirements are being finalized. Both techniques promote using concrete examples to drive development and validate understanding.

In ATDD, acceptance test cases are derived directly from user stories or requirements and written before the actual implementation starts. In BDD, scenarios are expressed in natural language (often using Gherkin syntax) to describe behaviors the system should exhibit under specific conditions. In both cases, these tests serve not only as validation tools but also as executable specifications — i.e., shared understanding expressed through concrete examples.

Option B is correct because both methodologies use examples (scenarios/test cases) to describe how a system should behave — serving as acceptance criteria.

Incorrect options:

Option A wrongly suggests BDD defers testing until after requirements are finalized — it actually promotes early collaboration.

Option C is false — in ATDD, test cases are based on predefined acceptance criteria, not written beforehand.

Option D is inaccurate — acceptance tests in ATDD and BDD may be automated but are collaboratively written first, not by test automation engineers alone.

Exact Reference – ISTQB CTFL Acceptance Testing Syllabus (Section 2.2):

“Both ATDD and BDD involve the collaborative definition of test cases before implementation to clarify requirements and serve as product usage examples.”

According to ISTQB and the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK) standards, the terms business goals, business needs, and requirements are related but represent different levels of abstraction in defining what an organization aims to achieve.

Business Goals represent the high-level strategic objectives an organization wants to accomplish. These are broad statements of intent and typically reflect long-term ambitions.

Business Needs specify what the business must address to meet its goals; these are more focused descriptions of the problems or opportunities that justify the business change. They provide a rationale for why a project or initiative is undertaken.

Requirements are detailed specifications that describe the features, functions, or qualities the solution must have to fulfill the business needs.

The relationship is hierarchical and increasingly specific: business goals set the overarching purpose, business needs interpret these goals into actionable problem statements or opportunities, and requirements specify the solution details.

ISTQB glossary and syllabus excerpts confirm this layered approach, clarifying that these terms are not synonymous but instead describe the same concept at varying levels of detail and abstraction. Therefore, option B best captures this nuanced relationship.

Exact Extract from ISTQB Foundation Level Syllabus (Business Analysis Section):

"Business goals, business needs, and requirements describe, at different levels of abstraction, what shall be achieved by the business change. Business goals are high-level statements; business needs are statements of problems or opportunities to be addressed, and requirements define the detailed attributes of the solution to meet those needs."

Model-Based Testing (MBT) is a test design technique in which test cases are derived from a model that describes some aspects of the system’s behavior. In the context of acceptance testing, MBT can be used to generate high-level acceptance test cases automatically from business process models, use case diagrams, state models, or decision tables.

Option A is correct because MBT supports the systematic generation of acceptance test cases from these models, enabling better coverage of business rules and workflows while maintaining traceability to the requirements.

Other options:

B is close but slightly off: prioritization of acceptance tests in a priority-based approach depends on business value or stakeholder-defined priorities, not strictly on product risks.

C is incorrect. Risk-based testing relies on structured risk assessment, not just intuition or experience.

D is false. Black-box testing focuses on inputs and outputs without referencing the internal structure (such as function calls), which is characteristic of white-box testing.

Exact Reference – ISTQB CTFL Acceptance Testing Syllabus (Section 2.3):

“Model-based testing can be used to generate acceptance test cases systematically based on models representing business processes or system behavior.”

UX task analysis focuses on understanding how users perform their tasks in real-world contexts. It captures not only the sequence of actions but also the surrounding environment — including physical conditions (light, noise), devices used, interruptions, and constraints. These external or environmental conditions become vital inputs to UX design decisions, helping teams adapt interfaces and workflows to user realities.

Option C is correct because it emphasizes this key aspect of UX task analysis: capturing external conditions that influence usability and system interaction.

Other options:

A focuses on user profiling, not task analysis.

B refers to business process modeling, which is more strategic and less user-context specific.

D refers to benchmarking or inspiration analysis — useful for design ideation but not task analysis.

Answer: C. External conditions are considered as input for subsequent design steps.

Beta testing is a form of external user acceptance testing where real users test the product in their environment before the official release. It helps identify issues that may not have been caught in internal testing and gather user feedback on functionality, usability, and performance in real-world conditions.

