tomevault-io SFDIPOT Product Factors Analysis
Quality Gates:
- Human exploration >= 10%
- No "Verify X" test patterns
- Priority distribution: P0 (8-12%), P1 (20-30%), P2 (35-45%), P3 (20-30%)
Quick Reference Card
The 7 Product Factors
| Factor | Question | Example Focus Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | What IS it? | Components, code, dependencies |
| Function | What does it DO? | Features, calculations, errors |
| Data | What does it PROCESS? | Input, output, persistence |
| Interfaces | How does it CONNECT? | UI, API, integrations |
| Platform | What does it DEPEND ON? | OS, browser, hardware |
| Operations | How is it USED? | Workflows, admin, recovery |
| Time | WHEN do things happen? | Concurrency, scheduling |
When to Use This Skill
| Scenario | Priority | Output |
|---|---|---|
| New epic planning | High | Full SFDIPOT assessment + test ideas |
| Sprint requirement review | Medium | Targeted analysis + clarifying questions |
| Test strategy definition | High | Comprehensive test coverage plan |
| Risk assessment | High | Domain-weighted priority assignment |
| Coverage gap analysis | Medium | Penetrating questions + recommendations |
SFDIPOT Analysis Framework
Structure (What the product IS)
Subcategories:
- Code Integrity: Code quality, complexity, maintainability
- Hardware: Physical components, devices, peripherals
- Non-Executable Files: Config, data files, documents
- Executable Files: Binaries, scripts, libraries
- Dependencies: Third-party libraries, external services
Sample Test Ideas:
- Analyze cyclomatic complexity of critical modules; flag functions > 10
- Inject corrupted config file; confirm graceful degradation
- Upgrade dependency version; validate no breaking changes
Function (What the product DOES)
Subcategories:
- Application: Core business features
- Calculation: Mathematical operations, transformations
- Error Handling: Exception management, recovery
- Security: Authentication, authorization, encryption
- State Transitions: Workflow states, data lifecycle
- Messaging: Notifications, events, queues
- Data Transformation: Format conversion, mapping
Sample Test Ideas:
- Submit order with 1000 line items; measure processing time
- Inject SQL in search field; confirm sanitization prevents execution
- Trigger state transition timeout; observe retry behavior
Data (What the product PROCESSES)
Subcategories:
- Input: User input, file uploads, API payloads
- Output: Responses, reports, exports
- Persistence: Database storage, caching
- Storage: File systems, cloud storage
- Boundaries: Min/max values, edge cases
- Validation: Format rules, business rules
- Formats: JSON, XML, CSV handling
Sample Test Ideas:
- Upload 100MB file; confirm chunked processing completes
- Insert emoji in text field; validate storage and retrieval
- Query boundary date (2038-01-19); check timestamp handling
Interfaces (How the product CONNECTS)
Subcategories:
- User Interface: Web, mobile, desktop UI
- APIs: REST, GraphQL, gRPC endpoints
- Integrations: Third-party service connections
- Protocols: HTTP, WebSocket, MQTT
- CLI: Command-line interfaces
Sample Test Ideas:
- Resize browser to 320px width; confirm responsive breakpoints
- Send malformed JSON to API; assert 400 response with details
- Disconnect WebSocket mid-transaction; observe reconnection
Platform (What the product DEPENDS ON)
Subcategories:
- Browser: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge
- OS: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
- Hardware: CPU, memory, storage constraints
- External Software: Databases, message queues
- Network: Latency, bandwidth, offline
Sample Test Ideas:
- Execute on 1GB RAM device; profile memory usage
- Run with 500ms network latency; measure user experience
- Test on iOS 15 Safari; validate CSS grid support
Operations (How the product is USED)
Subcategories:
- Common Use: Happy path workflows
- Extreme Use: Edge cases, stress conditions
- User Management: Roles, permissions, profiles
- Admin Operations: Configuration, monitoring
- Recovery: Backup, restore, disaster recovery
Sample Test Ideas:
- Execute 10,000 concurrent user sessions; monitor resource usage
- Revoke admin access mid-session; confirm immediate effect
- Restore from 24-hour-old backup; validate data integrity
Time (WHEN things happen)
Subcategories:
- Concurrency: Parallel operations, race conditions
- Scheduling: Cron jobs, timed events
- Sequences: Order of operations, dependencies
Sample Test Ideas:
- Two users update same record simultaneously; confirm conflict resolution
- Execute scheduled job at DST transition; validate correct timing
- Cancel operation mid-sequence; observe partial state handling
Quality Rules
Test Idea Quality
NEVER use "Verify X" patterns. Always use action verbs.
| Bad Pattern | Good Pattern |
|---|---|
| Verify login works | Submit credentials; confirm session created |
| Verify API returns 200 | Send request; assert 200 response |
| Verify error displays | Trigger error; observe message |
Priority Distribution
| Priority | Percentage | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| P0 (Critical) | 8-12% | Security, data loss, regulatory |
| P1 (High) | 20-30% | Core functionality, user impact |
| P2 (Medium) | 35-45% | Standard features, edge cases |
| P3 (Low) | 20-30% | Polish, minor improvements |
Automation Fitness
| Type | Percentage | Use For |
|---|---|---|
| Unit | 30-40% | Isolated logic, calculations |
| Integration | 15-25% | API contracts, data flow |
| E2E | <=50% | User journeys, workflows |
| Human Exploration | >=10% | Usability, edge cases |
Agent Integration
// Full SFDIPOT assessment
await Task("SFDIPOT Assessment", {
input: epicDocument,
outputFormat: "html",
domains: ["ecommerce"],
brutalHonesty: true
}, "qe-product-factors-assessor");
// Transform verify patterns
await Task("Rewrite Test Ideas", {
inputFile: assessmentHtml,
preserveMetadata: true
}, "qe-test-idea-rewriter");
Memory Namespace
aqe/sfdipot/
├── assessments/* - Assessment results
├── patterns/* - Learned domain patterns
├── test-ideas/* - Generated test ideas
└── questions/* - Clarifying questions
Related Skills
- brutal-honesty-review - Quality validation
- risk-based-testing - Priority assignment
- context-driven-testing - Domain awareness
- exploratory-testing-advanced - Session design
Remember
SFDIPOT ensures comprehensive test coverage by examining products from 7 distinct perspectives. Each category reveals risks that other perspectives might miss. Use domain detection to weight priorities appropriately.
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