Key Takeaways
Who Keeps the Testing Boards Running
The three German-speaking Testing Boards—the German Testing Board, the Austrian Testing Board, and the Swiss Testing Board—operate with a shared back office. This office coordinates all the tasks that would otherwise fall through the cracks in three volunteer-run organizations.
The Boards are the German-speaking representatives of the ISTQB. Their members are volunteers—private citizens who have joined forces and are tied up in their day jobs during the workday. This is precisely the problem that a back office solves: No one is available to answer the phone during the day.
Andrea Kränzlein has managed this back office for 20 years on behalf of the German Testing Board, for 13 years on behalf of the Swiss Testing Board, and for 12 years on behalf of the Austrian Testing Board. She handles inquiries from training providers, accreditation bodies, and end users.
Why a Shared Back Office Makes the Boards More Efficient
The move to a shared back office has brought measurable synergies to the three boards. Instead of five rounds of back-and-forth between countries, certain areas of responsibility are now handled by a single entity.
Accreditations are one example. If a board asks whether and for how long a training provider is accredited in a neighboring country, there’s no longer any need to coordinate this. A glance at the central database is all it takes.
The idea behind this: Each board retains its autonomy but uses the same administrative structure. This saves resources—both in terms of personnel and finances—without any board having to give up its autonomy.
What the Back Office Specifically Handles
The back office serves as the central point of contact for all three boards. It forwards inquiries while maintaining strict objectivity.
A tester who wants to take an exam finds the back office’s contact information and is then referred from there to the certification body. There is no recommendation for a specific training provider. This neutrality is a matter of principle, not a coincidence.
Other responsibilities include:
- Liaising with training providers regarding issues and accreditations
- Bookkeeping and preparing financial plans
- Organizing meetings, including large events such as an ISTQB meeting
- Reporting exam figures from the three boards to the ISTQB
Reporting exam figures is more than just a formality. These figures are how the ISTQB is funded.
Volunteering Means: A Full-Time Job Plus Board Work
Board work is volunteer work, carried out by people who have day jobs. They do this work in their free time, often in addition to a full-time job.
This is easily underestimated by outsiders. When it comes to certification, training providers earn money through courses and certification bodies through exams. The core of board work itself, however, is unpaid dedication, comparable to other nonprofit organizations, only with significantly more technical substance.
What these volunteers do is substantive, technical work: reviewing curricula, creating exam questions, and promoting the ISTQB mission to the outside world. Juggling all of this on the side demands a significant amount of personal time and a high degree of responsibility.
The DACH Boards Collaborate More Closely Than the Rest of the World
The three German-speaking boards do not each go their own way. They exchange ideas regularly and meet once a year as a trio to work on common issues.
The reason is a shared market with its own specific requirements. Topics relevant in Central Europe play out differently here than in India, the U.S., or on boards on other continents. The DACH network allows for more targeted work on these topics.
A current example of a genuine paradigm shift is the topic of AI. It is noticeably changing the discussion in the boards, from the question of where curricula are headed to what will be tested in the future.
How a Running Gag Keeps Meetings on Time
In meetings with many participants, there’s a recurring problem: once someone has the floor, they sometimes won’t stop talking. This is exactly where “timeboxing” comes in—a solution the boards have implemented in a playful way.
A so-called “moo can”—a children’s toy that makes a sound when turned over—serves as a “time machine.” Anyone who has five minutes of speaking time and goes over gets handed the moo can. An honorary member is in charge of it at every meeting.
The effect is twofold. Time discipline improves, and the “time machine” has become a fixed ritual—one that everyone asks about before every meeting. The point behind this: Board work doesn’t have to be deadly serious to be effective.
Why Boards Need Younger Members
Boards benefit when experienced members hand over responsibility and younger people step up. This openness is a goal for the future—it won’t happen on its own.
The counterargument to the concern that newcomers might not be able to perform tasks perfectly right away is simple: No one started out at 100 percent. Everyone started somewhere and worked their way up.
This also involves questioning established age structures. If someone has held a role for a very long time, it can make sense to pass it on and free up resources—both in terms of personnel and finances.
For the community, this means specifically: Anyone who wants to get involved in one of the three boards can contact the back office via email and will be referred to the appropriate board from there. Helping hands and minds are welcome.
