bmad-method-test-architecture-enterprise

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), test design, framework setup, CI guidance, ATDD, automation, test review, NFR Evidence Audit, and traceability.

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

TEA has two layers of files, and each has a specific job:

File / Scope	What it does	When it loads
src/agents/bmad-tea/SKILL.md	Murat's persona — identity, principles, critical actions, capabilities table	First — activates the TEA agent
src/agents/bmad-tea/customize.toml	Agent customization surface — menu items, persistent facts, activation hooks	During agent activation
src/workflows/testarch/<workflow>/SKILL.md	Workflow entrypoint — resolves workflow customization, picks mode, routes to the first step	When a TEA workflow is invoked
src/workflows/testarch/<workflow>/customize.toml	Workflow customization surface — activation hooks, persistent facts, optional on_complete behavior	During workflow activation
src/workflows/testarch/<workflow>/workflow.yaml	Machine-readable workflow metadata — descriptions, defaults, tool hints, output paths	Used by installer/tooling and workflow metadata lookups
instructions.md	Workflow-specific summary and operator notes	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
src/agents/bmad-tea/resources/tea-index.csv	Agent-level knowledge fragment index — id, name, tags, tier (core/extended/specialized), file path	Read by the TEA agent for direct recommendations