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Exam Information
Official specifications published by ASQ
Exam Format
Professional
Registration
$533 USD
Prometric or online proctoring
Validity
3 years
Recertification by exam; Recertification by points (18 recertification units required); Professional development activities
CSQE Exam Topics and Domains
CSQE is organized into 7 weighted domains.
1
General Knowledge
9%
Benefits of Software Quality Engineering
- ROI of quality initiatives
- Cost reduction through quality
- Customer satisfaction improvement
- Risk mitigation
- Understanding business value of SQE
- Benefits to stakeholders
- Organizational impacts
- Recognize the value of software quality engineering in organizations
- Identify key benefits of implementing software quality practices
Ethical and Legal Compliance
ASQ Code of EthicsLegal and Regulatory Issues
- Ethical decision-making scenarios
- Legal compliance requirements
- Professional responsibility
- Understand ASQ Code of Ethics principles
- Recognize legal and regulatory requirements in software development
- Apply ethical guidelines in professional practice
Standards and Models
ISO and IEEE StandardsCMMIOther Models
- Applying standards to real scenarios
- Comparing different quality models
- Understanding maturity assessments
- Apply relevant ISO/IEEE standards to software projects
- Understand CMMI maturity levels and process areas
- Select appropriate quality models for organizational context
Leadership Skills
Communication SkillsFacilitation SkillsPresentation SkillsNegotiation SkillsCritical Thinking SkillsMotivating Teams and IndividualsProcess Improvement and Change Management
- Applying leadership skills to scenarios
- Handling team dynamics
- Managing organizational change
- Apply effective communication techniques in software quality contexts
- Facilitate quality-focused meetings and workshops
- Lead change initiatives and process improvements
Team Management
Team BuildingTeam ToolsDecision Making
- Team development scenarios
- Tool selection and application
- Group decision-making processes
- Build effective software quality teams
- Use appropriate tools for team collaboration
- Facilitate team decision-making processes
2
Software Quality Management
15%
Quality Management System
Quality Goals and ObjectivesQuality PlanningQuality Assurance and Quality ControlQuality ModelsQuality Documentation
- QA vs QC scenarios
- Quality planning components
- Documentation requirements
- Develop quality goals aligned with organizational objectives
- Create comprehensive quality plans
- Distinguish between QA and QC activities
- Maintain effective quality documentation
Methodologies
Cost of QualityDefect PreventionSix SigmaLeanContinuous ImprovementCorrective Action and Preventive ActionProblem Solving Tools and Processes
- Cost of quality calculations
- Six Sigma phase application
- Root cause analysis scenarios
- Problem-solving tool selection
- Calculate and analyze cost of quality
- Apply Six Sigma DMAIC methodology
- Use Lean principles to eliminate waste
- Implement effective CAPA processes
- Select appropriate problem-solving tools
Audits
Audit TypesAudit Roles and ResponsibilitiesAudit ProcessAudit Reporting
- Audit planning scenarios
- Evidence gathering techniques
- Finding classification
- Audit reporting requirements
- Plan and conduct quality audits
- Perform audit roles effectively
- Execute systematic audit processes
- Document and report audit findings
3
System and Software Engineering Processes
18%
Lifecycles and Process Models
WaterfallIncrementalIterativeSpiralAgileV-modelDevOps and DevSecOps
- Lifecycle model selection scenarios
- Comparing model characteristics
- Understanding model limitations
- DevOps pipeline components
- Compare different SDLC models
- Select appropriate lifecycle for project context
- Understand quality implications of each model
- Recognize when to use Agile vs traditional approaches
Systems Architecture
Client-Servern-tierWebMobileCloudEmbedded and Real-Time Systems
- Architecture pattern identification
- Quality attributes of architectures
- Testing challenges per architecture
- Understand different system architectures
- Recognize quality implications of architecture choices
- Identify testing strategies for each architecture type
Requirements Engineering
Requirements TypesRequirements ElicitationRequirements Analysis
- Requirements elicitation technique selection
- Requirements quality assessment
- Functional vs non-functional distinction
- Elicit requirements using appropriate techniques
- Classify requirements by type
- Analyze and validate requirements quality
- Create effective requirements models
Requirements Management
ParticipantsRequirements Change ManagementTraceabilityPrioritizationImpact AnalysisVersion Control
- Change management scenarios
- Traceability matrix application
- Prioritization method selection
- Impact analysis execution
- Manage requirements changes effectively
- Maintain requirements traceability
- Prioritize requirements appropriately
- Conduct impact analysis for changes
Software Analysis, Design, and Development
Design Methodologies and TechniquesDevelopment Methodologies and TechniquesQuality Attributes and Their TradeoffsReuse
- Design pattern application
- TDD/BDD implementation
- Quality attribute tradeoff scenarios
- Code review effectiveness
- Apply appropriate design methodologies
- Implement quality-focused development practices
- Understand and manage quality attribute tradeoffs
- Promote effective code reuse
Maintenance Management
Maintenance TypesMaintenance Planning
- Maintenance type classification
- Maintenance planning scenarios
- Technical debt prioritization
- Distinguish between maintenance types
- Plan effective maintenance activities
- Manage technical debt
- Balance maintenance with new development
4
Project Management
9%
Planning, Scheduling, and Deployment
Project PlanningEstimationSchedulingResourcingDeploying
- WBS creation
- Estimation technique selection
- Critical path calculation
- Resource allocation scenarios
- Create effective project plans
- Estimate effort and duration accurately
- Develop realistic project schedules
- Allocate resources efficiently
