Tactic: Trace upstream causes and downstream effects of each failure mode. Builds multi-level cause-mode-effect chains for systemic understanding.
SkillScore86Maintained
Automatic
◆QA & Test Engineering pack
Last verified 8/23/2026
What it changes
Passed 19 of 22 test cases with the skill, and 16 of 22 without it.
Without skill73%
With skill86%
Checks it passed that the model alone missed
Identifies Budget M as corresponding to four levels
Rates failure mode severity using a numeric 1 to 10 scale
Applies AIAG-VDA severity evaluation criteria for impact scoring
and 2 more in the full report
4 fixed15 passed either way2 still failing1 broke
Pass-rate lift
+14 pp
Tokens
-12%
Agent turns
0%
Response time
-18%
Model gemini-3.6-flashMeasured 8/23/2026v119 of 22 cases passed with skill
Tokens, turns and time describe resource use, not a dollar price.
See it in action
One of 4 test cases the skill fixed. Same model, same prompt, with and without the skill.
1 of 4
Prompt
We want to trace a software failure mode without specifying depth parameters. What depth budget options are available and what depth level does Budget M enforce?
What was checked, without and with the skill
Checked
Without skill
With skill
Identifies Budget M as corresponding to four levels
Missed
Passed
case-16 · gemini-3.6-flash · 8/23/2026 · answers are capped and redacted
What's inside
The instructions your model reads when the skill loads.
SKILL.md48 linessingle file
Failure Chain Tracing Tactic
Trace each failure mode both upstream (root causes) and downstream (cascading effects) to build complete causal chains.
Orchestration
Start from identified failure mode
failure-chain-construction traces upstream:
Why could this mode occur? (immediate cause)
Why could that cause occur? (root cause)
Repeat to budget depth (2/4/6 levels)
failure-chain-construction traces downstream:
What effect does this mode produce? (local effect)
What does that effect cause? (system-level effect)
What is the end impact? (customer/stakeholder effect)
Chain validated for logical consistency
Shared causes across multiple modes flagged as systemic risks
Depth Control
Budget S: 2 levels (immediate cause → mode → local effect)
Budget M: 4 levels (root cause → ... → system effect)
Budget L: 6 levels (full chain with environmental factors)
Subagents Dispatched
failure-chain-construction (upstream and downstream tracing)
severity-scoring (end-effect severity assessment)
Termination Conditions
Chain depth exhausted per budget
Root cause reached (no further upstream cause identifiable)
End effect reached (stakeholder-level impact identified)