CTAL-TM: Certified Tester Advanced Level Test Manager Interview Questions

The Certified Tester Advanced Level-Test Manager (CTAL-TM) is an important role recognized by the ISTQB. Passing the interview will require a deep knowledge of management of test efforts and overseeing functionality testing, usability testing, and automation. As an advanced-level test manager, you’ll be responsible for testing software for non-functional requirements, using both black box and white box methods.

So, you obviously would want to be prepared and be able to showcase your skills to overpower that of other candidates. If it is so, then you’re in the right place. Below is a list of the top Certified Tester Advanced Level-Test Manager (CTAL-TM) Interview Questions, to help you excel and get a career as a Test manager. Let’s have a look!

1. Why is system testing neccessary?

System testing is performed in the context of either system requirement specifications or functional requirement specifications, or both. This type of testing checks to make sure that the design and behavior of the system meet the customer’s expectations.

2. What is the right order of the test process activities?

The correct order of the testing process is firstly Unit testing, then Integration testing, Validation testing & finally System testing.

3. Can you distinguish between testing and monitoring?

Performance testing helps you ensure that you’re delivering great user experiences. On the other hand, Monitoring helps increase the speed, transparency, and reliability of those user experiences.

4. Can we do the testing before performing implementation?

When you create software, you’ll typically go through the steps: evaluating requirements, implementing them, and then testing them. But if you can plan ahead and test your software along with the implementation, you will save time.

5. What do you understand by test execution?

est Execution is the name of an issue type that aggregates a group of tests. It verifies that the tests are working correctly in a specified context and environment.

6. What must you consider while performing test monitoring by evaluation of exit criteria?

Firstly, make sure you’ve run all your tests, and that they have helped you meet your requirements
Then, check that there aren’t any critical or high-severity bugs left to fix
Finally, try to make sure that you’re covering all the risks we came up with.

7. What is the main idea behind the exit criteria in a test plan?

Exit criteria are a way of making sure that you don’t stop testing something until you have finished all the possible tests. It can also be used to report against certain criteria. Because some tasks can take a long time, it’s important to know when to stop testing. Exit criteria are a set of specific measurements that should be met before testing is considered complete.

8. What approach would you use for risk-based testing?

You can minimize the residual risk of your product by assessing the risks over a longer period of time and modifying your testing efforts accordingly. Measurement of test results enables you to determine the residual level of quality risks during testing and to make smart decisions about release.

9. Can you classify the metrics in software testing?

Software metrics are a set of standard tools for measuring software development. It can be divided into three categories: product metrics, process metrics, and project metrics.

10. Can you elaborate Distributed, Outsourced, and Insourced Testing?

Distributed – where the test team is is split up and working from multiple locations.
Outsourced – here test team is independent of the team working on the project. The team consists of people from different companies who work remotely.
Insourced – here the test team works at the same location as the project team but they are employed by a different company.

11. What constitutes management review?

Firstly, the management reviews must be documented, and the team should record their observations, conclusions, and recommendations for further necessary action. They should follow up to ensure that the action was effectively implemented. Management reviews are conducted to identify and address problems, as well as to reinforce positive performance.

12. Which characteristics are associated with auditing?

Auditing has six essential features or characteristics, including:

Fisrt and most importantly, systematic process.
Secondly, three-party relationship.
Then, subject matter.
Evidence
Also, established criteria.
Finally, opinion

13. What determines whether reviews are successful?

The following factors contribute to the success of reviews:

Firstly, each review must have a clear predefined objective
Then, the right people for the review objectives are thoroughly involved
Then, Testers, in this case, are valued reviewers who contribute to the review process and can prepare tests earlier.
Found defects are always welcome, whether they are in the form of ideas or actual problems.
Also, any people issue and psychological aspects are efficiently dealt with
Further, the review must be conducted in an atmosphere of trust; the outcome will not be used for the evaluation of the participants
The review will be conducted in trust and the results will not be used for the evaluation of the participants.
Since defects tend to reappear, checklists are used to ensure that all the defects have been caught.
Subsequently, training is given for all techniques, especially the formal techniques like inspection.
Last but not the least, emphasis is given on learning and process improvement

14. Can you explain the main kinds of Software Peer Review?

Code Review: Here, the source code of the software is examined to remove bugs from it.
Pair programming: It is also a code review that involves two people. Two developers work on the same code at the same workstation.
Inspection: a formal review where a single person examines a defined set of instructions for finding defect/defects.
Walkthrough: It allows software developers to discuss possible solutions to the software defects.
Technical review: Here’s the team of specialists who make sure the software product meets your specifications

15. What are the guidelines that a person has to follow to perform a perfect review?

Fisrtly, defect Prevention is the main goal of the software, along with looking out for the functionality
Then, a review of all the requirement specifications must be carefully done to evaluate the software as per required.
Also, the list should be clarified.
Finally, portability, security and also maintainability should be checked in the build software.

