CSQE

CERTIFIED SOFTWARE
QUALITY ENGINEER

Quality excellence to enhance your career

and boost your organization’s bottom line
asq.org/cert
 Certification from ASQ is considered a mark of quality
excellence in many industries. It helps you advance
your career, and boosts your organization’s bottom
line through your mastery of quality skills. Becoming
certified as a Software Quality Engineer confirms your
commitment to quality and the positive impact it will
have on your organization.

Examination
Each certification candidate
is required to pass an
examination that consists of
multiple-choice questions that
measure comprehension of
the body of knowledge.

2 Certified Software Quality Engineer

 INFORMATION

Certified Software Quality Engineer

The Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE) understands software quality
development and implementation, software inspection, testing, and verification
and validation; and implements software development and maintenance
processes and methods.

CSQE
Computer Delivered - The CSQE Paper and Pencil – The CSQE
examination is a one-part, 175-question examination is a one-part,
exam and is offered in English only. 160-question, four-hour exam
160 questions are scored and 15 and is offered in English only.
are unscored. Total appointment
time is four-and-a-half hours, exam
time is 4 hours and 18 minutes.

For comprehensive exam information on Software Quality Engineer

certification, visit asq.org/cert.
Certified Software Quality Engineer 3
 Education
and/or Experience
Work experience must be in a A minimum of three years of this
full-time, paid role. Paid intern, experience must be in a decision-
co-op, or any other course work making position. (“Decision-making”
cannot be applied toward the work is defined as the authority to
experience requirement. define, execute, or control projects/
processes and to be responsible for the
You must have eight years of
outcome. This may or may not include
on-the-job experience in one or
management or supervisory positions.)
more of the areas of the Certified
Software Quality Engineer Body If you’ve ever been certified
of Knowledge. by ASQ as a Quality Engineer,
Quality Auditor, Reliability Engineer,
Supplier Quality Professional, or
Quality Manager, experience used
to qualify for certification in these
fields applies to certification as
a Software Quality Engineer.
4 Certified Software Quality Engineer
If you have completed a degree* • Master’s or doctorate–
from a college, university, or five years waived.
technical school with accreditation
*Degrees or diplomas from
accepted by ASQ, part of the
educational institutions outside
eight-year experience requirement
the United States must be
will be waived, as follows (only one
equivalent to degrees from
of these waivers may be claimed):
U.S. educational institutions.
• Diploma from a technical
or trade school–one year
will be waived.
• Associate’s degree–
two years waived.
• Bachelor’s degree–
four years waived.

Certified Software Quality Engineer 5

 BODY OF KNOWLEDGE
Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE)
Topics in this body of knowledge include additional detail in the
form of subtext explanations and the cognitive level at which
the questions will be written. This information will provide useful
guidance for both the Examination Development Committee and
the candidates preparing to take the exam. The subtext is not
intended to limit the subject matter or be all-inclusive of what might
be covered in an exam. It is intended to clarify the type of content
to be included in the exam. The descriptor in parentheses at the
end of each entry refers to the highest cognitive level at which the
topic will be tested. A more comprehensive description of cognitive
levels is provided at the end of this document.

I. General Knowledge C. Standards and Models

Define and describe the ISO 9000
(16 questions) and IEEE software standards, and
A. Benefits of Software the SEI Capability Maturity Model
Integration (CMMI) for development,
Quality Engineering services, and acquisition assessment
Within the Organization models. (Understand)
Describe the benefits that software
quality engineering can have at the D. Leadership Skills
organizational level. (Understand)
1. Organizational leadership
B. Ethical and Legal Compliance Use leadership tools and
techniques (e.g., organizational
1. ASQ code of ethics for change management, knowledge
professional conduct transfer, motivation, mentoring and
Determine appropriate behavior coaching, recognition). (Apply)
in situations requiring ethical
decisions, including identifying 2. Facilitation skills
conflicts of interest, recognizing Use facilitation and conflict
and resolving ethical issues, etc. resolution skills as well as
(Evaluate) negotiation techniques to manage
and resolve issues. Use meeting
2. Regulatory and legal issues management tools to maximize
Describe the importance of meeting effectiveness. (Apply)
compliance to federal, national,
and statutory regulations on 3. Communication skills
software development. Determine Use various communication
the impact of issues such as methods in oral, written, and
copyright, intellectual property presentation formats. Use
rights, product liability, and data various techniques for working
privacy. (Understand) in multicultural environments, and

