qa-round · v1.0.0 · 2026-06-29 · sha256 d37abf09d4d91122
qa-round v1.0.0B
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---
id: qa-workflow
version: "1.0.0"
title: "QA Round Workflow"
type: workflow
description: "Structured QA verification workflow from pre-check through sign-off"
status: experimental
owners:
- "@GSA-TTS/agentic-coding-team"
primary_personas:
- testers
- developers
requires:
anchors: []
skills:
- qa-round
- test-generation
output:
format: markdown
contract:
required_sections:
- "Summary"
- "Outcome"
prohibited_content:
- "Secrets"
- "Real PII"
- "Real CUI"
- "Internal URLs"
categories:
- "testing"
- "review"
quality_gates:
readability_max_grade: 10
citations_required: false
triggers:
- "QA process"
- "verification"
- "testing cycle"
- "quality assurance"
tags:
- "workflow"
- "qa"
- "testing"
- "verification"
---
# Workflow: QA Round
Structured QA verification workflow to ensure code meets quality standards before release.
## When to Use
- Before merging pull requests
- During sprint QA cycles
- Pre-release verification
- After bug fixes
- Quality gate enforcement
## Overview
```
Pre-QA Setup → Test Execution → Bug Reporting → Regression → Sign-Off
```
Systematic verification of code changes against acceptance criteria with clear pass/fail decision.
## Prerequisites
- Access to test environment
- Acceptance criteria documented
- Test cases identified
- Ability to reproduce issues
## Workflow Steps
### Step 1: Pre-QA Preparation
**Goal:** Understand what to test and set up environment
**Actions:**
1. Read PR/issue description
2. Review acceptance criteria
3. Identify test scenarios
4. Set up test environment
5. Review related documentation
```bash
# Get the code
git fetch origin
git checkout feature-branch
# Build and start
make build
make start
```
**Outputs:**
- Test environment ready
- Test plan created
- Acceptance criteria list
**Verification:**
- [ ] Environment running
- [ ] Test data prepared
- [ ] Access credentials work
- [ ] Baseline established
---
### Step 2: Acceptance Criteria Validation
**Goal:** Verify each acceptance criterion
**Actions:**
For each acceptance criterion:
1. Execute test steps
2. Observe actual behavior
3. Compare to expected behavior
4. Document result (Pass/Fail)
**Example:**
```
AC1: User can reset password via email
Test:
1. Navigate to /forgot-password
2. Enter valid email
3. Submit form
4. Check email inbox
5. Click reset link
6. Enter new password
7. Attempt login
Result: ✅ PASS - All steps work as expected
```
**Outputs:**
- Each AC marked Pass/Fail
- Evidence captured (screenshots if applicable)
- Notes on any issues
**Verification:**
- [ ] All ACs tested
- [ ] Results documented
- [ ] Evidence collected
**Related patterns:** [qa-round prompt](../../prompts/review/qa-round/SKILL.md)
---
### Step 3: Test Execution
**Goal:** Run comprehensive test suite
**Actions:**
**Automated tests:**
```bash
# Unit tests
make test
# Integration tests
make test-integration
# Coverage
make coverage
```
**Manual tests:**
- Happy path testing
- Edge case testing
- Error handling verification
- Browser compatibility (if web)
- Performance spot check
**Outputs:**
- Test results (pass/fail counts)
- Coverage report
- Performance metrics (if relevant)
**Verification:**
- [ ] All automated tests pass
- [ ] Manual test scenarios complete
- [ ] Coverage meets threshold (80%+)
- [ ] No console errors/warnings
**Related patterns:** [test-generation](../../skills/test-generation/SKILL.md)
---
### Step 4: Bug Documentation
**Goal:** Document any issues found
**Actions:**
For each bug:
1. Create clear title
2. Document reproduction steps
3. Note expected vs actual behavior
4. Assess severity
5. Capture evidence
**Bug Report Template:**
```markdown
## Bug: [Brief Title]
**Severity**: Critical | High | Medium | Low
**Environment**:
- OS: [Windows 10 / macOS 13 / Ubuntu 22.04]
- Browser: [Chrome 120 / Firefox 121 / Safari 17]
- Version: [App version]
**Steps to Reproduce**:
1. First step
2. Second step
3. Third step
4. Observe issue
**Expected**: [What should happen]
**Actual**: [What actually happens]
**Screenshots**: [Attach if helpful]
**Workaround**: [If any exists]
**Additional Context**: [Any relevant info]
```
**Outputs:**
- Bug reports created
- Severity assessed
- Evidence attached
**Verification:**
- [ ] All bugs documented
- [ ] Reproduction steps clear
- [ ] Severity accurate
- [ ] Evidence included
---
