CMST - Certified Manager of Software Testing

Overview
The Certified Manager of Software Testing (CMST) certification establishes a worldwide standard for the assessment of the capabilities and competencies of software testing professional’s that are working at or soon will work at the software testing management level. Acquiring the designation of Certified Manager of Software Testing (CMST) indicates a level of professional competence in both the principles and practices of software testing and the skills and capabilities necessary to manage the software test function. CMST certification provides IT upper management a necessary tool to predict the likelihood of success of individuals applying for management level positions. The CMST certification provides the IT professional with an objective assessment of their management skills.

Prerequisites
A Certification of Candidacy Application must be completed on-line for entrance into the manager’s certification program.
To qualify for candidacy, individuals must:

• Currently hold an active CSTE Certification
• Be working in the field covered by the certification designation
• Have the experience (described below under the Real World Experience heading) to demonstrate mastery of the skills identified in the current CSTE Common Body of Knowledge
• Be prepared to submit documentation that supports your real-world experience in the software testing field (described below under the Real World Experience heading)
• Be prepared to take the required manager’s level examination
• Meet one of the following three prerequisites:
  1. A bachelor's degree from an accredited college-level institution plus a minimum of four years experience in the software testing field, or
  2. An associate degree plus a minimum of six years of experience in the software testing field, or
  3. Eight years of experience in the software testing field.

The application process requires the applicant to provide details supporting one of the above three prerequisites. All information provided is subject to further verification if selected for audit according to Software Certifications audit sampling plan.

Fees in this program are nonrefundable and nontransferable. Do not apply unless you feel confident that your work activities and experiences have prepared you to submit the required “real-world” experience documentation and to sit for the examination.

Application fee for the CMST Certification
A Certification of Candidacy Application fee of $600 (USD) must be submitted with the on-line form. To submit your application for CMST, click on Advanced Certification Application.

Code of Ethics
The CMST candidate must continue to adhere to the Software Certifications Code of Ethics agreed to as part of the CSTE certification. Software Certifications includes processes and procedures for monitoring certificant adherence to these policies. Failure to adhere to the requirements of the Code is grounds for decertification of the individual by the Software Certifications Board.

Real-World Experience Documentation
Once the Certification Candidacy Application has been submitted and the candidate has been accepted into the CMST program, they must demonstrate that they have developed real solutions to challenges in their IT organizations. This must be done for three (3) categories selected from the seven (7) categories listed below:

1. Test Planning
2. Test Reporting
3. Managing Test Execution
4. Define, deploy and improve work processes
5. Measurement
6. Organizational Development (teams and management)
7. Communication (leadership and behavioral skills)

The documentation for each of the three categories must be submitted to the Software Certifications division and must include the following:

• Problem – What was the problem?
  1. Provide a statement of the problem explaining in detail how the problem was affecting your organization
  2. Define any terms used
  3. Include any organizational “standards” that would be followed to develop the solutio
  4. Include the metrics relevant to the problem prior to your deployment of the solution
     
     
• Approach – What was the proposed solution?
  1. Describe input, process, output (DO process)
  2. Describe QC process (CHECK process)
  3. How is success measured
  4. How does this approach align to business objectives
  5. Include interim deliverables:
     1. requirements documentation
     2. detailed plans or design documents
     3. include any “action plan” that was used
     4. status reports
  6. If you did any research into possible solutions, provide a list of the research material and/or methods you used to research possible solutions
     
     
• Development – How was the solution developed?
  1. What process did you follow to develop the solution
  2. If the costs of the development of the solution were tracked, include the cost breakdown
  3. What quality control mechanisms were in place during the development of the solution to insure the solution was tested against the requirements
  4. Include a copy of documentation of the process solution
     
     
• Deployment – How was the solution deployed?
  1. Include documentation describing the transitional process from the current process to the new solution
  2. What type of training (on the new process/solution delivered to personnel who would be using the new solution) was provided
  3. What type of monitoring was performed to assure the new solution was used correctly
     
     
• Results – What were the results of the implementation of the solution?
  1. Describe the improvements realized as a result of the new process/solution
  2. Provide any metrics that compare pre-implementation with post-implementation
  3. Include any ROI post-implementation documents

The “acceptance criteria checklist” used by the evaluation team includes all the items listed above. If a candidate decides that one of these items is not applicable for their “experience” documentation, an explanation of why that item is not applicable must be included with the submitted documentation. If the documentation in a category or categories is found to be insufficient to meet the acceptance criteria, a candidate will be given feedback on the deficiencies and allowed one opportunity to resubmit corrected documentation.

Examination

Candidates for certification must pass a four-part constructed response examination in order to obtain certification. The examination tests the candidate's “practical” knowledge in the following four areas:

1. Test Management
2. Test Analysis
3. Test Planning and Execution
4. Communications and Relationships

Candidates who do not successfully pass the examination may re-sit for the examination by submitting the retake application and paying all required fees.

Recertification

To maintain the CMST certification, it is a requirement that the certified manager continue to mature their technical and managerial competencies. Certified managers must earn 30 CPE (continuing professional education) points in each of the following four categories every three years (120 CPE total in three years):

• Management Skills (30 CPE / 3 years)
• Technical Skills (30 CPE / 3 years)
• Professional Development Activities in the Industry (30 CPE / 3 years)
• Additional activities in selected categories (30 CPE / 3 years)

The CSTE certification remains active as long as the CMST certification is maintained.

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