What is a suitable test approach for a high-risk item?

A suitable test approach for a high-risk item involves the use of structured testing techniques that can effectively address potential failure points and ambiguities. The correct answer outlines the use of decision testing at the component level and decision table testing at the system level.

Decision testing focuses on evaluating the conditions and branches in the software code, ensuring that each decision point behaves as expected under various scenarios. This is particularly important for high-risk items, where the consequences of failure can be significant. By identifying and testing various decision outcomes, testers can gain confidence that the critical paths through the code are functioning correctly.

At the system level, decision table testing provides a systematic way to represent and evaluate different input combinations and their corresponding outcomes. This is especially useful for complex systems with numerous input variables that interact in various ways, enabling thorough validation of business logic and requirements. By covering multiple scenarios in a single table, decision table testing helps ensure that all permutations of inputs are adequately validated, which is essential for high-risk items.

This combination of testing techniques serves to mitigate risks effectively by ensuring that both the components and the overall system behavior are extensively validated against a variety of conditions, ultimately enhancing the quality and reliability of the product.