6 Certified Software Quality Engineer

 identify and describe the impact monitoring and responding to
that culture and communications group dynamics, working with
can have on quality. (Apply) diverse groups and in distributed
work environments, and using
E. Team Skills techniques for working with
virtual teams. (Apply)
1. Team management
Use various team management 2. Team tools
skills, including assigning roles Use decision-making and creativity
and responsibilities, identifying tools such as brainstorming,
the classic stages of team nominal group technique (NGT),
development (forming, storming, and multi-voting. (Apply)
norming, performing, adjourning),
 II. Software Quality 3. Corrective action procedures
Evaluate corrective action
Management (22 questions) procedures related to software
A. Quality Management System defects, process nonconformances,
and other quality system
1. Quality goals and objectives deficiencies. (Evaluate)
Design software quality goals and
objectives that are consistent with 4. Defect prevention
business objectives. Incorporate Design and use defect prevention
software quality goals and processes such as technical reviews,
objectives into high-level program software tools and technology,
and project plans. Develop and use and special training. (Evaluate)
documents and processes necessary
to support software quality C. Audits
management systems. (Create)
1. Audit types
2. Customers and other stakeholders Define and distinguish between
Describe and analyze the effect various audit types, including
of various stakeholder group process, compliance, supplier,
requirements on software projects and system. (Understand)
and products. (Analyze)
2. Audit roles and responsibilities
3. Outsourcing Identify roles and responsibilities for
Determine the impact that audit participants including client,
outsourced services can have lead auditor, audit team members,
on organizational goals and and auditee. (Understand)
objectives, and identify criteria for
evaluating suppliers/vendors and 3. Audit process
subcontractors. (Analyze) Define and describe the steps in
conducting an audit, developing
4. Business continuity, data protection, and delivering an audit report,
and data management and determining appropriate
Design plans for business follow-up activities. (Apply)
continuity, disaster recovery,
business documentation and III. System and Software
change management, information
security, and protection of sensitive Engineering Processes
and personal data. (Analyze) (32 questions)
B. Methodologies A. Life Cycles and Process Models
1. Cost of quality (COQ) and 1. Waterfall software
return on investment (ROI) development life cycle
Analyze COQ categories Apply the waterfall life cycle
(prevention, appraisal, internal and related process models, and
failure, external failure) and return on identify their benefits and when
investment (ROI) metrics in relation to they are used. (Apply)
products and processes. (Analyze)
2. Incremental/iterative software
2. Process improvement development life cycles
Define and describe elements of Apply the incremental and iterative
benchmarking, lean processes, life cycles and related process
the Six Sigma methodology, and models, and identify their benefits
use define, measure, act, improve, and when they are used. (Apply)
control (DMAIC) model and the
plan-do-check-act (PDCA) model
for process improvement. (Apply)

8 Certified Software Quality Engineer

 3. Agile software C. Requirements Engineering
development life cycle 1. Product requirements
Apply the agile life cycle and Define and describe various
related process models, and types of product requirements,
identify their benefits and when including system, feature,
they are used. (Apply) function, interface, integration,
performance, globalization, and
B. Systems Architecture localization. (Understand)
Identify and describe various
architectures, including embedded 2. Data/information requirements
systems, client-server, n-tier, web, Define and describe various types of
wireless, messaging, and collaboration data and information requirements,
platforms, and analyze their impact including data management and
on quality. (Analyze) data integrity. (Understand)

