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last-redoc-date: 2025-09-30
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# Test Architect (TEA) Agent Guide

## Overview

- **Persona:** Murat, Master Test Architect & Quality Advisor focused on risk-based testing, fixture architecture, ATDD, and CI/CD governance.
- **Mission:** Deliver actionable quality strategies, automation coverage, and gate decisions that scale with project level and compliance demands.
- **Use When:** Project level ≥2, integration risk is non-trivial, brownfield regression risk exists, or compliance/NFR evidence is required.

## Prerequisites & Setup

1. Run the core planning workflows first:
   - Analyst `*product-brief`
   - Product Manager `*plan-project`
   - Architect `*solution-architecture`
2. Confirm `bmad/bmm/config.yaml` defines `project_name`, `output_folder`, `dev_story_location`, and language settings.
3. Ensure a test harness exists; if not, schedule `*framework` before development.
4. Skim supporting references under `./testarch/`:
   - `tea-knowledge.md`
   - `test-levels-framework.md`
   - `test-priorities-matrix.md`

## High-Level Cheat Sheets

### Greenfield Feature Launch (Level 2)

| Phase | Test Architect | Dev / Team | Outputs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Setup | - | Analyst `*product-brief`, PM `*plan-project`, Architect `*solution-architecture` | `{output_folder}/product-brief*.md`, `PRD.md`, `epics.md`, `solution-architecture.md` |
| Pre-Implementation | Run `*framework` (if harness missing), `*risk-profile`, `*test-design` | Review risk/design guidance, align backlog | Test scaffold, risk memo, test design strategy |
| Story Prep | - | Scrum Master `*create-story`, `*story-context` | Story markdown + context XML |
| Implementation | (Optional) Trigger `*atdd` before dev to supply failing tests + checklist | Implement story guided by ATDD checklist | Failing acceptance/component tests + implementation checklist |
| Post-Dev | Execute `*automate`, re-run `*trace` | Address recommendations, update code/tests | Regression specs, refreshed coverage matrix |
| Release | Refresh `*risk-profile`/`*test-design` if scope changed, run `*gate` | Confirm Definition of Done, share release notes | Gate YAML + release summary (owners, waivers) |

<details>
<summary>Execution Notes</summary>

- Run `*framework` only once per repo or when modern harness support is missing.
- `*risk-profile` grounds risk scores in PRD/architecture evidence (Probability × Impact with mitigation plan).
- `*test-design` maps acceptance criteria across unit/integration/E2E levels using the priority matrix.
- Use `*atdd` before coding when the team can adopt ATDD; share its checklist with the dev agent.
- Post-implementation, keep `*trace` current, expand coverage with `*automate`, and finish with `*gate` after refreshing risk/design artifacts if anything shifted.

</details>

### Brownfield Feature Enhancement (Level 2–3)

| Phase | Test Architect | Dev / Team | Outputs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Refresh Context | - | Analyst/PM/Architect rerun planning workflows | Updated planning artifacts in `{output_folder}` |
| Baseline Coverage | Run `*trace` to inventory existing tests | Review matrix, flag hotspots | Coverage matrix + initial gate snippet |
| Risk Targeting | Execute `*risk-profile`, `*test-design` | Align remediation/backlog priorities | Brownfield risk memo + scenario matrix |
| Story Prep | - | Scrum Master `*create-story` | Updated story markdown |
| Implementation | (Optional) Run `*atdd` before dev | Implement story, referencing checklist/tests | Failing acceptance tests + implementation checklist |
| Post-Dev | Apply `*automate`, re-run `*trace`, trigger `*nfr-assess` if needed | Resolve gaps, update docs/tests | Regression specs, refreshed coverage matrix, NFR report |
| Release | Refresh `*risk-profile`/`*test-design` if scope changed, run `*gate` | Product Owner `*assess-project-ready`, share release notes | Gate YAML + release summary |

<details>
<summary>Execution Notes</summary>

- Lead with `*trace` so remediation plans target true coverage gaps.
- `*risk-profile` + `*test-design` should highlight regression hotspots and P0 scenarios.
- Use `*atdd` when stories benefit from ATDD; otherwise proceed to implementation and rely on post-dev automation.
- After development, expand coverage with `*automate`, re-run `*trace`, and close with `*gate` (including `*nfr-assess` where infrastructure/perf changed).
- Product Owner `*assess-project-ready` confirms the team has artifacts before handoff or release.

