CTFL-AcT iSQI ISTQB Certified Tester - Acceptance Testing (CT-AcT) Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

In ATDD (Acceptance Test-Driven Development), business process modeling (e.g., using BPMN) is a powerful way to visualize workflows and system behavior from the user's perspective. Testers can use these models to derive acceptance test cases by covering different business paths, including normal flows, alternate flows, and exception conditions.

Option A is correct because it reflects this practical usage: testers analyze the business process model and create test cases to ensure coverage of the different paths the system might take. This aligns acceptance testing directly with business logic and enhances traceability.

Other options:

B is partially valid but less direct; business analysts help define rules, but test case creation is a tester's role.

C reverses the correct flow; BPMN models are often created first and used to define or validate acceptance criteria, not the other way around.

D is incorrect — requirements/user stories are usually defined through stakeholder collaboration, not auto-generated from BPMN diagrams.

Answer: A. Testers use business process models to write test cases that cover the different paths.

Decision Model and Notation (DMN) is a standardized approach used to model decision logic, often represented in decision tables that evaluate inputs and determine outputs. In this scenario, the entitlements granted to a candidate are based on the total score from two exams, where:

Each exam can be graded as either 0 or 1.

The combined score can be 0, 1, or 2.

The entitlements depend on the combined result:

0 → No entitlements

1 → Partial entitlements

2 → Full entitlements

Among the given diagrams:

Option A simply lists test cases but lacks explicit logic modeling.

Option B shows a mapping from total score to entitlements but doesn't model how the total is derived from the two exams.

Option C redundantly splits outputs into multiple Boolean fields and doesn't reflect how the decision is made from exam inputs.

Option D is the correct representation.

Option D uses:

e1 and e2 as inputs for Exam #1 and Exam #2.

Result as the sum of e1 + e2.

A final Output mapped based on the Result:

0 → No

1 → Partial

2 → Full

This structure accurately follows the DMN standard by expressing inputs, a derived result, and the corresponding decision output, making Option D the correct and most complete decision model.

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

“Decision tables are commonly used to express business rules that determine outputs based on combinations of inputs. DMN formalizes this structure to support automated reasoning.”

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

In acceptance testing, testers execute test cases that are directly derived from user stories or requirements via their acceptance criteria. During execution, testers compare the actual outcome of the system with the expected result described in the acceptance criteria. If there's a mismatch (a deviation), it is documented as a defect or discrepancy.

This process is essential for validating that the system meets business needs. The tester’s role includes reporting clear, objective findings—not fixing the defect or deciding its severity (which might involve developers or business analysts).

Option A is incorrect: Business analysts may support testing, but execution is primarily a tester’s responsibility.

Option C is not fully correct: While developers may fix defects, assignment and triage follow a formal workflow and do not happen automatically.

Option D is incorrect: Business analysts don’t repeat test executions; this is the tester’s responsibility.

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

Bi-directional traceability is a fundamental concept in requirements engineering and test management. It refers to the ability to trace:

Forward: From requirements/user stories to corresponding test cases (to ensure all requirements are covered).

Backward: From test cases to the requirements they validate (to ensure every test aligns with a requirement).

According to the ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level and Acceptance Testing syllabi, bi-directional traceability is essential to manage test coverage and ensure completeness. It allows project managers and product owners to assess whether all specified requirements/user stories have been covered by appropriate test cases, helping to identify any untested functionality.

This also supports impact analysis during change management — knowing which test cases will be affected by a change in a requirement.

Option B is correct because it precisely captures this benefit. While Option C refers to reviewing test cases against acceptance criteria (a valid review activity), the bi-directional traceability's key benefit from a management and quality assurance perspective is traceability for coverage.

Effective test reporting should be tailored to the audience’s role and needs. Project managers are typically concerned with high-level progress, schedules, risks, and milestones. Progress trend charts (e.g., test execution over time, defect trends) provide insights into how the project is advancing and help identify delays or bottlenecks.

Option B is correct as it fits the informational needs of a project manager.

Other options:

A: Defect reports are too detailed for steering groups, which prefer strategic summaries or risk reports.

C: Pie charts may provide high-level summaries, but development teams usually need detailed defect or test result data.

D: System users (e.g., customers) are not responsible for project risks and would not benefit from test risk rankings.

