Software Tester · Cheatsheet

Software Tester Cheatsheet

A short reminder sheet that pairs with the full playbook. Use it in a meeting when you need the next move, not a long read. Tap “What this means” on any card if a heading is unclear.

Civil Service specific Universal any sector Both

MAP-01

Quality maps

Both

Strategy: risk-based · pyramid · charters

Specify: BDD · NFR / WCAG

Feedback: CI gates · DORA · residual risk

RL-01

The role

Both

You own the risk narrative. The team owns quality.

Run daily:

Biggest ship risk?
Feedback still too slow?
What are we not testing, and why?

TS-01

Test strategy

Universal

Risks, approach mix, envs
Gates with teeth
Evidence for go/no-go
Update when risk moves

TS-02

Risk-based

Universal

Likelihood × impact with PO

Deep where harm is high

Publish conscious de-scopes

Never hide accepted risk at go/no-go

SL-01

Shift left

Universal

One sharp risk question in refinement

Three amigos for ambiguity

API/unit hooks before UI-only waits

EX-01

Exploratory

Universal

Timeboxed charters

Mission, oracles, debrief

Notes others can follow

Not an excuse for zero automation

AU-01

Pyramid & CI

Universal

Many unit/API, thin E2E

Flaky = defect with owner

Red means stop, not rerun

No secrets in tests

QL-01

WCAG & NFRs

Both

WCAG AA in Ready and Done
Perf and security smoke in CI
Known defects have release decisions

RV-01

Release evidence

Universal

Residual risk narrative

Go / conditions / no-go

UAT without the end ambush

CM-01

Tone & ask

Universal

Devs: actionable repro

SRO: residual risk + recommendation

Drop "QA signed off". State conditions.

GV-03

Troubleshooting: symptom to first move

Universal

!Bottleneck: pull AC and API tests earlier this Sprint

!Flaky suites: quarantine with owners; fix or delete

!Late UAT: mid-Increment checks; freeze AC before build

!Everything high risk: score with PO; publish de-scopes

!Green % / hurt users: report residual risk on critical paths

!A11y at the end: put WCAG into Ready and Done now

REF-01

Field reference

Both

One-minute checklist when quality risk is on fire:

Name the biggest ship-today risk, one sentence
Bottleneck, flaky feedback, late UAT, coverage or NFR?
Decision that unlocks most risk reduction, who owns it
Brief PO and DM before a distorted go/no-go story spreads
Protect critical-path feedback while you sort it

Craft: DoR, DoD, BDD, charter, NFR

Pipeline: pyramid, CI gate, DORA

Public: WCAG, GDS, Service Standard

Govern: RAID, RAG, SRO, residual risk