Chapter 4 – Test Analysis & Design
Output Partition – ISTQB Definition
Last Updated: July 12, 2026 · SoftwareTestPilot QA Team
Official ISTQB Definition
A portion of the output domain of a test object for which the behavior is assumed to be the same, based on the specification.
In simple words
A group of outputs the system produces the same way — used when designing tests from expected results, not inputs.
Exam tip
Output partitioning is legal but rarely tested; equivalence partitioning usually means input partitions.
Related terms
- Equivalence PartitioningGroup inputs that the system should treat identically, then pick one value from each group. That way you cover behaviour without testing every possible value.
- Input PartitionA group of inputs the system should treat the same way — pick one representative to test the whole group.
- Decision Table TestingWhen behaviour depends on combinations of conditions (like discount rules), you list every condition and expected action in a table and turn each column into a test case.
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