What it does
Performs the analysis activity (derive and risk-tag test conditions) and the design activity (derive cases with the technique and coverage item recorded per case), classifies and prioritizes each case, keeps bidirectional traceability, and writes a Test Design + Test Case Specification with a counted coverage summary.
When to use it
Designing the test approach for a whole feature, especially with complex business rules or states.
Prerequisites
qa.config.yml (paths.docs_dir, stack.api_spec_path, risk_areas, enabled tooling.*); a feature/story/endpoint, or empty to default to the first risk_areas.critical area.
Output
ISO/IEC/IEEE 29119-3 Test Design Specification + Test Case Specification -> docs/TEST-DESIGN-<item>.md.
Mechanics
How it works
- Test analysis: read the basis, list and risk-tag test conditions, flag basis defects
- Test design: derive cases per condition using CTFL v4.0 §4 techniques, recording technique + coverage item
- Classify each case by level and type and set priority/detail from risk
- Maintain the bidirectional traceability chain basis->condition->case->coverage item
- Output the design + case specs with a counts-based coverage summary; run quality gate and self-check
Why it works
The theory behind it
The test design activity (CTFL v4.0 §1.4, §4): match the technique to the structure of the problem — rules->decision tables, states->state transition, ranges->BVA. Advanced techniques (domain analysis, pairwise/classification tree) are labeled CTAL-TA, not Foundation.
CTFL v4.0 §1.4 · §4 · CTAL-TA
Example
See it in use
> /qa:test-design "checkout payment"✓ Correct when It derives test conditions -> cases with coverage items and labeled techniques, and the coverage summary states counts (conditions, cases by priority/level/type).
Related commands
Used by