### Step 5: Regression Testing
**Goal:** Verify existing functionality still works
**Actions:**
1. Identify features related to changes
2. Test those features
3. Run smoke test suite
4. Check for unexpected side effects
**Critical areas to check:**
- Authentication/login
- Data persistence
- Core workflows
- Navigation
- API endpoints
```bash
# Run regression test suite
make test-regression
# Manual smoke test
# [Key user journeys]
```
**Outputs:**
- Regression test results
- List of any regressions found
**Verification:**
- [ ] Related features tested
- [ ] Smoke tests pass
- [ ] No regressions detected
- [ ] Performance not degraded
---
### Step 6: Sign-Off Decision
**Goal:** Make clear pass/fail decision
**Actions:**
1. Review all test results
2. Assess bug severity
3. Determine if blocking
4. Make decision
5. Document rationale
**Decision Matrix:**
| Bugs Found | Decision | Action |
|------------|----------|--------|
| None | ✅ APPROVED | Ready to merge |
| Low only | ✅ APPROVED | Can merge, create follow-up issues |
| Medium (non-blocking) | ⚠️ APPROVED WITH NOTES | Can merge with follow-ups |
| High or Critical | ❌ REJECTED | Must fix before merge |
**Outputs:**
- Clear pass/fail decision
- List of blocking issues (if any)
- Follow-up issues created (if approved)
- QA sign-off comment
**Verification:**
- [ ] Decision made
- [ ] Rationale documented
- [ ] Blocking issues listed
- [ ] Follow-ups created
---
## Complete Workflow Checklist
Track QA progress:
- [ ] Environment set up
- [ ] Acceptance criteria validated
- [ ] Automated tests executed
- [ ] Manual testing completed
- [ ] Bugs documented (if any)
- [ ] Regression testing done
- [ ] Sign-off decision made
- [ ] Results communicated
## Example Walkthrough
### Scenario
**PR #78**: Password reset feature
**Acceptance Criteria:**
1. User can request reset via email
2. Reset link expires after 1 hour
3. Password complexity enforced
4. User logged in after reset
### Execution
**Step 1: Preparation**
- Checked out feature branch
- Started local server
- Prepared test email account
**Step 2: AC Validation**
| AC | Result | Notes |
|----|--------|-------|
| AC1: Request reset | ✅ | Email received in 3 seconds |
| AC2: Link expires | ✅ | Expired link shows error |
| AC3: Complexity | ✅ | Weak passwords rejected |
| AC4: Auto-login | ✅ | Redirected to dashboard |
**Step 3: Test Execution**
- Automated: 47 tests pass, 0 fail
- Coverage: 89%
- Manual: All scenarios pass
- Console: No errors
**Step 4: Bugs Found**
**Bug B1: Multiple reset emails**
- **Severity**: Medium
- **Repro**: Click "Send Reset" rapidly 5 times
- **Expected**: One email sent
- **Actual**: 5 emails sent
**Bug B2: Email service error shows 500**
- **Severity**: Medium
- **Repro**: Stop email service, request reset
- **Expected**: Friendly error message
- **Actual**: 500 error page
**Step 5: Regression**
- Existing login flow: ✅ Works
- Password change (logged in): ✅ Works
- Session management: ✅ No issues
**Step 6: Sign-Off**
**Decision**: ⚠️ **APPROVED WITH NOTES**
**Rationale**:
- All acceptance criteria met
- Both bugs are medium severity
- Core functionality works
- No regressions
- Bugs don't block user success
**Follow-up issues created**:
- Issue #79: Rate limit password reset endpoint
- Issue #80: Improve email service error handling
### Outcome
PR approved for merge with 2 follow-up issues for next sprint
## Common Issues
| Issue | Cause | Solution |
|-------|-------|----------|
| Can't reproduce bug | Environment differences | Document exact environment details |
| Flaky tests | Timing issues, async | Increase timeouts, use better waits |
| Slow test execution | Too many heavy tests | Optimize, use mocks |
| Unclear if bug or feature | Ambiguous requirements | Clarify with product owner |
## Exit Criteria
QA round is complete when:
- [ ] All acceptance criteria tested
- [ ] Test suite executed
- [ ] Bugs documented or none found
- [ ] Regression testing done
- [ ] Sign-off decision made
- [ ] Results communicated to team
- [ ] Follow-up issues created (if needed)
## Related Patterns
- [qa-round prompt](../../prompts/review/qa-round/SKILL.md) - QA review prompt
- [test-generation](../../skills/test-generation/SKILL.md) - Generate tests
- [issue-to-merge-request](../issue-to-merge-request/SKILL.md) - Full dev workflow
## References
- For QA best practices, see industry standards like ISO 29119
- For bug severity guidelines, see your team's QA process