3. Quality requirements
Define and describe various types
of quality requirements, including
reliability and usability. (Understand)
 4. Compliance requirements 3. Software reuse
Define and describe various Define and distinguish between
types of regulatory and safety software reuse, reengineering, and
requirements. (Understand) reverse engineering, and describe
the impact these practices can have
5. Security requirements on software quality. (Understand)
Define and describe various types
of security requirements including 4. Software development tools
data security, information security, Analyze and select the appropriate
cybersecurity, and data privacy. development tools for modeling,
(Understand) code analysis, requirements
management, and documentation.
6. Requirements elicitation methods (Analyze)
Describe and use various
requirements elicitation methods, F. Maintenance Management
including customer needs analysis,
1. Maintenance types
use cases, human factors studies,
usability prototypes, joint application Describe the characteristics of
development (JAD), storyboards, etc. corrective, adaptive, perfective,
(Apply) and preventive maintenance
types. (Understand)
7. Requirements evaluation
2. Maintenance strategy
Assess the completeness,
consistency, correctness, and Describe various factors
testability of requirements, and affecting the strategy for
determine their priority. (Evaluate) software maintenance, including
service-level agreements (SLAs),
short- and long-term costs,
D. Requirements Management maintenance releases, and product
1. Requirements change management discontinuance, and their impact
Assess the impact that changes to on software quality. (Understand)
requirements will have on software
development processes for all types 3. Customer feedback management
of life-cycle models. (Evaluate) Describe the importance of
customer feedback management
2. Bidirectional traceability including quality of product support
Use various tools and techniques and post-delivery issues analysis
to ensure bidirectional traceability and resolution. (Understand)
from requirements elicitation and
analysis through design and IV. Project Management
testing. (Apply)
(22 questions)
E. Software Analysis, A. Planning, Scheduling,
Design, and Development and Deployment
1. Design methods 1. Project planning
Identify the steps used in software Use forecasts, resources, schedules,
design and their functions, and task and cost estimates, etc., to
define and distinguish between develop project plans. (Apply)
software design methods.
(Understand) 2. Work breakdown structure (WBS)
2. Quality attributes and design Use work breakdown structure
(WBS) in scheduling and
Analyze the impact that quality-
monitoring projects. (Apply)
related elements (safety, security,
reliability, usability, reusability, 3. Project deployment
maintainability) can have on
software design. (Analyze) Use various tools, including
milestones, objectives achieved,
and task duration to set goals
and deploy the project. (Apply)
10 Certified Software Quality Engineer
B. Tracking and Controlling V. Software Metrics and
1. Phase transition control Analysis (19 questions)
Use various tools and techniques
such as entry/exit criteria, quality A. Process and Product Measurement
gates, Gantt charts, integrated 1. Terminology
master schedules, etc., to control
Define and describe metric
phase transitions. (Apply)
and measurement terms such as
2. Tracking methods reliability, internal and external
validity, explicit and derived
Calculate project-related measures, and variation.
costs, including earned value, (Understand)
deliverables, productivity, etc.,
and track the results against 2. Software product metrics
project baselines. (Apply)
Choose appropriate metrics to
3. Project reviews assess various software attributes
(e.g., size, complexity, the
Use various types of project amount of test coverage needed,
reviews such as phase-end, requirements volatility, and overall
management, and retrospectives system performance). (Apply)
or post-project reviews to assess
project performance and status, 3. Software process metrics
to review issues and risks, and
Measure the effectiveness
to discover and capture lessons
and efficiency of software
learned from the project. (Apply)
processes (e.g., functional
4. Program reviews verification tests (FVT), cost,
yield, customer impact, defect
Define and describe various detection, defect containment,
methods for reviewing and total defect containment
assessing programs in terms effectiveness (TDCE), defect
of their performance, technical removal efficiency (DRE),
accomplishments, resource process capability). (Apply)
utilization, etc. (Understand)
4. Data integrity
C. Risk Management Describe the importance of data
1. Risk management methods integrity from planning through
Use risk management techniques collection and analysis and apply
(e.g., assess, prevent, mitigate, various techniques to ensure data
transfer) to evaluate project risks. quality, accuracy, completeness,
(Evaluate) and timeliness. (Apply)

2. Software security risks B. Analysis and Reporting Techniques

Evaluate risks specific to software 1. Metric reporting tools
security, including deliberate Using various metric representation
attacks (hacking, sabotage, tools, including dashboards,
etc.), inherent defects that allow stoplight charts, etc., to report
unauthorized access to data, results. (Apply)
and other security breaches. Plan
appropriate responses to minimize 2. Classic quality tools
their impact. (Evaluate) Describe the appropriate use
of classic quality tools (e.g.,
3. Safety and hazard analysis
flowcharts, Pareto charts, cause
Evaluate safety risks and hazards and effect diagrams, control
related to software development charts, and histograms). (Apply)
and implementation and determine
appropriate steps to minimize their
impact. (Evaluate)

Certified Software Quality Engineer 11

 3. Problem-solving tools regression, usability, acceptance,
Describe the appropriate use certification, environmental load,
of problem solving tools (e.g., stress, worst-case, perfective,
affinity and tree diagrams, matrix exploratory, and system. (Apply)
and activity network diagrams,
root cause analysis and data 5. Tests of external products
flow diagrams [DFDs]). (Apply) Determine appropriate levels of
testing for integrating supplier,
third-party, and subcontractor
VI. Software Verification and components and products. (Apply)
Validation (29 questions)
6. Test coverage specifications
A. Theory Evaluate the adequacy of
1. V&V methods test specifications such as
Use software verification and functions, states, data and time
validation methods (e.g., static domains, interfaces, security,
analysis, structural analysis, and configurations that include
mathematical proof, simulation, internationalization and platform
and automation) and determine variances. (Evaluate)
which tasks should be iterated as
7. Code coverage techniques
a result of modifications. (Apply)
Use and identify various tools
2. Software product evaluation and techniques to facilitate code
Use various evaluation methods on coverage analysis techniques such
documentation, source code, etc., as branch coverage, condition,
to determine whether user needs domain, and boundary. (Apply)
and project objectives have been
8. Test environments
satisfied. (Analyze)
Select and use simulations,
test libraries, drivers, stubs,
B. Test Planning and Design harnesses, etc., and identify
1. Test strategies parameters to establish a controlled
Select and analyze test strategies test environment. (Analyze)
(e.g., test-driven design, good-
enough, risk-based, time-box, top- 9. Test tools
down, bottom-up, black-box, white- Identify and use test utilities,
box, simulation, automation, etc.) diagnostics, automation, and test
for various situations. (Analyze) management tools. (Apply)

