Understand the environment.
Separate verified facts from assumptions before testing.
Doctrine
PERKNOS — A clear scope. A defensible finding.
Principles
Define the scope.
Agree on objectives, permitted activity and stop conditions.
Document the evidence.
Record reproduction steps, observed impact and limitations. Separate confirmed findings from unverified hypotheses.
Make the next step clear.
Connect each finding to recommended remediation and a way to verify the fix.