testing-skills-with-subagents
Testing Skills With Subagents
Overview
Testing skills is just TDD applied to process documentation.
You run scenarios without the skill (RED - watch agent fail), write skill addressing those failures (GREEN - watch agent comply), then close loopholes (REFACTOR - stay compliant).
Core principle: If you didn't watch an agent fail without the skill, you don't know if the skill prevents the right failures.
REQUIRED BACKGROUND: You MUST understand superpowers:test-driven-development before using this skill. That skill defines the fundamental RED-GREEN-REFACTOR cycle. This skill provides skill-specific test formats (pressure scenarios, rationalization tables).
Complete worked example: See examples/CLAUDE_MD_TESTING.md for a full test campaign testing CLAUDE.md documentation variants.
When to Use
Test skills that:
- Enforce discipline (TDD, testing requirements)
- Have compliance costs (time, effort, rework)
More from wln/obra-superpowers
brainstorming
Use when creating or developing anything, before writing code or implementation plans - refines rough ideas into fully-formed designs through structured Socratic questioning, alternative exploration, and incremental validation
8sharing-skills
Use when you've developed a broadly useful skill and want to contribute it upstream via pull request - guides process of branching, committing, pushing, and creating PR to contribute skills back to upstream repository
6using-superpowers
Use when starting any conversation - establishes mandatory workflows for finding and using skills, including using Skill tool before announcing usage, following brainstorming before coding, and creating TodoWrite todos for checklists
6writing-plans
Use when design is complete and you need detailed implementation tasks for engineers with zero codebase context - creates comprehensive implementation plans with exact file paths, complete code examples, and verification steps assuming engineer has minimal domain knowledge
5executing-plans
Use when partner provides a complete implementation plan to execute in controlled batches with review checkpoints - loads plan, reviews critically, executes tasks in batches, reports for review between batches
5systematic-debugging
Use when encountering any bug, test failure, or unexpected behavior, before proposing fixes - four-phase framework (root cause investigation, pattern analysis, hypothesis testing, implementation) that ensures understanding before attempting solutions
5