QA
Use this workflow for verification and test quality work.
Domain Expertise
Three industry-canonical frameworks shape every QA task in this skill.
Heuristic Test Strategy Model (Bach / Kaner)
Questioning lenses for test design. Walk through each mnemonic for any new feature to surface test conditions before writing tests.
| Mnemonic |
Lenses |
Use for |
| SFDPOT ("San Francisco Depot") |
Structure, Function, Data, Platform, Operations, Time |
Product coverage — what to test |
| CIDTESTD |
Capability, Inputs, Data, Tests, Errors, Stress, Time, Design |
Test technique selection — how to test |
Reference: James Bach, Rapid Testing Methodology and the HTSM one-page reference.
Session-Based Test Management (Bach 2000)
Structure for exploratory testing.
| Element |
Length |
Contents |
| Charter |
30–120 min |
Focused mission, e.g., "Investigate file upload handling under network failure" |
| Session report |
Written during session |
Time, charter, areas covered, bugs, issues, todo, % time on test design vs investigation vs setup |
| Debrief |
5–15 min |
Review with team lead — surfaces patterns, refines future charters |
Reference: Jonathan Bach, SBTM 2000 paper.
Risk-Based Testing (ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119-1)
Test depth scales with risk score = Probability × Impact (3×3 matrix, H/M/L per axis, 9 cells).
| Probability factors |
Impact factors |
| Code complexity |
Business criticality |
| Change frequency |
User-base size |
| Dev team experience |
Regulatory exposure |
| Third-party dependency churn |
Financial loss potential |
High P × High I → exhaustive testing + automation. Low P × Low I → smoke only.
1. Determine the QA Task
Classify the request as one of:
- Feature verification
- Bug report
- Test creation
- Test improvement
- Exploratory testing
- Coverage review
2. Gather Context
Read:
TESTING.md if present- Root
AGENTS.md
- Relevant scoped
AGENTS.md
- Feature brief, bug report, or changed code in scope
- Existing tests for the target area
3. Execute the Task
Feature Verification
- Map acceptance criteria to observable behavior
- Check happy path, edge cases, and error paths
- Record pass, fail, or partial status with evidence
Bug Report
- Reproduce the issue
- Capture logs, errors, and minimal repro
- Write a structured report using the template below
Bug report template (all fields required unless marked optional):
| Field |
Format / values |
| Title |
One line, includes severity hint, e.g., [BUG] Login button unresponsive after 2 failed attempts |
| Severity |
S1 Critical / S2 Major / S3 Minor / S4 Cosmetic (impact on system) |
| Priority |
P1 / P2 / P3 / P4 (urgency to fix — separate from severity) |
| Steps to reproduce (STR) |
Numbered, deterministic |
| Expected behavior |
What should happen |
| Actual behavior |
What happens instead |
| Environment |
OS / browser / app version / build / device / region |
| First seen |
Timestamp + commit / release / build |
| Repro rate |
1/1, 1/10, intermittent, etc. |
| Attachments |
Screenshots / video / logs (attached or linked) |
| Workaround |
If known (optional) |
Test Creation or Improvement
- Identify coverage gaps
- Write or improve tests using the project's existing patterns
- Prefer deterministic tests and narrow scope first
Exploratory Testing
- Identify risky or recently changed areas
- Explore happy path, invalid input, state transitions, and regressions
- Record issues with severity and reproduction steps
Coverage Review
- Review current coverage signals
- Identify important untested logic
- Recommend the next highest-value tests
4. Apply the Quality Gate
Check:
- Existing tests still pass
- New tests are deterministic
- Acceptance criteria are covered where relevant
- Bug reports include evidence and reproduction steps
5. Report
Summarize:
- What was tested
- Issues found
- Tests added or improved
- Coverage impact if relevant
- Recommended next steps
Integration
- Companion skills:
test-strategy, run-tests, test-local
- Common follow-up:
bugfix, feature-dev, pre-commit
