Test Automation Engineer

Audience

The Advanced Level Test Automation Engineer qualification is aimed at people who have already achieved an advanced point in their careers in software testing and wish to develop further their expertise in automation testing. The modules offered at the Advanced Level cover a wide range of testing topics.

What are the entry criteria?

To get the Advanced Level certification, candidates must hold the Foundation Certificate and have sufficient practical experience.

The following image demonstrates the contents of the Advanced Level Test Automation Engineer syllabus:

Business Outcomes

Advanced Level testers who have passed the “Advanced Test Automation Engineer” module exam should be able to accomplish the following Business Objectives:

Contribute to the development of a plan to integrate automated testing within the testing process
Evaluate tools and technology for automation best fit to each project and organization.
Create an approach and methodology for building a test automation architecture (TAA).
Design and develop (new or modified) test automation solutions that meet the business needs.
Enable the transition of testing from a manual to an automated approach.
Create automated test reporting and metrics collection.
Manage and optimize testing assets to facilitate maintainability and address evolving (test) systems.

Learning Objectives

Certified Advanced Test Automation Engineers should be able to demonstrate their skills in the following areas:

Explain the objectives, advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of test automation.
Identify technical success factors of a test automation project.
Analyze a system under test to determine the appropriate automation solution.
Analyze test automation tools for a given project and report technical findings and recommendations.
Understand "design for testability" and "design for test automation" methods applicable to the SUT.
Explain the structure of the Generic Test Automation Architecture.
Analyze factors of implementation, use, and maintenance requirements for a given Test Automation Solution.
Explain the factors to be considered when identifying reusability of components.
Apply guidelines that support effective test tool pilot and deployment activities.
Analyze deployment risks and identify technical issues that could lead to failure of the test automation project, and plan mitigation strategies.
Understand which factors support and affect maintainability.
Classify metrics that can be used to monitor the test automation strategy and effectiveness.
Explain how a test execution report is constructed and published.
Apply criteria for determining the suitability of tests for automation.
Understand the factors in transitioning from manual to automation testing.
Explain the factors to consider in implementing automated regression testing, new feature testing, and confirmation testing.
Verify the correctness of an automated test environment including test tool setup.
Verify the correct behaviour for a given automated test script and/or test suite.
Analyze the technical aspects of a deployed test automation solution and provide recommendations for improvement.

Syllabus

The Advanced Level Test Automation Engineer is based on the Advanced Level Test Automation Engineer ISTQB® Syllabus.

The International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB®) provides it to the national examination bodies for them to accredit the training providers and to derive examination questions in their local language.

Training providers will produce courseware and determine appropriate teaching methods for accreditation, and the syllabus will help candidates in their preparation for the examination.

To receive the Advanced Level Test Automation Engineer certification, candidates must hold the Foundation Certificate.

The Advanced Level Test Automation Engineer Syllabus is available in Materials for download section.

Exam Structure

The Advanced Level Test Automation Engineer exam will is comprised of 40 multiple choice questions, with a pass mark grade of 65% to be completed within 90 minutes. Participants that take the exam not in their spoken language, will receive additional 25% time, and will have 23 minutes more, or a total of 113 min.

Module	Number of questions	Exam length (minutes)	Exam length +25% (minutes)
Advanced Level Test Automation Engineer	40	90	113

Exams may be taken as part of a course delivered by an Accredited Training Provider or taken independently at an examination center or in a public exam.

The typical duration of the Advanced Level Test Automation Engineer Training offered by an Accredited Training Provider is 3 days. Completion of an accredited training course is not a prerequisite for participating to the exam.

Please refer to the Web Sites of the ISTQB® Member Boards and ISTQB® Accredited Training Providers for exam and training availability.