2. Test plans 10. Test data management

Develop and evaluate test plans Ensure the integrity and security
and procedures, including system, of test data through the use of
acceptance, validation, etc., to configuration controls. (Apply)
determine whether project objectives
are being met and risks are C. Reviews and Inspections
appropriately mitigated. (Create) Use desk checks, peer reviews, walk-
throughs, inspections, etc., to identify
3. Test designs
defects. (Apply)
Select and evaluate various test
designs, including fault insertion,
D. Test Execution Documents
fault-error handling, equivalence
class partitioning, and boundary Review and evaluate test execution
value. (Evaluate) documents such as test results, defect
reporting and tracking records, test
4. Software tests completion metrics, trouble reports,
and input/output specifications.
Identify and use various tests,
(Evaluate)
including unit, functional,
performance, integration,

Certified Software Quality Engineer 13

 VII. Software Configuration 2. Configuration control board (CCB)
Describe the roles, responsibilities
Management (20 questions) and processes of the CCB.
A. Configuration Infrastructure (Understand) (NOTE: The roles and
responsibilities of the configuration
1. Configuration management team management team are covered
Describe the roles and responsibilities in area VII.A.1.)
of a configuration management
group. (Understand) (NOTE: The 3. Concurrent development
roles and responsibilities of the Describe the use of configuration
configuration control board [CCB] management control principles in
are covered in area VII.C.2.) concurrent development processes.
(Understand)
2. Configuration management tools
Describe configuration management 4. Status accounting
tools as they are used for managing Discuss various processes for
libraries, build systems, and defect establishing, maintaining, and
tracking systems. (Understand) reporting the status of configuration
items, such as baselines, builds,
3. Library processes and tools. (Understand)
Describe dynamic, static, and
controlled library processes and D. Configuration Audits
related procedures, such as Define and distinguish between functional
check-in/check-out, and merge and physical configuration audits and
changes. (Understand) how they are used in relation to product
specification. (Understand)
B. Configuration Identification
1. Configuration items E. Product Release and Distribution
Describe software configuration 1. Product release
items (baselines, documentation, Assess the effectiveness of product
software code, equipment) and release processes (planning,
identification methods (naming scheduling, defining hardware and
conventions, versioning schemes). software dependencies). (Evaluate)
(Understand)
2. Customer deliverables
2. Software builds and baselines
Assess the completeness of customer
Describe the relationship between deliverables including packaged
software builds and baselines, and and hosted or downloadable
describe methods for controlling products, license keys and user
builds and baselines (automation, documentation, and marketing
new versions). (Understand) and training materials. (Evaluate)

C. Configuration Control 3. Archival processes

and Status Accounting Assess the effectiveness of source
1. Item change and version control and release archival processes
(backup planning and scheduling,
Describe processes for
data retrieval, archival of build
documentation control, item
environments, retention of historical
change tracking, version control
records, offsite storage). (Evaluate)
that are used to manage various
configurations, and describe
processes used to manage
configuration item dependencies
in software builds and versioning.
(Understand)

14 Certified Software Quality Engineer

LEVELS OF COGNITION
Based on Bloom’s Taxonomy—Revised (2001)

In addition to content specifics, the subtext for each topic in this BoK also
indicates the intended complexity level of the test questions for that topic.
These levels are based on “Levels of Cognition” (from Bloom’s Taxonomy—
Revised, 2001) and are presented below in rank order, from least complex
to most complex.

REMEMBER | Recall or recognize terms, EVALUATE | Make judgments about the

definitions, facts, ideas, materials, patterns, value of proposed ideas, solutions, etc.,
sequences, methods, principles, etc. by comparing the proposal to specific
criteria or standards.
UNDERSTAND | Read and understand
descriptions, communications, reports, CREATE | Put parts or elements together
tables, diagrams, directions, regulations, etc. in such a way as to reveal a pattern or
structure not clearly there before; identify
APPLY | Know when and how to use which data or information from a complex
ideas, procedures, methods, formulas, set is appropriate to examine further or
principles, theories, etc. from which supported conclusions can
be drawn.
ANALYZE | Break down information into
its constituent parts and recognize their
relationship to one another and how they
are organized; identify sublevel factors or
salient data from a complex scenario.

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2016 CSQE BoK

Item B0110