- Plan successful deployments
Tracking and Controlling
Phase Transition ControlTracking Methods and ToolsProject ReviewsProgram ReviewsManagement Reviews
- EVM calculations
- Tracking tool selection
- Review type appropriateness
- Phase gate criteria
- Track project progress effectively
- Conduct meaningful project reviews
- Use appropriate tracking tools and metrics
- Control phase transitions
Risk Management
Risk IdentificationRisk AnalysisRisk MitigationRisk Tracking
- Risk identification scenarios
- Risk analysis calculations
- Mitigation strategy selection
- Risk register maintenance
- Identify project risks systematically
- Analyze and prioritize risks
- Develop effective risk mitigation strategies
- Monitor and track risks throughout project
5
Software Metrics and Analysis
12%
Process and Product Measurement
Key Performance IndicatorsBasic MetricsQuality MetricsProcess Capability and MaturityProduct Readiness MetricsMetrics Reporting Tools
- Metric calculation scenarios
- KPI selection for situations
- Defect metrics interpretation
- Process capability calculations
- Select appropriate metrics for different contexts
- Calculate common software quality metrics
- Analyze process capability
- Create effective metrics dashboards
Analysis and Reporting Techniques
Research TechniquesSampling TechniquesStatistical AnalysisData Representation and Reporting
- Statistical calculation scenarios
- Sampling method selection
- Chart type appropriateness
- Control chart interpretation
- Apply appropriate research techniques
- Use proper sampling methods
- Perform statistical analysis on quality data
- Create effective data visualizations and reports
6
Software Verification and Validation
18%
Theory
V&V MethodsEnvironmental and Operational ConditionsAcceptance Criteria
- V&V method selection
- Verification vs validation scenarios
- Acceptance criteria definition
- Test environment requirements
- Distinguish between verification and validation
- Understand different V&V methods
- Define appropriate test environments
- Establish clear acceptance criteria
Test Planning and Design
Strategies and ApproachesTypesResourcesDocumentationWork Breakdown StructureDesign TechniquesCoverage SpecificationsEnvironmentsDefect Taxonomies
- Test design technique application
- Test type selection scenarios
- Coverage calculation
- Test planning components
- Defect classification
- Create comprehensive test plans
- Design effective test cases using appropriate techniques
- Establish test coverage criteria
- Plan test resources and environments
- Classify defects systematically
Reviews and Inspections
TypesProcess
- Review type selection
- Review process steps
- Inspection effectiveness
- Review metrics
- Select appropriate review type for context
- Conduct effective code reviews and inspections
- Document review findings
- Follow structured review processes
Test Execution Documents
Criteria for Test ReadinessTest ExecutionDefect Tracking and ManagementTest Results and Reporting
- Test readiness assessment
- Defect lifecycle management
- Test reporting content
- Exit criteria evaluation
- Verify test readiness
- Execute tests systematically
- Track and manage defects effectively
- Report test results clearly
7
Software Configuration Management
9%
Configuration Infrastructure
ElementsTools
- CM infrastructure elements
- Tool selection for CM
- CM plan components
- Identify CM infrastructure components
- Recognize appropriate CM tools
- Understand CM organizational structure
Configuration Identification
Configuration ItemsBaselines
- CI identification scenarios
- Baseline establishment
- CI naming and tracking
- Identify appropriate configuration items
- Establish baselines
- Understand CI relationships and dependencies
Configuration Control
Item, Baseline, and Version ControlChange Management
- Version control scenarios
- Change control process
- CCB operations
- Branching strategies
- Control configuration items and baselines
- Manage versions effectively
- Process configuration changes
- Implement change control procedures
Configuration Audits
- Functional Configuration Audit (FCA)
- Physical Configuration Audit (PCA)
- Audit objectives
- Configuration verification
- Compliance verification
- Audit type selection
- Audit objectives
- Baseline verification
- Understand configuration audit purposes
- Conduct physical configuration audits
- Perform functional configuration audits
- Verify baseline integrity
Product Release and Distribution
- Release planning
- Release packaging
- Release notes
- Distribution channels
- Version tracking
- Release archiving
- Release planning steps
- Distribution methods
- Release documentation
- Version tracking
- Plan product releases
- Package software releases
- Distribute releases to customers
- Track release versions
How do I earn this certification?
Passing CSQE earns the ASQ Certified Software Quality Engineer certification. It sits in the Software Quality track.
Next Level Options
- CMQ/OE - Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational ExcellenceAdvancement to quality management and organizational excellence
- CMBB - Certified Master Black BeltHighest level of Six Sigma expertise
Alternative Paths
- ISTQB-FL - ISTQB Foundation Level International software testing certification - testing focus vs broader quality focus of CSQE
- ISTQB-ATL - ISTQB Advanced Test Manager Advanced testing management certification
- CSTE - Certified Software Test Engineer Alternative software testing certification
- PMP - Project Management ProfessionalProject management skills complement software quality engineering
- CAPM - Certified Associate in Project ManagementEntry-level project management certification
Practice with Precision
The PlanetCert Simulator mirrors the real exam environment with authentic questions and timed pressure.
How to study for this exam?
The most effective way to prepare for CSQE is by using the PlanetCert Simulator to practice questions and review detailed explanations.
What's changed on this exam?
Current Status
- ACTIVE
- Last content update: 2023-12-01
- Announcement date: 2023-08-15
Who should take this exam?
This exam is typically taken by Software quality engineers and QA managers.