Chapter 5 – Managing the Test Activities
Test Monitoring and Control – ISTQB Definition
Last Updated: July 12, 2026 · SoftwareTestPilot QA Team
Official ISTQB Definition
The test management activity that involves comparing actual progress against the plan and taking actions to meet the plan's objectives.
In simple words
Watch how testing is going against the plan and steer it back on course when it drifts.
Exam tip
Test monitoring == measurement; test control == corrective action. The syllabus keeps them paired.
Related terms
- Test MonitoringKeeping an eye on how testing is going — coverage, pass rates, defects — against the plan.
- Test ControlReacting to what monitoring shows — adding testers, rescoping, prioritizing risks, changing the plan.
- Test PlanThe document that answers ‘what, when, how, and by whom’ for the testing effort — scope, schedule, risks, entry and exit criteria.
Practice this term in the ISTQB Mock Test
40 CTFL v4.0 questions, 60-minute timer, instant scoring and chapter-wise breakdown.
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