History of ISEB and ISTQB Software Testing Certifications
The 2 main software testing certification paths are ISEB and ISTQB, and both have been around for quite some time, especially ISEB certifications. Although both are unique, they definitely have a lot of similarities, so much so that these certification paths are likely to converge in the future.
Previous articles have discussed the current status of these software testing certifications, as well as the possible future direction of these accreditations. Now let’s take a step back in time and look at the history of certifications.
ISEB history
The British Computing Society (BCS, also known as The Chartered Institute for IT) is the governing board for ISEB certifications and was formed in 1957. Shortly after its formation, the BCS created the Information Systems Examination Board (ISEB) to monitor the ISEB software. test certification process.
Despite the long history, the ISEB Foundation certification and curriculum, as we know it today, were not developed until 1998. The ISEB Intermediate level followed soon after, and the ISEB Practitioner certifications were created in 2002.
Since its inception, ISEB has been the standard for software testing certification in the UK. Today, there are nearly 300,000 software testers who have earned their certification from the ISEB Foundation, and this number continues to grow. Despite the UK-focused nature of ISEB, as of 2010 these certification exams have been taken in over 200 countries.
ISTQB history
The International Software Testing Qualifications Board, or ISTQB, was officially formed in November 2002 in Edinburgh. It is a legally registered non-profit association in Belgium and is made up of members in 47 countries, the most prominent of which is probably the American Software Testing Qualifications Board (ASTQB), which was formed in 2004.
The ISTQB Foundation Syllabus (CTFL) was initially created in 2002 and revamped in 2005. Soon after, the ISTQB Foundation Syllabus was adopted by the ISEB to replace the ISEB Foundation Syllabus. This is why the ISEB Foundation and the ISTQB/CTFL Foundation programmes, exams and certifications are identical. At the foundation level, a passing score on your exam provides dual credit on both.
Beyond the CTFL level, the next step on the ISTQB certification path is the ISTQB Advanced level. The ISTQB Advanced level covers 3 distinct modules, each of which has its own exam (although all 3 modules are covered in a single syllabus). The 3 ISTQB advanced level modules are Test Manager, Test Analyst and Technical Test Analyst. The first version of the ISTQB Advanced Level syllabus was launched in 2003 and the first Advanced Level exams were held in 2004.
Today, ISTQB certifications are growing at a faster rate than ISEB certifications, which is to be expected as there are more than twice as many ISEB certified testers as there are ISTQB certified testers. As of 2010, approximately 135,000 software testers in 50 countries have earned at least one ISTQB certification.
Conclusion
With the imminent convergence of the 2 certification paths at some point in the future, the number of ISTQB certified testers is expected to grow at a faster rate in the future. That being said, no matter what the future holds, ISEB certifications such as ISEB Foundation, ISEB Intermediate, and ISEB Practitioner will always be recognized and valued, and will certainly go a long way toward enhancing your software testing career.