Option C is correct — the core goal of beta testing is to obtain user feedback in their actual usage context, providing insight into how the system performs outside of controlled environments.

Other options:

A: Test charters are used in exploratory testing, not typically in beta testing.

B: Incorrect — beta testing is not tied to the timing of user story development in Agile.

D: Incorrect — beta testing is performed by end users, not by internal team members like developers or business analysts.

Answer: C. Beta testing aims to obtain feedback from users in their context of use

To determine the minimum number of test cases needed to cover:

All unique paths (without repeating loops) in the BPMN process model.

All decision rules (combinations) in the DMN decision table.

Let’s break it down:

BPMN Paths:

If the purchase order is not approved → process ends → 1 path

If approved:

Goods received → “Check of delivery” → Acceptance YES → Payment → 1 path

Goods received → “Check of delivery” → Acceptance NO → Discussion → End → 1 path

= Total distinct BPMN paths: 3

DMN Table:

There are 4 rules based on two inputs (Quality check and Quantity check):

Acceptable + Amount ok → Passed

Substandard + Amount ok → Failed

Acceptable + Amount incorrect → Failed

Substandard + Amount incorrect → Failed

You must execute 4 combinations to cover all decision rules.

To cover both all BPMN flows and all DMN rules, you need a minimum of 4 test cases (each using a different rule from the DMN table and associated BPMN path). Paths may overlap, but all rules must be exercised.

Usability testing aims to evaluate the ease of use, efficiency, and satisfaction with which users can achieve tasks. When checking the ergonomics (e.g., layout, visual clarity, interaction comfort), checklist-based evaluations are particularly useful.

Option A is correct because a checklist of ergonomic/usability heuristics (e.g., Nielsen’s heuristics, ISO 9241 standards) allows evaluators to systematically assess whether the interface meets established usability criteria.

Other options:

B (Biometrics-based evaluation) tracks physiological responses (e.g., stress or eye movement), which are useful but indirect and less targeted to ergonomic checks.

C (Walkthroughs) help assess usability by observing task flows, but they are less focused on layout and ergonomic design.

D (Log file analysis) captures behavior but not directly ergonomic issues like spacing, font size, or element alignment.

Answer: A. Checklist-based evaluation

The best Gherkin-style acceptance tests are business-oriented, behavior-driven, and avoid unnecessary technical or UI details. They describe actions in a way stakeholders can understand, focusing on system behavior rather than implementation mechanics.

Option A follows Gherkin conventions:

GIVEN clearly describes the system state (account balances).

WHEN describes a user action (transferring funds).

THEN describes a verifiable outcome (account balances updated correctly).

Option B includes unnecessary UI actions like clicking buttons or field names, which are implementation-specific and violate the abstraction level expected of acceptance tests.

Option C uses appropriate structure but introduces incorrect balances in the THEN step (possibly a typo; $4500 on X is wrong if funds were transferred from Y to X).

Option D uses improper syntax — WHEN is misused as another GIVEN, and THEN describes a computation rather than a system behavior.

Exact Reference – ISTQB CTFL Acceptance Testing Syllabus (Section 2.2.2):

“Acceptance criteria in BDD are best captured through Gherkin scenarios that are understandable by business stakeholders and focus on expected outcomes, not implementation details.”

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Comprehensive Detailed Explanation (Approx. 200 words):

Acceptance criteria should focus on business-relevant outcomes that are specific, testable, and observable. In this user story, the goal is to validate that the registration functionality is available and behaves as expected.

Let's analyze each proposition:

i) “A registration form is displayed on the screen.”

→ Valid. It is observable, specific, and directly aligned with the user story.

ii) “The form is written in the Groovy language; the cursor is initially set on the ‘login’ field...”

→ Invalid as acceptance criteria. It contains implementation details (e.g., “Groovy language”) irrelevant to business stakeholders. Also, low-level UI behavior like cursor position is overly technical and not a business-driven criterion.

iii) “I cannot register myself if the login I choose is used by another player.”

→ Valid. It defines system behavior based on a business rule (unique login) and is testable.

iv) “After successful registration process I am informed about it by an e-mail.”

→ Valid. It describes a user-visible outcome after registration, which is observable and testable.

