Write checklists that catch real regressions
A checklist is only as useful as the checks inside it. This tutorial covers how to write checks that hold up over time, and how to read a run so a "failed" badge tells you something you can act on.
Write one check per outcome, not per click
A check is a single description of what should be true. It's tempting to write mechanical, step-by-step instructions, but checks written that way break the moment your UI changes, even when the underlying behaviour didn't:
- Weak: "Click the discount field, type SAVE10, click Apply."
- Strong: "Confirm the cart shows the discounted price after applying code SAVE10."
The strong version tells the actor what outcome to verify and leaves it to work out how to get there, which is exactly what makes checklists resilient to redesigns.
Point checks at the moment that matters
Group checks around the state that actually needs verifying, not the navigation that gets you there: the confirmation screen after checkout, the inbox after a signup, the dashboard after a plan change. If a flow has several outcomes worth confirming, write a check for each one rather than one check trying to cover all of them.
Read the evidence, not just the pass/fail badge
Every check reports a status alongside the evidence behind it. A run report has tabs for:
- Results, each check's status and a short explanation.
- Screenshots, the page as the actor saw it at each step.
- Recording, the full session if you want to watch it play out.
- Knowledge, which knowledge entries the actor drew on.
When a check fails, read the explanation and screenshot before deciding whether it's a real regression or an ambiguous instruction. A surprising number of "failures" turn out to be a check that needs to be more specific about what counts as success.
Re-run before you trust a result
An actor working through a hosted browser can hit a transient issue, a slow page load, a flaky third-party script, just like a human tester can. Before filing a bug from a single failed run, re-run the checklist once. A result that reproduces consistently is worth acting on immediately.