analyzing-test-effectiveness

<skill_overview> High coverage is not the goal. Tests must catch real failures and justify their maintenance cost. </skill_overview>

<rigidity_level> MEDIUM FREEDOM - Follow the audit flow strictly, but adapt the exact categories and examples to the codebase. </rigidity_level>

<quick_reference>

1. Inventory the tests
2. Classify them as strong, weak, or misleading
3. Identify missing edge cases
4. Create or update a task directory for test-quality improvements </quick_reference>

<when_to_use>

• Coverage looks good but bugs still escape
• A test suite feels noisy or low-signal
• You want a quality-improvement backlog for tests </when_to_use>

<the_process>

1. Audit the suite

Look for:

• tautological tests
• mock-heavy tests that prove little
• weak assertions
• missing edge cases

2. Explain each finding

For every weak area, say what real bug it would or would not catch.

3. Turn findings into tracked work

Create or update a task directory that captures:

• which tests to remove
• which tests to strengthen
• which missing scenarios to add

4. Refine before execution

Use sre-task-refinement to harden the improvement plan before implementation. </the_process>