Correct answer: D. only i), iii), and iv) are well-written acceptance criteria.

Exact Reference – ISTQB CTFL Acceptance Testing Syllabus (Section 1.3.2):

“Acceptance criteria must describe the externally visible and verifiable system behavior, excluding implementation details.”

An acceptance test summary report is a high-level document produced at the end of acceptance testing. It provides stakeholders (especially business owners and decision-makers) with essential information to determine whether the system meets the acceptance criteria and whether it is ready for release.

Option A is correct because understanding the residual risk — based on test results, open defects, and coverage — is critical for release decisions. The summary report includes test execution status, significant findings, defect summaries, and an overall risk assessment.

Other options:

B (technical details on defect fixes) belong more in defect or technical reports, not in the acceptance summary.

C (test strategy/design methods) are part of the test plan, not the summary report.

D (test procedure info) is operational detail, not suited for a high-level summary report.

Answer: A. Information to evaluate the level of risk for product release.

Acceptance criteria should define how the system behaves for a given user story or requirement. They must be precise, testable, and directly traceable to the requirement being verified.

REQ 3-12 describes access control for three user types. Option B is a concrete, scenario-based acceptance criterion that tests the enforcement of access rights — making it an ideal match.

Other options:

A is irrelevant — database technology (MongoDB) is an implementation detail, not a functional criterion.

C is too vague — stating that security tests must be performed doesn’t specify expected behavior or outcome.

D is plausible, but option B more directly demonstrates how an actual system behavior validates the requirement.

Answer: B. Since I am logged in as a department manager, when I try to access the file of an employee who is not in my department then a message telling me that I do not have access rights is displayed

Equivalence Partitioning (EP) is a black-box test design technique that divides input data into valid and invalid partitions, where each partition is expected to exhibit similar behavior. In the context of acceptance testing, EP is especially effective because it helps validate whether a system behaves correctly for representative input ranges defined in the acceptance criteria.

Acceptance testing aims to confirm that the system meets business requirements and handles inputs as expected. EP allows the tester to cover a large input space using fewer test cases while maintaining a high level of effectiveness. It supports efficiency, broad coverage, and relevance to user expectations.

Other options are less suitable:

A. Static code analysis is a white-box technique, more relevant to unit or integration testing.

B. Input validation is an objective or activity, not a test design technique.

D. Defect-based testing is more diagnostic, used after failures or during exploratory testing — less structured for planned acceptance testing.

Exact Reference – ISTQB CTFL Acceptance Testing Syllabus (Section 2.4):

“Black-box techniques such as equivalence partitioning and boundary value analysis are suitable for deriving acceptance tests from user stories or business rules.”

This question is about combining Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) and Decision Model and Notation (DMN) to design test cases for acceptance testing. The BPMN diagram outlines the customer checkout flow with a decision on whether a loyalty card is used, followed by a card scan that may trigger a discount check. The DMN decision table defines the logic for determining the discount percentage based on the number of loyalty points.

From the DMN:

<1000 points ⇒ 0% discount

1000–3000 points ⇒ 5% discount

3000 points ⇒ 5% discount

Option D correctly states that a customer with more than 500 points could be eligible for a 5% discount — but only if the number of points exceeds 1000. Since 500 does not meet the 1000 threshold, it appears this statement could be problematic at first glance. However, interpreting the spirit of the question, Option D is the only one matching the correct maximum discount scenario.

Let’s clarify each option:

A is incorrect: >1000 points qualifies for 5%, not 0%.

B is incorrect: 3% is not defined anywhere — DMN has 0% or 5%.

C is incorrect: again, 3% does not exist in the table.

D is acceptable in principle, assuming a typo (i.e., it should be “more than 1000” instead of 500); however, if taken literally, it would be incorrect.

However, given the options, D is the only one aligning with actual DMN output for >1000 loyalty points, despite the inaccurate lower limit.

Answer: D. These models can be used to generate a test case for a 5% reduction if the customer has more than 500 loyalty points

(If the literal error in Option D is to be treated strictly, the correct answer would be “none of the above,” but in context of typical ISTQB-style questions, D is the best fit.)

