dogfooding

Dogfooding Skill

Overview

This skill guides a thorough, critical evaluation of a web application from an end-user perspective, simulating real usage scenarios and providing structured feedback on usability, engagement, and overall user experience.

Process Steps

1. Establish Context

• Read main application files (App.tsx, main components)
• Understand core data structures and game logic
• Review styling and UI components
• Check configuration and build setup

2. Verify Functionality

• Run unit tests to ensure basic functionality
• Build the application for production
• Launch development server and verify startup
• Check for console errors or build warnings

3. Simulate User Journeys

• Walk through primary user flows (start → play → win scenarios)
• Test edge cases and error states
• Evaluate mobile responsiveness and touch interactions
• Assess accessibility features

4. Analyze Engagement Factors

• Evaluate core concept and value proposition
• Assess visual design and user interface polish
• Analyze content quality and variety
• Identify social or multiplayer aspects
• Check for replayability and progression systems

5. Provide Structured Feedback

• Rate overall experience on key metrics (fun, usability, polish)
• Categorize findings: Strengths, Critical Issues, Minor Issues
• Provide specific, actionable recommendations
• Suggest priority improvements for maximum impact

Quality Criteria

Comprehensive Coverage: Test all major features and user paths Critical Perspective: Focus on user experience gaps, not just technical excellence Actionable Feedback: Provide specific recommendations with rationale Balanced Assessment: Include both positives and areas for improvement User-Centric Focus: Evaluate from end-user perspective, not developer viewpoint

Assets

Feedback Template

## Overall Rating: X/10

### Strengths
- [List key positives]

### Critical Issues
- [List major problems impacting user experience]

### Minor Issues  
- [List small UX improvements]

### Recommendations
- [Specific, actionable suggestions with priority]

Example Evaluation

## Overall Fun Factor: 6/10

### Strengths
✅ Simple & Intuitive: Core mechanic immediately understandable
✅ Visual Polish: Clean design with good color feedback
✅ Mobile-First: Responsive design works well on touch devices

### Critical Issues
❌ Limited Replayability: No goals after first bingo
❌ Question Imbalance: Some too common, some too rare
❌ Social Features Missing: No group play support

### Minor Issues
- Back button confusing (resets progress)
- No undo for accidental taps
- Missing sound/haptic feedback

### Recommendations
1. Add progressive goals (blackout bingo, scoring)
2. Expand question pool with balanced difficulty
3. Implement multiplayer features for group play

Tool Integration

Automatic Checks

• runTests: Verify unit tests pass before user testing
• run_in_terminal: Build app and launch dev server
• read_file: Explore codebase structure and key components
• semantic_search: Find relevant code patterns and features

Optional Enhancements

• runSubagent: For deep codebase exploration if needed
• vscode_askQuestions: Clarify testing focus or user personas
• $BROWSER: Open app in browser for visual inspection

Common Scenarios

Game Apps: Focus on engagement, replayability, and progression systems Productivity Tools: Emphasize usability, efficiency, and workflow optimization
Social Apps: Prioritize interaction design and community features Mobile-First Apps: Test touch interactions, responsiveness, and offline capabilities