The New Skill-Currency:
TDD, E2e & AI Power Tools
Murat K. Ozcan
Senior QA Architect
Ambassador
Combinatorial Testing Comittee
Contents
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AI for test generation
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TDD-first AI flow
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AI Customization & Orchestration
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The new skill currency
AI for small-scope tests
Great for unit tests / single-file context
AI for mid-scope tests
Decent for integration tests
with a few files, even in multiple repos
AI for large-scope tests
Larger context -> worse experience
many files
network(?)
system knowledge
// Ideal e2e test:
// spy on network
cy.intercept('..')
// do things
cy.get('..').click()
// cross verify network vs UI
cy.get('..').should('..')
Contents
-
AI for test generation
-
TDD-first AI flow
-
AI Customization & Orchestration
-
The new skill currency
TDD-first AI Workflow
hold the reins
Write the test
Ask AI to implement
Run the test
Refine || Reject
Repeat
🔒 TDD as guardrail:
Every AI generated change
must pass these tests before proceeding
TDD-first AI Workflow
Write the test
TDD-first AI Workflow
Ask AI to implement
TDD-first AI Workflow
hold the reins
Run, Refine || Reject, Repeat
Contents
-
AI for test generation
-
TDD-first AI flow
-
AI Customization & Orchestration
-
The new skill currency
AI customization & orchestration
Use Rules
AI customization & orchestration
Use memories
(let it go through everything...)
note: Claude Code combines rules & memories:
/init (CLAUDE.md) + # memory
npx bmad-method flatten
AI customization & orchestration
Use MCPs, not too many
AI customization & orchestration
Use planning mode/todo list, or full context-engineering
agentic planning: analyst, pm, arch. -> PRD, arch.spec
context-engineed development: SM, dev, Qa -> epic, story, task
eliminates both planning inconsistency and context loss
AI vs AI review loop
Get a 2nd opinion: Model A writes code, Model B reviews
Windsurf PR reviews, ChatGPT Codex, Copilot for PRs, CodeRabbit etc.
Contents
-
AI for test generation
-
TDD-first AI flow
-
AI Customization & Orchestration
-
The new skill currency
The new skill currency
Precision framing - nail down the exact problem boundaries, provide the context, so AI zeroes in on what matters
Quality radar - spotting good enough code & refining it
Debugging & troubleshooting - ambiguous bugs, flakey tests
Creative thinking - finding unconventional solutions that scale
Persuasion & collaboration - explaining ideas and rallying others
AI wishlist
MCPs to integrate with Test framework runner/browsers
for richer context & better AI feedback on test failure
(network, console, env vars, DOM, UI...)
Better and more AI vs AI interop:
repo-aware Codex + ChatGPT
PR reviews with local context, multi-model code reviews.
Better repo awareness:
ex: how Claude Code initializes (CLAUDE.md file)
Higher MCP tool limits
What have we learned
With AI, End-to-End testing is King
AI nails unit & small integration tests, and E2E suite holds the reins
TDD-First/Fast-follow-testing Mindset Puts You in Charge
Define your acceptance tests up front, let AI code to them, run your checks, then refine or reject.
AI Power Tools & Soft Skills Are Your New Currency
Layer in rules, memories, planning, BMAD/context-eng & AI-vs-AI reviews
Master precision framing, quality-radar, debugging & creative collaboration
The New Skill-Currency: TDD, E2e & AI Power Tools
By Murat Ozcan
The New Skill-Currency: TDD, E2e & AI Power Tools
Discover why end-to-end tests remain your ultimate safety net in AI-driven development. Learn a TDD-first workflow that keeps you in the driver’s seat, plus practical recipes for rules, memories, context engineering and AI-vs-AI review loops. Walk away with the “new skill-currency” of AI the age.
