Last week I received results of ISEB/ISTQB foundation certificate in Software Testing. I passed the exam with flying colours
As i am having experience in sofware testing with CMMI Level 5 company, I thought passing the ISEB/ISTQB exam won't be difficult. But I was wrong. When I took the refresh course and looked at the sample questions then I realized it requires both practial and theoritical knowledge to give the right answers for complex questions.How did It Started
Acquiring professional qualification in software testing was on the pages since I started working as a Quality Assurance Engineer. I gave serious thought to get one such qualitifcation when my manager set up the goal of getting one certification during mid appraisal meeting. I was looking for the basic level testing qualitification and chose to appear for ISEB exam of BCS UK.
Choosing between Public Exam & Course Provider
Though ISEB offers the examiniation through Prometric centers as Public examination, I decided to go with training of 3 days duration. I thought of refreshing the basics of software testing,learning testing as per BCS->ISEB & ISTQB standards.(Note:-There's difference in methodology followed by european and american board of testing like CSTE)
During Training
Training was of great help to understand all the concepts followed in software testing. I was under impression that as I am working for CMMI Level 5 company and following most of the QA Process(s) so I am practicing most of the testing methodologies. During the course duration I realized that there are still few area(s) which we don't practice and needs to be implemented as a part of organizational testing process.
Overall it was a good training which started my thinking process. I was able to map my experience with therory easily. So that's the another reason getting good score in ISEB exam. ;-)
My thoughts on Certifications
Issue of certified professions and its necessicity in software industry is always a debatable point. Some expert says knowledge is important and some says Certification is required. I was also of opinion as Certification is optional and only experience & knowledge is required. But It all changed after taking ISEB/ISTQB exam.
Certified Professional means candidate has/can demonstate solid undertstanding of underlying technology/area. It can also be used as entry crieteria or measurement of Canditate's eligibilty for senior postions.
Certifications examination offers great help to professional to understand and do the job effectvelty in the related technology/area. The only important thing is that, certification body needs to take care of course contents. Course contents should always be up to date with latest trends in the industry and technology/area.
Signing Off
I had a great learning experience with ISEB/ISTQB Foundation certificate in Software Testing. Its helping me to perform my tasks effectively. I would like you all QA/Software Tester's to take any certification exam and Feel the difference.
14 comments:
Gr8...Keep Up:)
What if we get a case study which makes use of exact jargons used in ISEB against the solution of a case. Like solving a case in a tree structure where every node has Issue, Solution, Defination(which made u travel from Issue to Solution).
--Hrishikesh Bose
Congratulations dude! Nice to see your first post of your blog! All the best!!
Good one
Hi Dinesh
congrates for achieving your set goals. It is very good you have cleared the exam after understanding the process.
Good work ! Keep it up !!!
Best Regards
Mukesh Dhingra
Well, I would love to see you answer these questions -
Does your certification say, how good a tester you are?
Does your certification prove you are good at testing?
Does your certification talk about skills of a tester?
Did you certification exams consists of problems that you are solving in your real life?
Does your certification mean, all people who might have got the same percentile as yours are equal to you and are doing that good job you are doing?
Do you know who are behind the certification?
Do you know the intention behind selling the certification?
Do you acknowledge the fact that there could be as good testers like you who have not been through certification?
Does your certification say, you are passionate about testing?
Does your certification talk about how *you* solve testing problems?
Does your certificate show a sample of the work you produce?
Does your certification say you have dealt with testing problems?
Does your testing certificate list the skills you have?
Does your testing certification say, there is nothing more to learn in testing?
Does your testing certification body identify testing as a craft and a branch of science?
Does your testing certificate mean the ones who were equal to you before you took it up are now unequal to you, now after getting certified?
How do you think someone got better at testing without a certification?
Were the people who framed the certification body certified by the same certificate they are giving you?
Does the questions in the exam have 4 options while actually there are 4 billion answers to one question?
Does your certification exam has all the 99999 billion questions that exist in testing?
Had you given a different question paper, would you have scored the same marks?
In case they come out saying, "Sorry there was a bug in our software that calculated your score, you actually failed" - Would your confidence and skills go away?
Does your certificate issuing body, recognize a tester even if he doesn't have money to pay for the exam or *buying* the certificate?
Disclaimer: I am NOT attacking you but yes, I am attacking someone who sold you something and made you feel it is the best that you could have bought!
There are many good things, money can't buy!
I respect you as a tester, I appreciate and encourage your confidence and skills in testing but at the same time I want you to realize it was YOU who are good at testing and not the certificate that made you feel good. Market yourself, your skills, your knowledge, your experience than someone who sold you the certificate.
/Pradeep,
Thanks for visiting my post.
