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ISTQB® Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL)  


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Length: 5 day (40 hours)

 

The CTFL v4.0 course provides a comprehensive introduction to the terminology and concepts used in the software testing domain worldwide. It moves away from the traditional "siloed" testing approach and focuses on a "Whole Team Approach" to quality. The curriculum covers the essential ideas, processes, and tools required to set a professional path in software testing, ensuring participants can contribute effectively to any software development lifecycle (SDLC).

Formal Requirements: There are no formal prerequisites or prior certifications required to attend the course or sit for the exam.

Recommended Background: While not mandatory, it is highly recommended that candidates have a basic understanding of IT or about six months of experience in a software-related role (testing, development, or business analysis).

Technical Literacy: Basic familiarity with how software is developed and the general goals of a business project.


The CTFL is designed for anyone who needs to demonstrate practical knowledge of software testing, including:

  • Testing Professionals: Testers, Test Analysts, Test Engineers, and Test Managers.
  • Development Team Members: Software Developers and DevOps Engineers who want to understand the "Quality" side of the code.
  • Leadership & Management: Project Managers, Quality Managers, and IT Directors.
  • Business Stakeholders: Business Analysts and User Acceptance Testers (UAT).
  • Career Changers: Individuals looking to enter the tech industry through the Quality Assurance (QA) path.
Course objectivesCourse outlines

Course objectives

After completing this course, students will be able to:

    • Optimize Test Practices: Understand fundamental concepts and how to apply them to optimize testing in different SDLC contexts (Agile, Waterfall, etc.).
    • Implement Test Techniques: Use established black-box, white-box, and experience-based techniques to design effective tests.
    • Manage Test Activities: Understand test planning, prioritization, and the impact of risk on testing efforts.
    • Collaborate Effectively: Contribute to reviews and work within a cross-functional team using the "whole team" approach to quality.
    • Analyze Tools: Know the risks and benefits of test automation and identify essential tools to support testing.

Course outlines

    • Chapter 1: Fundamentals of Testing
      • What is Testing? (Objectives, Testing vs. Debugging).
      • Why is Testing Necessary? (Testing and QA, Errors, Defects, and Failures).
      • Testing Principles: The 7 fundamental principles of testing.
      • Psychology of Testing: How to communicate effectively between testers and developers.
    • Chapter 2: Testing Throughout the SDLC
      • Testing in the Context of SDLC (DevOps, Shift-Left, and Retrospectives).
      • Test Levels: Unit, Integration, System, and Acceptance Testing.
      • Test Types: Functional, Non-functional, White-box, and Change-related testing.
    • Chapter 3: Static Testing
      • Static Testing Basics: The value of finding defects without executing code.
      • The Review Process: Roles, responsibilities, and success factors for formal and informal reviews.
    • Chapter 4: Test Analysis and Design
      • Black-Box Techniques: Equivalence Partitioning, Boundary Value Analysis, Decision Tables, and State Transition Testing.
      • White-Box Techniques: Statement and Branch testing/coverage.
      • Experience-Based Techniques: Error Guessing, Exploratory Testing, and Checklist-based testing.
      • Collaboration-Based Testing: Writing User Stories and Acceptance Criteria (ATDD).
    • Chapter 5: Managing the Test Activities
      • Test Planning: Estimation techniques, Test Pyramid, and Testing Quadrants.
      • Risk Management: Distinguishing between Project and Product risks.
      • Defect Management: How to write a clear and understandable defect report.
    • Chapter 6: Test Tools
      • Tool Support: Classifying test tools and their implementation.
      • Test Automation: Identifying the benefits, risks, and limitations of automating tests