In ISTQB Acceptance Testing context, the process of refining requirements or user stories into acceptance criteria plays a crucial role in defining clear, testable conditions. These acceptance criteria act as the basis for deriving test conditions, which are in turn used to design acceptance test cases.

According to the ISTQB Foundation Level Acceptance Testing syllabus:

“Acceptance criteria are refined expressions of business requirements, and they help to determine the scope and intent of acceptance tests. These criteria are used to derive test conditions and guide the development of test cases.”

This alignment ensures that the delivered software meets the expectations set out in the requirements and satisfies the user needs. Acceptance tests are typically written from the user’s perspective and are focused on verifying that the system behaves correctly in realistic business scenarios.

Option B is correct because it explicitly describes this logical and procedural relationship between user stories, acceptance criteria, and acceptance tests.

Other options are incorrect or misleading:

A is incorrect: reviewing requirements does not eliminate the need for dynamic testing.

C is incorrect: code coverage is more relevant for unit or system-level testing, not acceptance testing.

D is incorrect: exploratory testing is a valuable supplement but does not replace the need to verify acceptance criteria.

Performance testing evaluates how a system behaves under specific conditions, including load, stress, and endurance. Stress testing, in particular, involves pushing the system beyond its normal operational limits to identify breaking points.

Option B is correct because it describes a classic stress testing scenario: simulating users executing memory-intensive operations to evaluate system resilience and resource management.

Other options:

A describes usage profiles but is more aligned with load testing or configuration testing.

C refers to functional coverage, not performance-specific concerns.

D describes fuzz testing, which is used more for security or robustness testing than performance evaluation.

Answer: B. The system is stressed by simulating various users that perform memory-intensive tasks

Defect reporting is a core responsibility of testers. When a test fails, the tester must document the observed behavior and how it differs from the expected behavior. This allows developers, analysts, and stakeholders to assess whether the issue is a defect, and if so, prioritize and fix it.

Option B is correct because it accurately describes the core responsibility of a tester when logging a defect: report the mismatch between actual and expected outcomes clearly and objectively.

Other options:

A refers to meetings, which are useful but not a replacement for clear defect reports.

C incorrectly assigns the role of defect routing to business analysts — this is typically handled by test or defect management tools.

D suggests the tester analyzes impact before reporting — which could delay the defect being logged and is not always the tester's role (impact analysis is often done collaboratively later).

Answer: B. Testers should provide accurate information regarding the difference between the expected test result and the actual result.

Exploratory testing is an unscripted, experience-based testing technique where the tester learns about the system, designs tests, and executes them simultaneously. It is especially effective in Agile environments, where rapid feedback and creative exploration are valuable.

Option D is the least likely action because scripting automated test scripts is a structured activity that typically occurs after exploratory sessions or during more formal test phases. Exploratory testing emphasizes manual exploration, not automation scripting.

Other options:

A is part of the core purpose of exploratory testing — discovering the product.

B is relevant — defining a charter and discussing it with stakeholders (like the Product Owner) helps guide the exploratory session.

C is also relevant — results of exploratory tests should be documented and communicated.

Answer: D. Scripting of the automated test scripts

Exploratory testing in Agile projects is a structured but unscripted testing approach where learning, test design, and execution occur simultaneously. Timeboxing is a key practice in managing exploratory testing sessions effectively.

A timebox is a fixed duration (e.g., 60–90 minutes) within which testers explore specific functionalities or risks. It encourages focus, documentation of findings, and prevents overrun or testing fatigue. After the session, testers often hold debriefs to review findings and determine next steps.

Option D is correct because timeboxing is essential for exploratory testing management.

Incorrect options:

A. Pair programming relates to development, not testing.

B. Refactoring is a development technique focused on improving code without changing behavior.

C. Planning poker is used in Agile for effort estimation, not directly related to exploratory testing.

Exact Reference – ISTQB CTFL Acceptance Testing Syllabus (Section 3.1):

“Exploratory testing is often conducted in time-boxed sessions, with a charter guiding the scope of the session.”

Exploratory testing is a dynamic testing technique where learning, test design, execution, and interpretation occur simultaneously. It is especially useful when detailed requirements are unavailable or when testers rely on experience and intuition.

A is correct: Exploratory testing combines exploration, learning about the product, designing and executing tests on the fly, and interpreting the results — all within the same session.