I answered all of your questions below. Thanks for those questions which triggered a different thought process. I would say Traditional(that's me) vs. Modern(You).
When I took this certification i didn't thought of it as best in the industry neither i thought of getting *pass* is the only aim.
I thought of revisiting my own testing concepts, getting familiar with testing terminology. To know more about other company's testers as training consists of number of peoples from different organizations.
I am totally agree with you that its tester's *confidence & Skills* which one should proud of.
I am not against selling certification and taking up any certification. It’s up to the person in what *context* he opts of such things. I always believe in granular learning and i think basic level certification can thought of starting point. It will be defiantly useful to horn tester’s knowledge. As always the case is...it’s up to person how he would like to get the knowledge...Certification are optional but training in any form is useful.
Does your certification say, how good a tester you are?
Yes. If we consider scope of testing certificate then yes, it says candidate is good at foundation level of software testing(Conceptually). Now question is how good am I? That is not measure by the Certification :-)
@Does your certification prove you are good at testing?
Given any Certification in the world doesn't prove someone is good at it. But yes it does prove you have acquired basic knowledge. It’s the same case like passing your graduation/masters examination.
@Does your certification talk about skills of a tester?
Yes It does but in a generic way. *Note a scope of certification its foundation level certification
@Did you certification exams consist of problems that you are solving in your real life?
Yes but those was of beginner level. For example: - Given the scenario of web form what type of test design methods tester will use...etc?
@Does your certification mean, all people who might have got the same percentile as yours are equal to you and are doing that good job you are doing?
It doesn't mean it and it will never be the case in real life.
@Do you know who are behind the certification?
Yes
@Do you know the intention behind selling the certification?
I know my intention of getting certified in my area of interest. I don't care of intention of selling the certification.
@Do you acknowledge the fact that there could be as good testers like you who have not been through certification?
Yes There are testers who are good than me :-)
@Does your certification say, you are passionate about testing?
No It don’t say so...No Certification in the world says so...
@Does your certification talk about how *you* solve testing problems?
No.
@Does your certificate show a sample of the work you produce?
No. Note a scope of certification-->Its foundation level certification
@Does your certification say you have dealt with testing problems?
No. It my experience which shows this.
@Does your testing certificate list the skills you have?
Yes. Note a scope of certification Its foundation level certification.
@Does your testing certification say, there is nothing more to learn in testing?
No. It always says about Continuous Improvement.
@Does your testing certification body identify testing as a craft and a branch of science?
Yes.
@Does your testing certificate mean the ones who were equal to you before you took it up are now unequal to you, now after getting certified?
Nope It don’t say so. Its individual perception to look at it in such a way.
@How do you think someone got better at testing without a certification?
To me Knowledge is important to be effective tester/developer. To be a good tester, one need to know the way to get the required information requires for testing. Certification may be starting point to learn those basic techniques OR One can even learn those techniques by reading books/materials or working with experienced persons.
@Were the people who framed the certification body certified by the same certificate they are giving you?
Not sure.
@Does the questions in the exam have 4 options while actually there are 4 billion answers to one question?
Yes and that is how objective question appears anywhere. 4 options are best of available answers which certification body thought of as per scope of certification. **Note exam requires candidate to focus on the best of available answers. I am agreeing that we can have 4 billion answers to one question.
@Does your certification exam has all the 99999 billion questions that exist in testing?
No. No certification exam has it.
@Had you given a different question paper, would you have scored the same marks?
Not really
@In case they come out saying, "Sorry there was a bug in our software that calculated your score, you actually failed" - Would your confidence and skills go away?
No It won't. Whatever i learned in the training session is of great importance. I knew passing the certification is just merely a critreria.I got the knowledge which i needed in the training session.
**But yes there were few attendees who just came to appear for the examination. Those people might have got nervous.
@Does your certificate issuing body, recognize a tester even if he doesn't have money to pay for the exam or *buying* the certificate?
as per my knowledge. Sadly No.
Hi, I also passed this test last Friday, in Lithuania. At first, I thought that exam will be easy enough, but when i saw the qustions, i changed my mind. But.. all ended happilly :) I enjoy being certified :)
Hi Dinesh,
First, My Congrats to u...
Presently i am in UK now and i want to do testing certification. Here ISEB is the preferred one but i heard that in India we need to do ISTQB(Because i will return to India after few years). Is this right? So if i do ISEB, Will it have any value in India? And also i want to do self study for the exam. So which are the material and sample papers best for the exam?
Waiting for your reply.
Thanks & Regards,
Jeyanthi.
Is there any site which can give me all the details regarding the ISEB exam in India?
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And according to this article, I totally agree with your opinion, but only this time! :)
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