This book covers the syllabus for the Improving the Test Process module of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) Expert Level exam.

To obtain certification as a professional tester at the Expert Level, candidates may choose to take a course given by an ISTQB accredited training provider and then sit for the exam. Experience shows that many candidates who choose this path still require a reference book that covers the course. There are also many IT professionals who choose self-study as the most appropriate route toward certification.

This book can be used both as a preparation guide for those planning to take the ISTQB Expert Level certification exam and as a practical guide for experienced testing professionals who want to develop their skills in improving test processes.

Graham Bath's experience in testing spans over 25 years and has covered a wide array of domains and technologies. As a test manager, he has been responsible for the testing of mission-critical systems in spaceflight, telecommunications, and police incident-control. Graham has designed tests to the highest levels of rigor within real-time aerospace systems such as the Eurofighter military aircraft.

As a principal consultant for the T-Systems Global Delivery Unit "Testing Services" he has mastered the Quality Improvement Programs of several major companies, primarily in the financial and government sectors. In his current position, Graham is responsible for the company's training and test consulting programs. Graham is co-author of the ISTQB Expert Level syllabus, Improving the Test Process. He is a long-standing member of the German Testing Board and is chairman of the ISTQB Expert Level working group.

Erik van Veenendaal (www.erikvanveenendaal.nl) is a leading international consultant and trainer, and a widely recognized expert in the area of software testing and quality management with over 20 years of practical testing experience. He is the founder of Improve Quality Services BV. He holds the EuroSTAR record, winning the best tutorial award three times. In 2007 he received the European Testing Excellence Award for his outstanding contributions to the testing profession.

He has worked as a test manager and consultant in various domains for many years, and has written numerous papers and a number of books, including Practical Risk-Based Testing: The PRISMA Approach, Foundations of Software Testing: ISTQB Certification, and Test Maturity Model Integration TMMi. Erik is a former senior lecturer at the Eindhoven University of Technology, was vice-president of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (2005-2009), and is currently a board member of the TMMi Foundation. You can follow Erik on twitter @ErikvVeenendaal.