</details>

### Enterprise / Compliance Program (Level 4)

| Phase | Test Architect | Dev / Team | Outputs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Strategic Planning | - | Analyst/PM/Architect standard workflows | Enterprise-grade PRD, epics, architecture |
| Quality Planning | Run `*framework`, `*risk-profile`, `*test-design`, `*nfr-assess` | Review guidance, align compliance requirements | Harness scaffold, risk + NFR documentation |
| Pipeline Enablement | Configure `*ci` | Coordinate secrets, pipeline approvals | `.github/workflows/test.yml`, helper scripts |
| Execution | Enforce `*atdd`, `*automate`, `*trace` per story | Implement stories, resolve TEA findings | Tests, fixtures, coverage matrices |
| Release | Refresh `*risk-profile`/`*test-design`, rerun `*trace`, `*automate`, `*gate` | Capture sign-offs, archive artifacts | Updated assessments, gate YAML, audit trail |

<details>
<summary>Execution Notes</summary>

- Use `*atdd` for every story when feasible so acceptance tests lead implementation in regulated environments.
- `*ci` scaffolds selective testing scripts, burn-in jobs, caching, and notifications for long-running suites.
- Prior to release, refresh planning artifacts, rerun coverage (`*trace`, `*automate`), and formalize the decision in `*gate`; store everything for audits.

</details>

## Command Catalog

| Command | Task File | Primary Outputs | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `*framework` | `testarch/framework.md` | Playwright/Cypress scaffold, `.env.example`, `.nvmrc`, sample specs | Use when no production-ready harness exists |
| `*atdd` | `testarch/atdd.md` | Failing acceptance/component tests, implementation checklist | Requires approved story + harness |
| `*automate` | `testarch/automate.md` | Prioritized specs, fixtures, README/script updates, DoD summary | Avoid duplicate coverage (see priority matrix) |
| `*ci` | `testarch/ci.md` | CI workflow, selective test scripts, secrets checklist | Platform-aware (GitHub Actions default) |
| `*risk-profile` | `testarch/risk-profile.md` | Probability × impact matrix, mitigations, gate snippet | Grounded in PRD/architecture evidence |
| `*test-design` | `testarch/test-design.md` | Scenario-to-level/priorities tables, coverage guidance | Aligns with risk profile and priority matrix |
| `*trace` | `testarch/trace-requirements.md` | Coverage matrix, recommendations, gate snippet | Requires access to story/tests repositories |
| `*nfr-assess` | `testarch/nfr-assess.md` | NFR assessment report with actions | Focus on security/performance/reliability |
| `*gate` | `testarch/tea-gate.md` | Gate YAML + summary (PASS/CONCERNS/FAIL/WAIVED) | Deterministic decision rules + rationale |
| `*review-gate` | `bmm/tasks/review-story.md` | Legacy story review workflow (Risk Aware Results) | Use only when legacy gate format required |

<details>
<summary>Command Guidance & Context Loading</summary>

- Each task reads one row from `tea-commands.csv` via `command_key`, expanding pipe-delimited (`|`) values into checklists.
- Keep CSV rows lightweight; place in-depth heuristics in `tea-knowledge.md` and reference via `knowledge_tags`.
- If the CSV grows substantially, consider splitting into scoped registries (e.g., planning vs execution) or upgrading to Markdown tables for humans.
- `tea-knowledge.md` encapsulates Murat’s philosophy—update both CSV and knowledge file together to avoid drift.

</details>

## Engagement Playbooks

- **Greenfield Launch:** Follow the greenfield cheat sheet end-to-end—share planning artifacts up front and finish with the release row (refresh risk/design, rerun `*trace`, run `*gate`).
- **Brownfield Enhancement:** Use the brownfield table; baseline with `*trace`, plan remediation, and complete the release row (including `*nfr-assess` when applicable).
- **Enterprise / Compliance:** Add `*ci` early, enforce `*atdd`, and rely on the release row for audit-ready outputs (refresh risk/design, rerun `*trace`/`*automate`, log `*gate`).

## Worked Example – “Atlas Payments” Brownfield Story

1. **Context Refresh:** Analyst reruns `*product-brief`; PM executes `*plan-project` to update PRD, analysis, and `epics.md`; Architect triggers `*solution-architecture` capturing legacy payment flows.
2. **Baseline Coverage:** TEA executes `*trace` to record current coverage in `docs/qa/assessments/atlas-payment-trace.md`.
3. **Risk & Design:** `*risk-profile` flags settlement edge cases; `*test-design` allocates new API/E2E scenarios with P0 priorities.
4. **Story Prep:** Scrum Master generates `stories/story-1.1.md` via `*create-story`, automatically pulling updated context.
5. **ATDD First:** TEA runs `*atdd`, producing failing Playwright specs under `tests/e2e/payments/` plus an implementation checklist.
6. **Post-Implementation:** TEA applies `*automate`, re-runs `*trace`, performs `*nfr-assess` to validate SLAs, and closes with `*gate` marking PASS with follow-ups.

## Appendix

- **Legacy Command Decomposition:** The historical `*review` flow is retired; coverage now handled by `*trace`, deep analysis by `*risk-profile`/`*test-design`/`*nfr-assess`, and gating by `*gate`.
- **Supporting Knowledge:**
  - `tea-knowledge.md` – Murat’s testing philosophy, heuristics, and risk scales.
  - `test-levels-framework.md` – Decision matrix for unit/integration/E2E selection.
  - `test-priorities-matrix.md` – Priority (P0–P3) criteria and target coverage percentages.
- **Visual Aids:** Coordinate with module maintainers if a flowchart or diagram should accompany these cheat sheets for downstream docs.