Answer: B. Progress trend charts for the project manager

Performance testing assesses how a system behaves under specific conditions, typically focusing on responsiveness, stability, and resource usage. The type of performance test depends on the workload model:

Load testing evaluates performance under expected peak usage.

Stress testing pushes the system beyond its capacity to assess limits.

Endurance/stability testing checks for performance degradation over extended periods.

Option A correctly describes that performance test types are determined by the workload simulation strategy.

Other options:

B confuses performance with security testing — malicious attack robustness is a security focus, not performance.

C is partly correct but less comprehensive than A. While testing should simulate realistic conditions, categorization into stress/load/endurance is better aligned with workload modeling.

D is misleading — performance tests validate systems against performance requirements; they are not primarily used to define them.

Answer: A. Depending on the model used to simulate the workload, performance tests are called load, stress or endurance / stability tests.

The goal here is to achieve full decision coverage (also known as branch coverage), which means each decision point in the process must evaluate to both TRUE and FALSE at least once during testing.

From the BPMN ATM withdrawal model, we identify two key decisions:

Is the balance ≥ $100?

If yes, is receipt = YES?

To achieve full decision coverage:

One test must evaluate decision 1 as TRUE and another as FALSE.

If decision 1 is TRUE, then decision 2 must be exercised both ways (receipt = YES and NO), but for minimal decision coverage, one path through decision 2 is enough.

Analyzing test cases:

Test 1 (balance = $100, receipt = YES): decision 1 = TRUE, decision 2 = TRUE

Test 2 (balance = $99): decision 1 = FALSE

These two tests ensure:

Decision 1 evaluated TRUE (Test 1) and FALSE (Test 2)

Decision 2 evaluated at least once (receipt = YES in Test 1)

Thus, Test 1 and Test 2 form the minimal set for full decision coverage.

Other options:

C and D are redundant for the minimal set.

A includes an extra test not needed for minimal decision coverage.

Answer: B. Test 1, Test 2

Beta testing is a type of external user acceptance testing performed by potential or existing customers in a real-world environment. It typically occurs after internal validation and acceptance tests have been passed. The purpose is to validate the product in realistic contexts, identify usability issues, uncover defects that may have been missed in lab settings, and gather feedback for improvements.

Option C is correct because it best describes the intent and value of beta testing — to observe how the product performs in real-life configurations, which may include varying hardware, usage patterns, or business workflows.

Option A is incorrect — while some people use the terms loosely, beta testing is not a strict synonym for acceptance testing. Acceptance testing usually refers to more formal, criteria-driven testing (e.g., alpha or internal acceptance testing), while beta testing emphasizes broad, usage-based validation.

Option B is misleading — beta testers may follow scenarios, but beta testing is not typically based on predefined acceptance criteria alone. It emphasizes exploration in realistic use cases.

Option D is false — beta testing is not primarily about measuring test coverage. It is qualitative and feedback-driven rather than systematically structured.

Exact Reference – ISTQB CTFL Acceptance Testing Syllabus (Section 3.2):

“Beta testing is performed by users in their own environment and supports validation of the system in realistic operational conditions.”

UX (User Experience) requirement analysis involves studying the context in which users will interact with a system. This includes analyzing:

Who the users are (personas/user profiles)

What tasks they perform (task analysis)

Where and how they perform them (environmental conditions)

Option D is correct because task analysis in UX encompasses understanding the user’s physical and digital environment. Environmental conditions (e.g., lighting, noise, interruptions) are important for designing accessible and effective interfaces.

Let’s review other options:

A is partially correct but not fully aligned — personas describe user archetypes, not primarily competitor analysis.

B refers to user profiling but interprets it narrowly. Business knowledge is only one part of profiling.

C confuses security with UX. Security requirements often come from risk analysis, not usage scenarios.

Answer: D. Environmental conditions such as light conditions are obtained from a task analysis.

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.

Acceptance criteria define the conditions under which a user story or requirement is considered complete and acceptable to stakeholders. They clarify the expected behavior, outcomes, or attributes of the system.

Option C is correct because it accurately reflects that acceptance criteria are used to specify what is expected from the system in relation to a given requirement or user story. This ensures a shared understanding among developers, testers, and business stakeholders.

Other options:

A is vague and misleading — acceptance criteria relate directly to specific stories or features, not generally to high-level goals.

B is partially correct but limited — while acceptance criteria help define test conditions, their purpose is broader than just test specification.

