Test Selection Criteria
Test selection criteria are the rules or conditions used to determine which test cases should be executed for a specific testing activity.
“The criteria used to guide the generation of test cases or to select test cases in order to limit the size of a test.”
(Definition reproduced from the ISTQB Glossary. Copyright belongs to ISTQB.)
View the complete ISTQB GlossaryWhat is Test Selection Criteria?
Selection criteria help optimize testing effort by focusing on the most relevant tests based on risks, changes, priorities, or objectives.
Prioritization: Determines which tests provide the most value.
Efficiency: Reduces unnecessary test execution.
Risk focus: Frequently supports risk-based testing.
Real World Example
A healthcare scheduling team is building a feature that lets patients book follow-up appointments after a consultation.
Developers, testers, clinicians, and product owners may all believe they understand the request while imagining different rules. Test selection criteria gives the team a shared way to confirm intent.
The tester turns clinical and business expectations into concrete examples, such as eligible appointment windows, unavailable doctors, and messages shown when no slot is open.
The team prevents late rework because Test selection criteria makes expected behavior testable before the feature is treated as finished.
Practice Questions
Question 1
Which statement BEST describes Test selection criteria in the context of ISTQB terminology?
Question 2
A tester needs to explain Test selection criteria to a non‑technical stakeholder. Which approach is MOST appropriate?
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