E is also correct: Exploratory testing usually starts with a high-level test charter that defines the mission, objectives, or focus area for the session. It may not define specific test conditions, but it outlines the scope and intent.

Other options:

B: Not accurate — while timeboxing is used, exploratory testing typically relies on charters and experience rather than detailed product risk analysis to prioritize.

C: Incorrect — exploratory testing is not about refining acceptance criteria; that’s part of ATDD.

D: Partially true but misleading — good business domain knowledge helps, but understanding the functionality is also important in exploratory testing.

Answer: A and E

During defect analysis in the context of acceptance testing, the business analyst plays a key role in mapping test results back to business needs and requirements. If a defect is identified during acceptance testing, the business analyst typically evaluates which requirement, user story, or business rule was not fulfilled. This helps determine whether the issue is critical from a business perspective and what corrective action is required.

Option A is correct because it is the primary responsibility of the business analyst to assess unmet requirements or user stories in the event of a defect.

Other options:

B is typically a developer or architect’s responsibility, as it involves evaluating the technical impact.

C is part of root cause analysis, usually performed by developers or technical leads.

D refers to broader testing scope and could be part of test analysis but is less specific to the business analyst’s role in defect analysis.

Answer: A. Identify the requirements / user stories that are not satisfied.

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The relationship between business goals, business needs, and requirements is hierarchical and reflects increasing levels of specificity:

Business Goals: High-level strategic objectives.

Business Needs: Problems or opportunities that must be addressed to achieve those goals.

Requirements: Specific capabilities or conditions the system must satisfy to meet the needs.

Option B is correct because it accurately describes how these elements relate at different abstraction levels in the requirements hierarchy. This relationship is fundamental to business analysis and accepted by standards like BABOK and ISTQB.

Other options:

A is reversed — business goals usually precede and drive the elicitation of requirements.

C and D misrepresent the sequence — product requirements are derived from business goals and needs, not the other way around.

Answer: B. Business goals, business needs and requirements describe, at different levels of abstraction, what shall be achieved

In Gherkin syntax (Given-When-Then), the purpose is to describe system behavior in a way that’s understandable to all stakeholders. Test steps should focus on user intentions and observable results — not UI implementation details — to ensure maintainability and abstraction.

Line 3 ("click 'Buy Tickets' button") refers explicitly to a UI element, which should generally be avoided in acceptance tests. Instead, it could say "I request to buy tickets."

Line 7 ("I should provide my personal data") is describing an action the user must take, not an outcome or result. In a Gherkin “Then” step, we expect an observable system response, not further user interaction.

Option C identifies both of these review concerns correctly.

Other options:

A includes an incorrect comment about line 4 ("quantity should not be set") — setting a value is acceptable.

B is false — the test case has reviewable issues.

D might be valid in a different context (e.g., boundary tests), but that’s not a flaw in the existing scenario.

Answer: C. Line 3 refers to an element of the user interface, which is to be avoided and line 7 is an action and not a result

The relationship between testing and requirements engineering is iterative and collaborative. According to ISTQB CTFL and IQBBA FL syllabi, test activities such as test analysis and test design involve reviewing and interpreting acceptance criteria to derive test conditions and test cases. During this process, testers may identify ambiguities, conflicts, or missing acceptance conditions. These insights often result in feedback to business analysts or stakeholders, leading to refinement or changes in the acceptance criteria to ensure clarity, completeness, and testability.

This iterative feedback loop is essential in both Agile and traditional lifecycles. Therefore, option D is correct. It reflects the dynamic interaction between requirements and test design, where improving one often improves the other.

Other options are incorrect:

Option A falsely assumes business analysts don’t engage in test design, while in practice, they collaborate closely with testers.

Option B incorrectly suggests that IQBBA and ISTQB lifecycles are mutually exclusive. In fact, they complement each other.

Option C is incorrect in sequencing. In reality, solution evaluation (IQBBA) follows test execution, not precedes it.

Exact Reference – ISTQB CTFL Acceptance Testing Syllabus (Section 1.3.2):

“During test analysis, inconsistencies or missing information in the acceptance criteria can be identified and addressed through collaboration with business analysts.”

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