context-driven-testing

# Context-Driven Testing <default_to_action> When making testing decisions or adapting approaches: 1. ANALYZE context: project goals, constraints, risks, team skills 2. QUESTION practices: "Why this? What risk does it address? What's the cost?" 3. INVESTIGATE not just check: Does software solve the problem, or create new ones? 4. ADAPT approach based on context, not "best practices" 5. DOCUMENT discoveries, not pre-written plans **Quick Context Analysis:** - Mission: "Find important problems fast enough to matter" (not "execute test cases") - Risk: Safety-critical = high rigor; internal tool = lighter touch - Constraints: Startup with tight timeline ≠ enterprise with compliance - Skills: Novice needs structure; expert adapts intuitively **Critical Success Factors:** - No "best practices" work everywhere - only good practices in context - Testing is investigation, not script execution - Context changes; your approach should too </default_to_action> ## Quick Reference Card ### When to Use - Making testing decisions for new project - Questioning "that's how it's done" dogma - Adapting approach to specific constraints - Exploratory testing sessions ### RST Heuristics | Heuristic | Application | |-----------|-------------| | **SFDIPOT** | Structure, Function, Data, Interfaces, Platform, Operations, Time | | **Oracles** | Consistency with history, similar products, expectations, docs | | **Tours** | Business District, Historical, Bad Neighborhood, Tourist, Museum | --- ## Context-Driven Decisions ### Example: Test Automation Level **Startup Context:** - Small team, rapid changes, unclear product-market fit - **Decision:** Light automation on critical paths, heavy exploratory - **Rationale:** Requirements change too fast for extensive automation **Enterprise Context:** - Stable features, regulatory requirements, large team - **Decision:** Comprehensive automated regression suite - **Rationale:** Stability allows automation investment to pay off ### Example: Documentation **Regulated (FDA/medical):** - **Decision:** Detailed test protocols, traceability matrices - **Rationale:** Regulatory compliance isn't optional **Fast-paced startup:** - **Decision:** Lightweight session notes, risk logs - **Rationale:** Bureaucracy slows more than it helps --- ## Agent-Assisted Context-Driven Testing ```typescript // Agent analyzes context and recommends approach const context = await Task("Analyze Context", { project: 'e-commerce-platform', stage: 'startup', constraints: ['timeline: tight', 'budget: limited'], risks: ['payment-security', 'high-volume'] }, "qe-fleet-commander"); // Context-aware agent selection // - qe-security-scanner (critical risk) // - qe-performance-tester (high volume) // - Skip: qe-visual-tester (low priority in startup context) // Adaptive testing strategy await Task("Generate Tests", { context: 'startup', focus: 'critical-paths-only', depth: 'smoke-tests', automation: 'minimal' }, "qe-test-generator"); ``` --- ## Agent Coordination Hints ### Memory Namespace ``` aqe/context-driven/ ├── context-analysis/* - Project context snapshots ├── decisions/* - Testing decisions with rationale ├── discoveries/* - What was learned during testing └── adaptations/* - How approach changed over time ``` ### Fleet Coordination ```typescript const contextFleet = await FleetManager.coordinate({ strategy: 'context-driven', context: { type: 'greenfield-saas', stage: 'growth', compliance: 'gdpr-only' }, agents: ['qe-test-generator', 'qe-security-scanner', 'qe-performance-tester'], exclude: ['qe-visual-tester', 'qe-requirements-validator'] // Not priority }); ``` --- ## Practical Tips 1. **Start with risk assessment** - List features, ask: How likely to fail? How bad? How hard to test? 2. **Time-box exploration** - 2 hours checkout, 30 min error handling, 15 min per browser 3. **Document discoveries** - Not "Enter invalid email, verify error" but "Payment API returns 500 instead of 400, no user-visible error. Bug filed." 4. **Talk to humans** - Developers, users, support, product 5. **Pair with others** - Different perspectives = different bugs --- ## Related Skills - [agentic-quality-engineering](../agentic-quality-engineering/) - Context-aware agent selection - [holistic-testing-pact](../holistic-testing-pact/) - Adapt holistic model to context - [risk-based-testing](../risk-based-testing/) - Context affects risk assessment - [exploratory-testing-advanced](../exploratory-testing-advanced/) - RST techniques --- ## Remember **With Agents:** Agents analyze context, adapt strategies, and learn what works in your situation. Use agents to scale context-driven thinking while maintaining human judgment for critical decisions.