--- last-redoc-date: 2025-10-14 --- # Test Architect (TEA) Agent Guide ## Overview - **Persona:** Murat, Master Test Architect and 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. ## TEA Workflow Lifecycle TEA integrates across the entire BMad development lifecycle, providing quality assurance at every phase: ``` ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ BMM Phase 2: PLANNING │ │ │ │ PM: *prd │ │ ↓ │ │ TEA: *framework ──→ *ci ──→ *test-design │ │ └─────────┬─────────────┘ │ │ │ (Setup once per project) │ └─────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────┘ ↓ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ BMM Phase 4: IMPLEMENTATION │ │ (Per Story Cycle) │ │ │ │ ┌─→ SM: *create-story │ │ │ ↓ │ │ │ TEA: *atdd (optional, before dev) │ │ │ ↓ │ │ │ DEV: implements story │ │ │ ↓ │ │ │ TEA: *automate ──→ *test-review (optional) │ │ │ ↓ │ │ │ TEA: *trace (refresh coverage) │ │ │ ↓ │ │ └───[next story] │ └─────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────────┘ ↓ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ EPIC/RELEASE GATE │ │ │ │ TEA: *nfr-assess (if not done earlier) │ │ ↓ │ │ TEA: *test-review (final audit, optional) │ │ ↓ │ │ TEA: *trace (Phase 2: Gate) ──→ PASS | CONCERNS | FAIL | WAIVED │ │ │ └──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ ``` ### TEA Integration with BMad v6 Workflow TEA operates **across all four BMad phases**, unlike other agents that are phase-specific:
Cross-Phase Integration & Workflow Complexity ### Phase-Specific Agents (Standard Pattern) - **Phase 1 (Analysis)**: Analyst agent - **Phase 2 (Planning)**: PM agent - **Phase 3 (Solutioning)**: Architect agent - **Phase 4 (Implementation)**: SM, DEV agents ### TEA: Cross-Phase Quality Agent (Unique Pattern) TEA is **the only agent that spans all phases**: ``` Phase 1 (Analysis) → [TEA not typically used] ↓ Phase 2 (Planning) → TEA: *framework, *ci, *test-design (setup) ↓ Phase 3 (Solutioning) → [TEA validates architecture testability] ↓ Phase 4 (Implementation) → TEA: *atdd, *automate, *test-review, *trace (per story) ↓ Epic/Release Gate → TEA: *nfr-assess, *trace Phase 2 (release decision) ``` ### Why TEA Needs 8 Workflows **Standard agents**: 1-3 workflows per phase **TEA**: 8 workflows across 3+ phases | Phase | TEA Workflows | Frequency | Purpose | | ----------- | -------------------------------------- | ---------------- | -------------------------------- | | **Phase 2** | *framework, *ci, \*test-design | Once per project | Establish quality infrastructure | | **Phase 4** | *atdd, *automate, *test-review, *trace | Per story/sprint | Continuous quality validation | | **Release** | *nfr-assess, *trace (Phase 2: gate) | Per epic/release | Go/no-go decision | **Note**: `*trace` is a two-phase workflow: Phase 1 (traceability) + Phase 2 (gate decision). This reduces cognitive load while maintaining natural workflow. This complexity **requires specialized documentation** (this guide), **extensive knowledge base** (19+ fragments), and **unique architecture** (`testarch/` directory).
## Prerequisites and Setup 1. Run the core planning workflows first: - Analyst `*product-brief` - Product Manager `*prd` - Architect `*create-architecture` 2. Confirm `bmad/bmm/config.yaml` defines `project_name`, `output_folder`, `dev_story_location`, and language settings. 3. Ensure a test test framework setup exists; if not, use `*framework` command to create a test framework setup, prior to development. 4. Skim supporting references (knowledge under `testarch/`, command workflows under `workflows/testarch/`). - `tea-index.csv` + `knowledge/*.md` ## High-Level Cheat Sheets ### Greenfield Feature Launch (Level 2) | Phase | Test Architect | Dev / Team | Outputs | | ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Setup | - | Analyst `*product-brief`, PM `*prd`, Architect `*create-architecture` | `{output_folder}/product-brief*.md`, `PRD.md`, `epics.md`, `architecture.md` | | Pre-Implementation | Run `*framework` (if harness missing), `*ci`, and `*test-design` | Review risk/design/CI guidance, align backlog | Test scaffold, CI pipeline, risk and coverage 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 tests + implementation checklist | | Post-Dev | Execute `*automate`, (Optional) `*test-review`, re-run `*trace` | Address recommendations, update code/tests | Regression specs, quality report, refreshed coverage matrix | | Release | (Optional) `*test-review` for final audit, Run `*trace` (Phase 2) | Confirm Definition of Done, share release notes | Quality audit, Gate YAML + release summary (owners, waivers) |
Execution Notes - Run `*framework` only once per repo or when modern harness support is missing. - `*framework` followed by `*ci` establishes install + pipeline; `*test-design` then handles risk scoring, mitigations, and scenario planning in one pass. - 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`, optionally review test quality with `*test-review`. For release gate, run `*trace` with Phase 2 enabled to get deployment decision. - Use `*test-review` after `*atdd` to validate generated tests, after `*automate` to ensure regression quality, or before gate for final audit.
