README
Test Architect (TEA)
TEA (Test Engineering Architect) is a standalone BMAD module that delivers risk-based test strategy, test automation guidance, and release gate decisions. It provides a single expert agent (Murat, Master Test Architect and Quality Advisor) and nine workflows spanning Teach Me Testing (TEA Academy), framework setup, test design, ATDD, automation, traceability, NFR assessment, CI guidance, and test review.
Docs: https://bmad-code-org.github.io/bmad-method-test-architecture-enterprise/
Why TEA
- Risk-based testing with measurable quality gates
- Consistent, knowledge-base driven outputs
- Clear prioritization (P0-P3) and traceability
- Optional Playwright Utils, CLI, and MCP browser automation
How BMad Works
BMad works because it turns big, fuzzy work into repeatable workflows. Each workflow is broken into small steps with clear instructions, so the AI follows the same path every time. It also uses a shared knowledge base (standards and patterns) so outputs are consistent, not random. In short: structured steps + shared standards = reliable results.
How TEA Fits In
TEA plugs into BMad the same way a specialist plugs into a team. It uses the same step‑by‑step workflow engine and shared standards, but focuses exclusively on testing and quality gates. That means you get a risk‑based test plan, automation guidance, and go/no‑go decisions that align with the rest of the BMad process.
Architecture & Flow
BMad is a small agent + workflow engine. There is no external orchestrator — everything runs inside the LLM context window through structured instructions.
Building Blocks
Each workflow directory contains these files, and each has a specific job:
| File | What it does | When it loads |
|---|---|---|
SKILL.md | Expert persona — identity, principles, critical actions, capabilities table | First — always in context |
workflow.yaml | Machine-readable metadata — config variables, required tools, tags | Second — resolves {project-root}, {config_source}, {test_artifacts} |
workflow.md | Human-readable entry point — goals, mode menu (Create/Edit/Validate), routes to first step | Second — presents mode choice |
instructions.md | Workflow-specific rules and context (optional, supplements workflow.md) | On demand |
steps-c/*.md | Create steps — primary execution, 5-9 sequential files | One at a time (just-in-time) |
steps-e/*.md | Edit steps — always 2 files: assess target, apply edit | One at a time |
steps-v/*.md | Validate steps — always 1 file: evaluate against checklist | On demand |
checklist.md | Validation criteria — what "done" looks like for this workflow | Read by steps-v |
*-template.md | Output skeleton with {PLACEHOLDER} vars — steps fill these in to produce the final artifact | Read by steps-c when generating output |
tea-index.csv | Knowledge fragment index — id, name, tags, tier (core/extended/specialized), file path | Read by step-01 to decide which fragments to load |
knowledge/*.md | 40 reusable fragments — standards, patterns, API references (e.g., data-factories.md, pactjs-utils-overview.md) | Selectively read into context based on tier + config flags |