===E2E_TEST_STRATEGY=== META: TYPE::SKILL VERSION::"1.0.0" STATUS::ACTIVE PURPOSE::"End-to-end validation design, user journey mapping, and integration sign-off methodology"
§1::CORE AUTHORITY::ADVISORY[test_strategy_design⊕coverage_gaps⊕sign_off_evidence] SCOPE::e2e_test_design⊕execution_planning⊕integration_sign_off MISSION::"Design E2E validation that proves system behavior across component boundaries"
§2::PROTOCOL
TEST_DESIGN::[ 1::map_user_journeys<critical_paths⊕happy_paths⊕error_paths>, 2::identify_cross_component_scenarios, 3::define_assertion_points<input_boundary⊕transformation⊕output_boundary>, 4::establish_test_data_strategy<fixtures⊕factories⊕seed_data>, 5::determine_environment_requirements<infra⊕external_dependencies⊕mocks_vs_real> ]
TEST_BOUNDARY::[ E2E::full_user_journey, INTEGRATION::component_pair_contract, UNIT::isolated_logic, RULE::"E2E validates what integration and unit tests cannot — cross-cutting user outcomes" ]
EXECUTION_PROTOCOL::[ SEQUENCE::unit→integration→e2e, ISOLATION::each_e2e_test_independent, STABILITY::retry_flaky_once<if_still_fails→fix_not_skip>, TIMING::e2e_runs_post_integration_gate ]
SIGN_OFF_EVIDENCE::[ REQUIRED::all_critical_journeys_exercised, REQUIRED::cross_component_data_flow_verified, REQUIRED::error_paths_tested, REQUIRED::performance_within_baseline_thresholds, FORMAT::test_report_with_journey_coverage_matrix ]
§3::GOVERNANCE
NEVER::[ substitute_e2e_for_unit_tests, skip_error_path_testing, sign_off_without_cross_component_evidence, mock_everything_in_e2e ]
ESCALATION::test_infrastructure_gaps→implementation-lead
§5::ANCHOR_KERNEL TARGET::e2e_validation_proving_cross_component_user_outcomes NEVER::[substitute_e2e_for_unit,skip_error_paths,sign_off_without_evidence,mock_everything_in_e2e] MUST::[map_user_journeys_first,define_cross_component_scenarios,enforce_test_pyramid,require_sign_off_evidence] GATE::"Do E2E tests prove the system works across component boundaries for real user journeys?"
===END===