Worked Example – “Nova CRM” Greenfield Feature 1. **Planning:** Analyst runs `*product-brief`; PM executes `*prd` to produce PRD and epics; Architect completes `*create-architecture` for the new module. 2. **Setup:** TEA checks harness via `*framework`, configures `*ci`, and runs `*test-design` to capture risk/coverage plans. 3. **Story Prep:** Scrum Master generates the story via `*create-story`; PO validates using `*solutioning-gate-check`. 4. **Implementation:** TEA optionally runs `*atdd`; Dev implements with guidance from failing tests and the plan. 5. **Post-Dev and Release:** TEA runs `*automate`, optionally `*test-review` to audit test quality, re-runs `*trace` with Phase 2 enabled to generate both traceability and gate decision.
### Brownfield Feature Enhancement (Level 3–4) | 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 | Run `*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`, (Optional) `*test-review`, re-run `*trace`, `*nfr-assess` if needed | Resolve gaps, update docs/tests | Regression specs, quality report, refreshed coverage matrix, NFR report | | Release | (Optional) `*test-review` for final audit, Run `*trace` (Phase 2) | Product Owner `*solutioning-gate-check`, share release notes | Quality audit, Gate YAML + release summary |
Execution Notes - Lead with `*trace` so remediation plans target true coverage gaps. Ensure `*framework` and `*ci` are in place early in the engagement; if the brownfield lacks them, run those setup steps immediately after refreshing context. - `*test-design` should highlight regression hotspots, mitigations, 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`, optionally review test quality with `*test-review`, re-run `*trace` (Phase 2 for gate decision). Run `*nfr-assess` now if non-functional risks weren't addressed earlier. - Use `*test-review` to validate existing brownfield tests or audit new tests before gate. - Product Owner `*solutioning-gate-check` confirms the team has artifacts before handoff or release.
Worked Example – “Atlas Payments” Brownfield Story 1. **Context Refresh:** Analyst reruns `*product-brief`; PM executes `*prd` to update PRD, analysis, and `epics.md`; Architect triggers `*create-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 and Design:** `*test-design` flags settlement edge cases, plans mitigations, and 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. **Implementation:** Dev pairs with the checklist/tests to deliver the story. 7. **Post-Implementation:** TEA applies `*automate`, optionally `*test-review` to audit test quality, re-runs `*trace` with Phase 2 enabled, performs `*nfr-assess` to validate SLAs. The `*trace` Phase 2 output marks PASS with follow-ups.
### 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`, `*test-design`, `*nfr-assess` | Review guidance, align compliance requirements | Harness scaffold, risk + coverage plan, NFR documentation | | Pipeline Enablement | Configure `*ci` | Coordinate secrets, pipeline approvals | `.github/workflows/test.yml`, helper scripts | | Execution | Enforce `*atdd`, `*automate`, `*test-review`, `*trace` per story | Implement stories, resolve TEA findings | Tests, fixtures, quality reports, coverage matrices | | Release | (Optional) `*test-review` for final audit, Run `*trace` (Phase 2) | Capture sign-offs, archive artifacts | Quality audit, updated assessments, gate YAML, audit trail |
Execution Notes - 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. - Enforce `*test-review` per story or sprint to maintain quality standards and ensure compliance with testing best practices. - Prior to release, rerun coverage (`*trace`, `*automate`), perform final quality audit with `*test-review`, and formalize the decision with `*trace` Phase 2 (gate decision); store everything for audits. Call `*nfr-assess` here if compliance/performance requirements weren't captured during planning.
Worked Example – “Helios Ledger” Enterprise Release 1. **Strategic Planning:** Analyst/PM/Architect complete PRD, epics, and architecture using the standard workflows. 2. **Quality Planning:** TEA runs `*framework`, `*test-design`, and `*nfr-assess` to establish mitigations, coverage, and NFR targets. 3. **Pipeline Setup:** TEA configures CI via `*ci` with selective execution scripts. 4. **Execution:** For each story, TEA enforces `*atdd`, `*automate`, `*test-review`, and `*trace`; Dev teams iterate on the findings. 5. **Release:** TEA re-checks coverage, performs final quality audit with `*test-review`, and logs the final gate decision via `*trace` Phase 2, archiving artifacts for compliance.
