Background
Testing software systems to verify they perform reliably and as expected is a very critical quality control
activity. Unfortunately, this critical activity is being performed on almost every software project in a very ad
hoc, informal manner by developers, testers, and users. Informal surveys conducted by the International Institute
for Software Testing indicate that less than 1% of test professionals attending these seminars have used formal
test design techniques to design their tests. Formal academic programs seldom provide even rudimentary
coverage of software testing, let alone teaching it as a discipline.
Testing activities in many software projects are rarely planned and test teams are unable to perform adequate
testing. Software testers have been given very little training and guidance on how to perform effective testing.
Testing is a Disciplined Controlled Process
The complexity of software systems and the demand of customers and users are increasing every day. With the
current state of practice and lack of educated test teams, test professionals often are unable to perform adequate
testing of software systems that control different aspects of our lives. It has become evident that testing must be
treated as a disciplined and controlled process. Test professionals must learn precise techniques and methods by
which they can deliver software with a much higher degree of confidence. Testing must become a recognized
profession and discipline that must be learned. Individuals who are charged with the responsibility of testing
computer systems must receive formal education and must be recognized by their peers in the software industry.
Bodies of Knowledge must be carefully defined to cover areas that must be mastered by test professionals.
Education is the Only Way to Establish Testing as a Profession and Discipline
One of the most effective ways to establish a profession is establishing formal educational programs that cover
all areas of study that can serve the profession. An essential first step to developing educational programs is to
develop Bodies of Knowledge (BOK) that must be mastered by everyone who wishes to belong to the
profession. Educating testers on curriculum that is based on a well-established BOK is the only way to establish
testing as a discipline and to change the perception that testing is an ad hoc activity that requires minimal
training.
To fill this gap, the International Institute of Software Testing (IIST) has taken the lead since 1999 and has
become the only provider of education-based certifications. IIST’s Advisory Board, a group of industry experts
and practitioners, provides direction to the effort of developing education-based certifications. The IIST
Advisory Board strongly believes that the value of any certification program lies in its ability to meet
individuals’ diverse needs and interests for both breadth and depth of content, enabling them to improve the way
they perform their jobs more effectively on a day-to-day basis.
Education-Based Certifications
To achieve this goal of education-based certifications, IIST now offers six education-based certifications. Each
certification is based on a well-defined Body of Knowledge (BOK) approved by IIST’s Advisory Board. To
achieve these certifications, a candidate must attend a number of instructor-lead courses and pass a test for each
course. Tests in Education-Based Certifications are not multiple choice or true/false type of tests. The Advisory
Board agreed that such a model is vastly superior to certifications that are based on passing an exam and do not
require a rigorous course of study.
How to Evaluate the Value of Certification
When selecting a certification to pursue, ask the following essential question:
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Will the certification make me a better test professional?
How comprehensive and broad is the Body of Knowledge?
How much will I learn in the process of getting certified and how would help me do a better job?
1-877-GET-IIST, visit u s a t : http://www.educationbasedcertifications.org
Email us at: [email protected]
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