Which black-box technique should be used to verify different responses of the system, depending on its current conditions or previous history?

Question

Options

• AUse case testing
• BDecision table testing
• CState transition testing
• DEquivalence partitioning

• A
  7% (2)
• C
  90% (26)
• D
  3% (1)

Explanation

State transition testing (C) is correct because it specifically models how a system behaves based on its current state and prior history - exactly what the question describes. A system moves between defined states in response to events, and this technique verifies that the correct output or behavior occurs at each transition, making it ideal for systems where past conditions affect current responses (e.g., login lockouts, vending machines, ATM flows).

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A. Use case testing - validates end-to-end user scenarios and workflows, not state-dependent behavior changes.
• B. Decision table testing - handles combinations of simultaneous conditions/inputs producing outputs, but doesn't account for historical state or sequences over time.
• D. Equivalence partitioning - groups inputs into classes expected to produce the same result; it's input-focused and stateless.

Memory tip: Think "State = History." If the system's response depends on what happened before (previous state), reach for State transition testing. Decision tables are for "what's true right now" (multiple conditions at once), while state transitions are for "what happened before" (sequence matters).

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