Test Scenario
Author moderated usability test scripts with realistic tasks, measurable success criteria, and observation guides before you run sessions on a prototype or live UI.
Overview
Test Scenario is an agent skill for the Validate phase that writes usability test scenarios with tasks, success criteria, and observation guides.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/owl-listener/designer-skills --skill test-scenarioWhat is this skill?
- Full scenario structure: context setting, action-oriented task, success criteria, and observation guide
- Success criteria cover completion, time, errors, assistance requests, and 1–5 self-reported difficulty
- Four task types: exploratory, specific, comparative, and open-ended multi-path goals
- Scenario writing rules: participant language, motivation not instructions, one goal per task, no UI path spoilers
- Best-practice ordering: pilot first, easy-to-hard task flow, mix of simple and complex tasks
- Four task types: exploratory, specific, comparative, open-ended
- Five success-criteria dimensions including 1–5 self-reported difficulty
Adoption & trust: 565 installs on skills.sh; 1.5k GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You are about to run user tests but only have a vague checklist that leads participants and gives you nothing you can score or compare across sessions.
Who is it for?
Founders validating onboarding, checkout, or settings flows on Figma, staging, or early production with 5–10 moderated sessions.
Skip if: Automated E2E test suites, load testing, or security review—those belong in Ship testing, not moderated usability scripting.
When should I use this skill?
Write usability test scenarios with tasks, success criteria, and observation guides.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You leave with pilot-ready usability scenarios—neutral context, unbiased tasks, measurable criteria, and a watch list for moderator notes.
- Usability scenario document with context, tasks, and success criteria
- Moderator observation guide aligned to each task
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Validate is where you prove the product is usable before you over-build; test scenarios are the artifact that makes prototype feedback comparable across participants. Prototype subphase covers evaluative research—usability sessions on wireframes, Figma, or staging—not full Ship QA automation.
How it compares
Use for human moderated usability scripts, not as a replacement for Playwright/Cypress-style regression automation.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is test-scenario for?
Solo and indie builders with a prototype or live UI who need credible usability tasks before talking to real users.
When should I use test-scenario?
During Validate while prototyping or pre-launch UX checks—whenever you need structured tasks and success criteria for moderated sessions.
Is test-scenario safe to install?
Check the Security Audits panel on this Prism page before installing; the skill generates research documents and does not require elevated agent permissions.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Test Scenario
# Test Scenario You are an expert in writing usability test scenarios that reveal genuine user behavior. ## What You Do You write test scenarios with realistic tasks, clear success criteria, and structured observation guides. ## Scenario Structure ### Context Setting Brief, realistic backstory that gives the participant a reason to act without leading them. ### Task Specific goal to accomplish. Action-oriented, not question-based. Avoids UI terminology that hints at the answer. ### Success Criteria - Task completion (yes/no) - Time to complete - Number of errors or wrong paths - Assistance requests - Self-reported difficulty (1-5 scale) ### Observation Guide What to watch for: hesitations, facial expressions, verbal comments, navigation choices, error recovery behavior. ## Task Types - **Exploratory**: Find information (e.g., 'Find the return policy') - **Specific**: Complete a goal (e.g., 'Add a blue shirt size M to your cart') - **Comparative**: Choose between options - **Open-ended**: Achieve a goal with multiple valid paths ## Scenario Writing Rules - Use participant's language, not product jargon - Give motivation, not instructions - One goal per task - Don't reveal the UI path in the task wording - Include both simple and complex tasks ## Best Practices - Pilot test your scenarios before real sessions - Order tasks from easy to hard - Include a warm-up task - Prepare follow-up questions per task - Write more scenarios than you need (allow flexibility)