ISTQB is an international organization responsible for a global certification program in software testing – but what kind of organization is ISTQB, and which certifications can you obtain under it?
In this blog post, we will cover what ISTQB is, what the Danish organization DSTB does, which international certifications are available within the field, and why they are important to have.
THE ISTQB ORGANIZATION
ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) is an international, independent, non-profit association that has developed a global certification program in software testing used worldwide. More than 500,000 certifications have been issued across over 120 countries.
ISTQB Vision (Source: ISTQB website):
“Defining and maintaining a Body of Knowledge which allows testers to be certified based on best practices, connecting the international software testing community, and encouraging research.”
Read more on ISTQB’s website.
THE DANISH BRANCH OF ISTQB – DSTB
The Danish branch of ISTQB is called DSTB (Danish Software Testing Board). DSTB acts as the accreditation body ensuring that training providers and instructors meet the requirements necessary to deliver accredited ISTQB certification courses. DSTB also safeguards Danish interests in the international syllabi, translates them into Danish, and develops Danish exam versions.
Both ISTQB and DSTB are based on voluntary contributions from hundreds of international experts who aim to influence the development of software testing by offering ISTQB certifications and actively participating in discussions within the testing community.
In Denmark, Dansk IT is responsible for administering the exams, either independently or in connection with a course in collaboration with a training provider.
DSTB’s Vision (Source: DSTB website):
“Our vision is to influence the global development of software testing by actively participating in the work carried out by ISTQB. This includes developing new syllabi in areas where ISTQB decides to offer certification and actively contributing to the creation of exam questions for these certifications.
We aim to influence the development of software testing in Denmark by offering ISTQB certifications and actively participating in the debate about software testing in Denmark.”
Read more on DSTB’s website
WHY OBTAIN AN ISTQB CERTIFICATION?
In the IT world, obtaining certifications is high on the wish list—for employees, managers, and organizations alike. Employees seek formal recognition of their knowledge, while organizations aim to follow established standards. In addition, choosing an ISTQB certification provides the following benefits:
- A common terminology within software testing
- A consistent and structured way of working
- A professional approach to software testing
- Knowledge of international best practices
- Documented proof of competencies
Most Danish companies follow some form of ISTQB standard. In many organizations, having an ISTQB Foundation certification is a minimum requirement for working professionally with testing in their IT department.
As many as 45% of Trifork QI’s participants attend a certification course. Furthermore, 91% of HR departments worldwide state that certifications should be a selection criterion when recruiting new IT employees (Source: ISTQB.org).