ISTQB-Agile-Public Questions and Answers

In Agile projects, a "Business-oriented work product" refers to any deliverable that provides business value or is directly usable by the end users or stakeholders of the project. Among the options provided, a user manual is a typical example of a business-oriented work product because it is designed for end users, helping them understand and use the product effectively. Other options, such as the released product itself, acceptance testing criteria, and usability test results, while important, do not fit the definition of a business-oriented work product in the same direct manner as a user manual does​​.

The acceptance criteria for a sprint focused on improving the performance of a system, like the one described for Sprint 5, typically include ensuring that the system meets specific performance benchmarks and that the functionality implemented in previous sprints continues to work as expected. Therefore, the most relevant acceptance criteria for such a sprint would be:

• iii) "100% of the existing regression test suite has passed." This criterion ensures that the new performance enhancements have not adversely affected the existing functionalities of the system. It's a common practice in agile projects to maintain the integrity and quality of the system by running regression tests. This is supported by the notion that continuous testing and quality assurance are integral components of agile methodologies, ensuring that each increment of the project maintains and improves the quality of the product (Source: Agile Project Management methodologies).
• iv) "System is responding in less than 3 seconds, 90% of the time." This criterion directly addresses the goal of the sprint, which is to increase the performance of the system. Setting a specific target for response times is a quantifiable and testable way to measure the improvement in performance. This aligns with agile principles, which emphasize delivering valuable, working software and encourage adaptive planning and continuous improvement. Performance targets like these help the team focus on delivering specific, valuable improvements to the system (Source: Principles behind the Agile Manifesto).

Options i) and v) are less relevant to the specific focus of Sprint 5, which is on performance improvement, and more about user roles and software compatibility, which are not directly tied to the performance objectives of the sprint. Therefore, options iii) and iv) constitute the most appropriate acceptance criteria for Sprint 5, focusing on ensuring that the system's performance meets the set benchmarks without compromising existing functionalities.

Scrum is the agile development approach that incorporates the practice of dividing a project into iterations called sprints, with each sprint resulting in a potentially releasable/shippable product. Scrum's iterative and incremental approach allows teams to deliver working software frequently, with a focus on delivering tangible value to the customer at the end of each sprint​​.

A test charter is primarily used in exploratory testing (i) to guide the test session with a clear mission or objective, which might be related to specific functionalities, user stories, or areas of the application, making reference to user stories (iii) plausible. It also contains notes taken during the test session (iv), which are crucial for documenting observations, anomalies, and insights gained during exploratory testing. This approach aligns with Agile's emphasis on individuals and interactions and responding to change, as exploratory testing is inherently adaptive and relies on the tester's skill, creativity, and intuition. It contrasts with more traditional, documentation-heavy approaches, emphasizing the value of working software and collaboration.

In release planning for Agile project management, activities such as identifying testable user stories with acceptance criteria (i), prioritizing the user stories (iii), and performing high-level estimation for the release (vi) are essential. These activities ensure that the team has a clear understanding of what needs to be delivered, the order of importance of the deliverables, and an estimate of the effort required to achieve the release goals​​.

The Test Pyramid is a concept that emphasizes the importance of incorporating testing early and throughout the software development cycle rather than leaving it until the end. This approach aligns with agile methodologies, which advocate for continuous integration and testing to identify and fix issues promptly, thereby improving the quality of the software and reducing the time and cost associated with late-stage testing.