## Command Catalog
Optional Playwright MCP Enhancements **Two Playwright MCP servers** (actively maintained, continuously updated): - `playwright` - Browser automation (`npx @playwright/mcp@latest`) - `playwright-test` - Test runner with failure analysis (`npx playwright run-test-mcp-server`) **How MCP Enhances TEA Workflows**: MCP provides additional capabilities on top of TEA's default AI-based approach: 1. `*test-design`: - Default: Analysis + documentation - **+ MCP**: Interactive UI discovery with `browser_navigate`, `browser_click`, `browser_snapshot`, behavior observation Benefit:Discover actual functionality, edge cases, undocumented features 2. `*atdd`, `*automate`: - Default: Infers selectors and interactions from requirements and knowledge fragments - **+ MCP**: Generates tests **then** verifies with `generator_setup_page`, `browser_*` tools, validates against live app Benefit: Accurate selectors from real DOM, verified behavior, refined test code 3. `*automate`: - Default: Pattern-based fixes from error messages + knowledge fragments - **+ MCP**: Pattern fixes **enhanced with** `browser_snapshot`, `browser_console_messages`, `browser_network_requests`, `browser_generate_locator` Benefit: Visual failure context, live DOM inspection, root cause discovery **Config example**: ```json { "mcpServers": { "playwright": { "command": "npx", "args": ["@playwright/mcp@latest"] }, "playwright-test": { "command": "npx", "args": ["playwright", "run-test-mcp-server"] } } } ``` **To disable**: Set `tea_use_mcp_enhancements: false` in `bmad/bmm/config.yaml` OR remove MCPs from IDE config.


| Command | Workflow README | Primary Outputs | Notes | With Playwright MCP Enhancements | | -------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | `*framework` | [📖](../workflows/testarch/framework/README.md) | Playwright/Cypress scaffold, `.env.example`, `.nvmrc`, sample specs | Use when no production-ready harness exists | - | | `*ci` | [📖](../workflows/testarch/ci/README.md) | CI workflow, selective test scripts, secrets checklist | Platform-aware (GitHub Actions default) | - | | `*test-design` | [📖](../workflows/testarch/test-design/README.md) | Combined risk assessment, mitigation plan, and coverage strategy | Risk scoring + optional exploratory mode | **+ Exploratory**: Interactive UI discovery with browser automation (uncover actual functionality) | | `*atdd` | [📖](../workflows/testarch/atdd/README.md) | Failing acceptance tests + implementation checklist | TDD red phase + optional recording mode | **+ Recording**: AI generation verified with live browser (accurate selectors from real DOM) | | `*automate` | [📖](../workflows/testarch/automate/README.md) | Prioritized specs, fixtures, README/script updates, DoD summary | Optional healing/recording, avoid duplicate coverage | **+ Healing**: Pattern fixes enhanced with visual debugging + **+ Recording**: AI verified with live browser | | `*test-review` | [📖](../workflows/testarch/test-review/README.md) | Test quality review report with 0-100 score, violations, fixes | Reviews tests against knowledge base patterns | - | | `*nfr-assess` | [📖](../workflows/testarch/nfr-assess/README.md) | NFR assessment report with actions | Focus on security/performance/reliability | - | | `*trace` | [📖](../workflows/testarch/trace/README.md) | Phase 1: Coverage matrix, recommendations. Phase 2: Gate decision (PASS/CONCERNS/FAIL/WAIVED) | Two-phase workflow: traceability + gate decision | - | **📖** = Click to view detailed workflow documentation ## Why TEA is Architecturally Different TEA is the only BMM agent with its own top-level module directory (`bmm/testarch/`). This intentional design pattern reflects TEA's unique requirements:
Unique Architecture Pattern & Rationale ### Directory Structure ``` src/modules/bmm/ ├── agents/ │ └── tea.agent.yaml # Agent definition (standard location) ├── workflows/ │ └── testarch/ # TEA workflows (standard location) └── testarch/ # Knowledge base (UNIQUE!) ├── knowledge/ # 21 production-ready test pattern fragments ├── tea-index.csv # Centralized knowledge lookup (21 fragments indexed) └── README.md # This guide ``` ### Why TEA Gets Special Treatment TEA uniquely requires **extensive domain knowledge** (21 fragments, 12,821 lines: test patterns, CI/CD, fixtures, quality practices, healing strategies), a **centralized reference system** (`tea-index.csv` for on-demand fragment loading), **cross-cutting concerns** (domain-specific patterns vs project-specific artifacts like PRDs/stories), and **optional MCP integration** (healing, exploratory, verification modes). Other BMM agents don't require this architecture.