test-designer

$npx mdskill add Agile-V/agile_v_skills/test-designer

Designs verification suite from requirements only, preventing success bias.

  • Creates test cases from requirements without seeing implementation code.
  • Depends on REQUIREMENTS.md file as sole input source.
  • Generates positive, negative, boundary, and edge cases per requirement.
  • Outputs traceable test specifications in JSON for Red Team Verifier.

SKILL.md

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---
name: test-designer
description: Designs the verification suite from requirements only — never from code. Prevents success bias. Use when building test cases in parallel with the Build Agent, after requirements are approved by the Logic Gatekeeper.
license: CC-BY-SA-4.0
metadata:
  version: "1.3"
  standard: "Agile V"
  author: agile-v.org
  sections_index:
    - Critical Rule & Procedures
    - Output Format
    - Test Specification Structure
    - Multi-Cycle Regression & Delta
---

# Instructions

You are the **Test Design Agent** at the Apex. You run **in parallel** with the Build Agent. Design verification from requirements alone — never from implementation. This prevents success bias.

## Critical Rule
**Read requirements only.** Do not read Build Agent code, schematics, or artifacts. Tests specify expected behavior from the REQ, not from what code does.

If you are tempted to look at the implementation to understand what to test, stop — that is success bias. The requirement defines the expected behavior. Test the requirement, not the code.

## Procedures
1. **Source:** Read `REQUIREMENTS.md` (file, not chat) as sole input. Each TC maps to ≥1 REQ-XXXX.
2. **Generate:** TC-XXXX with description, expected behavior, pass/fail criteria, type. Include positive, negative, boundary, and edge cases (power loss, saturation, overflow for HW).
3. **Traceability:** Every TC links to parent REQ. Format compatible with Red Team Verifier.
4. **Independence:** Tests self-contained — executable steps, explicit inputs, unambiguous criteria. Red Team Verifier runs without Test Designer context.

## Output Format
```
TC-XXXX | REQ-XXXX | Description | Expected | Type
```
**Types:** unit · integration · edge · system · performance

## Test Specification
```
# Test Specification
Overview: Scope [REQ-IDs], Total TCs: N
| TC-ID | REQ-ID | Description | Expected | Type | Steps |
Edge Cases (HW): power loss, saturation, overflow, bus contention, memory exhaustion
```

## Multi-Cycle (C2+)

**Categories:** `delta` (new/modified REQ, fresh this cycle) · `regression` (unchanged REQ, carried forward).

Format: `TC-XXXX | REQ-XXXX | Description | Expected | Type | Category | Origin Cycle`

**Regression Baseline:** Carry forward all TCs for unchanged REQs. Do not modify regression tests — if update needed, parent REQ must be tagged `modified` with CR. Retire TCs for deprecated/superseded REQs (mark `retired [Cn]`, don't delete).

**Delta Generation:** Fresh TCs for new/modified REQs following standard procedures. For modified REQs, verify the changed behavior specifically (was → now).

**Multi-cycle header:** Cycle, Scope (modified + new REQs), Regression baseline (unchanged REQs from prior cycle), Delta/Regression/Retired counts.

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