Certified Associate in Software Testing (CAST) Practice Test

What are failure costs associated with?

1. Training and tooling

2. Costs of preventing defects

3. Defective products delivered to customers

4. Verifying code quality

The correct answer is: Defective products delivered to customers

Failure costs are primarily associated with the costs incurred when defective products are delivered to customers. This concept is part of the cost of quality framework, which categorizes costs related to quality assurance and defect management into four main types: prevention costs, appraisal costs, internal failure costs, and external failure costs. When a defective product reaches the customer, the company incurs costs related to returns, repairs, replacements, loss of customer trust, and potential legal liabilities. These costs can have a significant impact on the organization's reputation and financial standing. Therefore, identifying and minimizing these failure costs is crucial for maintaining product integrity and customer satisfaction. Options that refer to training and tooling, preventing defects, or verifying code quality fall into the categories of prevention and appraisal costs, rather than failure costs. Each of these plays a role in ensuring quality and reducing the likelihood of defects, but they do not directly relate to the expenses that occur after a defect has produced a failed product in the hands of the customer.