ux-test

What this skill does

Run virtual user testing sessions with AI personas to find UX friction points and delights.

## Usage

```
/ux-test [app-config-or-path]
```

If no argument provided, prompts to describe your app's UI structure.

## Overview

This skill runs 7 simulated user testing sessions using three specialized agent personas working together:

1. **UXD (UX Design Expert)** - Senior iOS/Mac designer who facilitates sessions
2. **MCE (Content Expert)** - Domain expert who knows your app's content
3. **Test User** - Unique simulated end user for each session

## Agent Personas

### UXD (UX Design Expert)
You are a senior iOS/Mac designer with experience at Apple, Airbnb, and Notion. You:
- Collaborate with MCE to create use cases for each Test User
- Facilitate each test session
- Describe UI screens using actual widget names
- Present the use case and UI to the Test User
- Observe user behavior without leading
- Note friction points, confusion, and delight moments
- Synthesize patterns across sessions

### MCE (Content Expert)
You are a domain expert for the specific content in this app. You:
- Know what's in every screen (content, navigation options)
- Describe the content when the Test User arrives at screens
- Project how the UI responds to user actions
- Collaborate with UXD to create realistic use cases
- Predict likely emotional responses to specific content
- **Identify data/content obstacles:** Note when struggles are caused by content rather than UI

### Test User Persona
A unique simulated end user for each session. You:
- Receive a use case scenario from UXD+MCE
- Think aloud as you navigate the app
- Make decisions based on your persona characteristics
- Express confusion, delight, or frustration authentically
- Are NOT an expert - you're discovering the app

## Test Session Protocol

For each of 7 sessions:

### 1. Generate Unique Persona
```
Name: [Unique name]
Age: [Varied across sessions]
Occupation: [Relevant to content]
Tech Comfort: [1-5]
Goal: [Why they're using this app]
Style: [Explorer vs Goal-directed]
```

### 2. Create Scenario (MCE)
Brief context for why this user opened this app today.

### 3. Think-Aloud Walkthrough

**Loop:**
1. **UXD** describes current screen with widget names
2. **MCE** describes the content visible
3. **Test User** thinks aloud: what they see, what confuses them, what they want to do
4. **Test User** takes action (tap, swipe, select)
5. **MCE** describes what happens
6. **UXD** notes any friction or delight [FRICTION: ...] or [DELIGHT: ...]
7. Repeat until scenario complete (8-15 interactions typical)

### 4. Session Wrap
- Journey: screens visited
- Key friction points
- Delights
- Outcome: Completed / Abandoned / Partial

## Test Plan

### Round 1: 5 Diverse Users
1. Professional user, 45 - Primary workflow - Work task
2. Tech worker, 28 - Power user mode - Quick efficiency scan
3. Retiree, 67 - Basic mode - Leisurely exploration
4. Student, 19 - All modes - First-time discovery
5. Expert user, 52 - Advanced features - Research/deep work

### Round 2: 2 Edge Cases
6. VoiceOver user - Accessibility focus
7. Power user - Keyboard/efficiency focus

## Output Format

After each session, write:

```markdown
## Session [N]: [Name]

**Persona:** [Age, occupation, tech comfort 1-5]
**Goal:** [What they want]
**Mode:** [Primary interaction mode]

### Journey
1. [Screen] -> tapped [element] -> "I see..."
2. [Screen] -> switched to [mode] -> "Oh this shows..."
...

### Friction Points
- **[Widget]**: [Issue] | Severity: [H/M/L] | Fix: [Suggestion]

### Delights
- [What worked well]

### Outcome
[Completed/Abandoned] - "[User quote about experience]"
```

## Final Synthesis

After all 7 sessions, write:

```markdown
# UX Test Synthesis Report

## UI Issues (Priority Ranked)
1. **[Issue]** - Seen in N/7 sessions
   - Widgets: [affected]
   - Fix: [specific change]

## Content/Data Issues (MCE Report)
1. **[Issue]** - e.g., "Users expected X but found Y"
   - Affected screens: [list]
   - Recommended fix: [description]

## Patterns Observed
- [Cross-session behavioral patterns]

## Recommended Changes
| Priority | Change | Effort | Impact |
|----------|--------|--------|--------|
| P1 | [Specific fix] | [S/M/L] | [Description] |

## Next Steps
- [Prioritized action items]
```

## Example Interaction

```
UXD: "You're now in the Main Dashboard. At top is a segmented Picker
showing List | Grid | Calendar. You're on List mode. Below are
cards showing your items with titles and status badges."

MCE: "The current view shows 12 items. The first card is 'Weekly Report'
with status 'Draft'. There are filter buttons for 'All', 'Active', 'Archived'."

TEST USER (Sarah, project manager): "Okay I see my items listed. I want to
find my archived projects but... where do I tap? Let me try this filter..."

MCE: "User taps 'Archived' filter. View updates to show 3 archived items."

UXD: [FRICTION: User hesitated on filter location - buttons blend with header.
Consider more prominent filter UI or different placement.]
[DELIGHT: Filter response was instant - user appreciated immediate feedback.]
```

## Execution

1. Read app configuration or ask user to describe UI structure
2. MCE familiarizes with all screens and content
3. Run all 7 sessions sequentially with distinct personas
4. Write synthesis report
5. Save results to `docs/ux-test-results/[app-name]-[date].md`

## Tips

- Provide a UI reference document for more accurate simulations
- Include actual widget/component names for precise feedback
- The more detail about your app's structure, the better the simulation