16. Can you tell the main reason behind using the formal review?

The main goal of the formal review is to evaluate the software’s conformance with specifications, plans, and objectives. Here, the management or the technical leaders follow the recommendations and make sure that there are no problems in process documentation and any modifications are properly included in the process.

17. Can you list the different activities involved in the formal review?

Below mentioned are the main activities associated with a formal review:

Firstly, Planning: The review criteria is defined
Secondly, Kick-off: The documents are distributed
Then, Individual preparation: By reviewing the document(s), the preparations are made for the review meeting
Also, Evaluation and recording of the results of the review meeting
Further, Rework
Finally, Follow-up

18. How would you define the defect management process?

The Defect Management Process (DMP) is designed to help improve existing processes by finding and fixing faults, addressing the root causes of problems, and then developing better solutions. First, your organization discovers and resolves defects in your products. Later, you analyze these defects to find ways to improve your product-quality processes.

19. Can you elaborate on the defect life cycle?

A bug goes through a life cycle during its lifetime. It starts when it’s found and ends after it’s fixed, to ensure that it’s not reproduced. It is related to the defect found during testing.

20. Can you name the stages associated with the defect life cycle?

The defect life cycle involved the below-given stages:

Firstly, the Requirement Analysis.
Secondly, the Test Planning.
Then, the Test Case Development.
Further, the Environment Setup.
Also, the Test Execution.
Finally, the Test Cycle Closure.

21. How would you explain the process of the Software Development Life Cycle?

The software development life cycle is the series of steps you go through to create, design, and deliver high-quality software according to your customer’s requirements. During each phase of the life cycle, a developer works with a client to deliver high-quality functional software.

22. Can you identify the four crucial steps of the defect management process?

Step 1: Defect Visibility
Step 2: Defect Prioritization
Step 3: Defect Resolution
Step 4: Defect Analysis

23. What are the main tools that you use for the defect management process?

A list of the top bug and defect management tools are as follows:

Teamwork.
Trello.
Asana.
Redbooth.
Active Collab.
Jira.
DoneDone.
Mantis.

24. What sections would you include in an ideal defect report?

The following sections are important in a defect report:

First and most importantly, the Summary (title)
Secondly, Description.
Build/platform.
Then, Steps to reproduce.
Also, Expected results.
Actual results.
Last but not the least, Research.
Finally, Support documentation.

25. How would you distinguish between the CMMi model and TMMi model?

The CMMi model is an internationally accepted standard for software process assessment, and the TMMi framework focuses mainly on improving the testing processes. CMMi is a framework used to evaluate the maturity of a software development organization. While the TMMi model is an enhanced version of CMMi that focuses on testing practices.

26. Can you elaborate on the IDEAL model to me?

The IDEAL model—sometimes called the IDEAL S-curve—is an organizational improvement methodology that helps managers plan and implement improvement actions. This acronym stands for these five phases: initiating, diagnosing, establishing, acting, and learning.

27. Can you tell the significance of open source tools in testing?

Open-source testing tools are computer programs that let you plan, execute log defects, and more. You can use these software applications to test various software firmness and thoroughness. Also, you can use these applications to plan, build, execute, log defects, and more.

28. What are the four important maturity levels as defined in the TPI Next model?

Initial, Controlled, Efficient, and Optimizing are the four maturity levels.

29. What is the IDEAL model’s process for implementing process improvement?

Firstly, Initialize the improvement process
Secondly, Diagnose the current situation
Then, Establish a test process improvement plan
Subsequently, Act to implement improvement
Finally, learning from the improvement program

30. Can you describe some of the challenges in a testing project?

Some of the major challenges one can face during software testing include:

Firstly, the testing phase is generally under a certain time constraint
Second, understanding system requirements can often tend to be a challenge
Also, the application needs to be stable
Then, there are frequent requirements changes
Last but not the least, there is a lack of tools, resources, and training