1---2name: qa3description: Use this skill when the user asks to validate a feature, write or improve tests, report a bug, or audit acceptance criteria coverage — /qa = QA-task workflows (verification, test creation, bug reports, exploratory). /test-strategy = test design principles + pyramid + coverage targets (knowledge). /test-local = test execution workflow.4---56# QA78Use this workflow for verification and test quality work.910## Domain Expertise1112Three industry-canonical frameworks shape every QA task in this skill.1314### Heuristic Test Strategy Model (Bach / Kaner)1516Questioning lenses for test design. Walk through each mnemonic for any new feature to surface test conditions before writing tests.1718| Mnemonic | Lenses | Use for |19|---|---|---|20| **SFDPOT** ("San Francisco Depot") | Structure, Function, Data, Platform, Operations, Time | Product coverage — what to test |21| **CIDTESTD** | Capability, Inputs, Data, Tests, Errors, Stress, Time, Design | Test technique selection — how to test |2223Reference: James Bach, [Rapid Testing Methodology](https://www.satisfice.com/rapid-testing-methodology) and the HTSM one-page reference.2425### Session-Based Test Management (Bach 2000)2627Structure for exploratory testing.2829| Element | Length | Contents |30|---|---|---|31| **Charter** | 30–120 min | Focused mission, e.g., "Investigate file upload handling under network failure" |32| **Session report** | Written during session | Time, charter, areas covered, bugs, issues, todo, % time on test design vs investigation vs setup |33| **Debrief** | 5–15 min | Review with team lead — surfaces patterns, refines future charters |3435Reference: Jonathan Bach, [SBTM 2000 paper](https://www.satisfice.com/download/session-based-test-management).3637### Risk-Based Testing (ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119-1)3839Test depth scales with risk score = **Probability × Impact** (3×3 matrix, H/M/L per axis, 9 cells).4041| Probability factors | Impact factors |42|---|---|43| Code complexity | Business criticality |44| Change frequency | User-base size |45| Dev team experience | Regulatory exposure |46| Third-party dependency churn | Financial loss potential |4748High P × High I → exhaustive testing + automation. Low P × Low I → smoke only.4950## 1. Determine the QA Task5152Classify the request as one of:5354- Feature verification55- Bug report56- Test creation57- Test improvement58- Exploratory testing59- Coverage review6061## 2. Gather Context6263Read:64651. `TESTING.md` if present662. Root `AGENTS.md`673. Relevant scoped `AGENTS.md`684. Feature brief, bug report, or changed code in scope695. Existing tests for the target area7071## 3. Execute the Task7273### Feature Verification7475- Map acceptance criteria to observable behavior76- Check happy path, edge cases, and error paths77- Record pass, fail, or partial status with evidence7879### Bug Report8081- Reproduce the issue82- Capture logs, errors, and minimal repro83- Write a structured report using the template below8485**Bug report template** (all fields required unless marked optional):8687| Field | Format / values |88|---|---|89| Title | One line, includes severity hint, e.g., `[BUG] Login button unresponsive after 2 failed attempts` |90| Severity | `S1 Critical` / `S2 Major` / `S3 Minor` / `S4 Cosmetic` (impact on system) |91| Priority | `P1` / `P2` / `P3` / `P4` (urgency to fix — separate from severity) |92| Steps to reproduce (STR) | Numbered, deterministic |93| Expected behavior | What should happen |94| Actual behavior | What happens instead |95| Environment | OS / browser / app version / build / device / region |96| First seen | Timestamp + commit / release / build |97| Repro rate | `1/1`, `1/10`, intermittent, etc. |98| Attachments | Screenshots / video / logs (attached or linked) |99| Workaround | If known (optional) |100101### Test Creation or Improvement102103- Identify coverage gaps104- Write or improve tests using the project's existing patterns105- Prefer deterministic tests and narrow scope first106107### Exploratory Testing108109- Identify risky or recently changed areas110- Explore happy path, invalid input, state transitions, and regressions111- Record issues with severity and reproduction steps112113### Coverage Review114115- Review current coverage signals116- Identify important untested logic117- Recommend the next highest-value tests118119## 4. Apply the Quality Gate120121Check:122123- Existing tests still pass124- New tests are deterministic125- Acceptance criteria are covered where relevant126- Bug reports include evidence and reproduction steps127128## 5. Report129130Summarize:131132- What was tested133- Issues found134- Tests added or improved135- Coverage impact if relevant136- Recommended next steps137138## Integration139140- Companion skills: `test-strategy`, `run-tests`, `test-local`141- Common follow-up: `bugfix`, `feature-dev`, `pre-commit`
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