About the Exam

This ISTQB Expert Level exam is the first part of the Improving the Test Process certification. It is aimed at experienced software testing professionals who want to specialize in assessing and advising on test process improvement within an organization or project. The exam covers the context of improvement, recognized improvement models, analytic approaches, selecting an improvement approach, and initiating the improvement process. Passing demonstrates the ability to assess the current status of a test process and support step-wise improvement work.

Exam Topics

  • Introduction2%
  • The Context of Improvement8%
  • Model-based Improvement17%
  • Analytic-based Improvement16%
  • Selecting the Approach for Test Process Improvement3%
  • Process for Improvement27%
  • Organization, Roles and Skills13%
  • Managing Change8%
  • Critical Success Factors9%
  • Adapting to Different Life Cycle Models2%

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Last updated March 13, 2026 at 5:54 PM

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QuestionQ1

Selecting the Approach for Test Process Improvement

Which ONE of the following is the BEST reason that SCRUM is an effective approach for implementing test process improvement?

Explanation

Iterations create short feedback loops that enable test-process changes to be assessed quickly, adapted based on results, and improved continuously.

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QuestionQ2

Process for Improvement

During which phase of the IDEAL improvement process is it MOST appropriate to perform reverse fishbone analysis?

Explanation

Reverse fishbone analysis identifies and organizes the benefits and success factors resulting from a successfully implemented change. The IDEAL Learning phase evaluates results and captures lessons for future improvement cycles.

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QuestionQ3

Analytic-based Improvement

As a test manager, you are asked to apply causal-analysis techniques to determine why a regression test that passed during system testing failed in production use. This caused significant reputational damage to the business, so you want to ensure that you find the true cause of the issue.

You interview the test engineer who created and executed the test. The test object was a complex overnight batch. The batch processed a significant volume of financial-market data and calculated financial risk.

As you discuss the details with the test engineer, it appears they executed the test during working hours rather than overnight. You also discover that the batch processed live financial data instead of specially crafted test data. You ask why live data was used, and the test analyst explains that this was approved because the data is public. They also explain that the expected result is for the result to match the live system, because otherwise the expected result is too difficult to calculate.

You ask a business analyst to help determine the cause. They investigate and establish that the issue could be reproduced only during a particular time window, when a particular data boundary was crossed.

You want to draw a fishbone analysis of this. From left to right, which is the MOST correct diagram to draw:

Explanation

A cause-and-effect (Ishikawa or fishbone) diagram supports root-cause analysis by linking increasingly specific contributing causes to the observed problem. The missing time-of-day test condition caused the batch to be run during the working day, so the relevant overnight data-boundary condition was not exercised. The test therefore produced an incorrect passing result, allowing the failure to reach production.

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QuestionQ4

Process for Improvement

During which phase of the IDEAL improvement process would you plan the assessment?

Explanation

The Establishing phase defines the improvement goals, measures of success, and implementation plan, including how the results will be assessed.

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QuestionQ5

Critical Success Factors

Which ONE of the following metrics is MOST suitable for measuring software quality?

Explanation

The Cost of Quality Ratio measures the resources spent preventing, assessing, and correcting quality problems. It provides an overall indicator of the effectiveness and cost impact of software quality practices.

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Topics covered
IntroductionThe Context of ImprovementModel-based ImprovementAnalytic-based ImprovementSelecting the Approach for Test Process ImprovementProcess for ImprovementOrganization, Roles and SkillsManaging ChangeCritical Success FactorsAdapting to Different Life Cycle Models
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