Certified Associate in Software Testing (CAST) Practice Test

What does external effectiveness verify?

1. That all internal documentation is complete

2. That software is functioning according to system design

3. That the budgeting process was followed

4. That testing criteria have been met

The correct answer is: That software is functioning according to system design

External effectiveness primarily focuses on assessing how well the software meets the requirements and fulfills the needs of the end-users. It ensures that the software operates as intended in a real-world environment, aligning with the design specifications and user expectations. This verification process evaluates whether the software delivers the desired outcomes and performs its intended functions, which directly correlates to the software functioning according to system design. While other aspects such as internal documentation completeness and budgeting processes are important for software development and project management, they do not directly relate to the performance and usability of the software in relation to external requirements. Testing criteria meeting is also significant, but it pertains more to the internal quality assurance processes rather than the software's effectiveness in achieving its goals in practice. Therefore, the focus on external effectiveness is specifically on user satisfaction with functionality and the practical implementation of system design.