D is incorrect — acceptance criteria are not related to code coverage, which is a technical test metric.

Answer: C. For each requirement or user story, the acceptance criteria refine and specify what is expected

Acceptance testing often relies on understanding and validating business processes and business rules. These are typically visualized and documented using business process modeling techniques such as BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) and decision tables (DMN – Decision Model and Notation).

Business Process Management (BPM) tools are specifically designed for modeling and managing such workflows and rules. These tools are commonly used during acceptance test design to align tests with business objectives and processes.

Option C is correct because it directly aligns with the use of business process modeling in acceptance testing activities.

Other options:

A is incorrect because requirements management tools are more focused on requirement traceability and prioritization, not managing test execution campaigns.

B confuses roles — test management/automation tools can assist with test generation, but “business process model-based” generation is more accurately linked to BPM or model-based testing tools.

D is incorrect — model-based testing tools are used for test case generation, not incident management.

Answer: C. Business process management tools for modeling business processes and rules.

Acceptance Test-Driven Development (ATDD) involves early collaboration between stakeholders to define acceptance criteria and tests before development begins. Using business process models in ATDD helps visualize user behavior, align test cases with real workflows, and serve as living documentation.

Option C is the least meaningful argument because:

Business process models abstractly describe workflows and decisions at a business level. While they help clarify requirements and detect requirement-related defects, they do not directly support detecting defects in the application code, which is typically the focus of unit and integration testing, not acceptance testing.

Let’s validate the other options:

A is a strong argument — process models clarify use cases for testers.

B is valid — graphical models help visualize test coverage directly.

D is true — as business process models evolve, they remain valuable artifacts aligned with current system behavior and requirements.

Answer: C. Business process models will make it easier to detect defects in the application code.

The ISTQB CTFL Acceptance Testing Syllabus emphasizes the importance of collaboration between business analysts and testers throughout the testing lifecycle, especially during test planning and risk identification. Business analysts contribute domain knowledge and business context, which is crucial in identifying business-critical areas, defining priorities, and ensuring that acceptance tests align with business goals.

Option A correctly identifies this collaboration. During test planning, business analysts help define acceptance criteria, identify risks from a business perspective, and support test prioritization to focus on high-value features. Their early involvement ensures that acceptance tests are meaningful and support stakeholder expectations.

Option B is incorrect as business analysts actively review acceptance tests to confirm alignment with business rules, regardless of technical complexity.

Option C is inaccurate because although testers seek to understand business needs, the responsibility for identifying those needs lies with business analysts.

Option D is incorrect; business analysts remain engaged throughout the project lifecycle, including test support and defect triage.

Exact Reference – ISTQB CTFL Acceptance Testing Syllabus (Section 1.4):

“Testers and business analysts collaborate during test planning and analysis activities to ensure the tests meet business needs and risk areas are adequately covered.”

Therefore, A provides the most accurate and comprehensive description.

Comprehensive Detailed Explanation (Approx. 200 words):

Building a new team with members from diverse backgrounds requires activities that foster shared values, identity, and trust. Designing a team emblem with values, goals, and a motto is a well-known team-building technique often used in Agile kick-offs. It engages creativity, sparks discussion about shared purpose, and reinforces a collective team identity.

Option A is correct because it supports both vision and team spirit — crucial for newly formed teams.

Other options:

B focuses on individual backgrounds but may not build a collective vision.

C risks highlighting negative views about the organization and may not foster trust at the early stage.

D uses a “staircase” metaphor but incorrectly locates the team at the top of the stairs — potentially signaling an endpoint rather than a beginning, making it inappropriate for a new team.

Answer: A. You invite the team members and ask them to design their own emblem…

When stakeholders provide conflicting acceptance criteria, resolving the conflict effectively requires focusing on the underlying business goals rather than getting stuck in technical or solution-level disagreements.

Option D is correct because it aligns with the core role of a business analyst and an acceptance tester: to understand and validate business needs. By exploring the root business objectives, you can help stakeholders reframe the problem and reach a compromise based on what delivers the most value.

Other options:

A may lead to confrontation and unproductive discussion without proper facilitation.

B is risky — prioritizing stakeholders may escalate conflict or appear biased.

C assumes you can objectively resolve the conflict based only on pros and cons, but without understanding the business context, the decision may not meet stakeholder needs.

Answer: D. Instead of discussing conflicting technical solutions, you try to understand the underlying business needs

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