Leads & bookings
The test-before-you-ship loop
You will have a test list, a record of findings and a rule for when something is ready to publish.
Before you start
- A site or app close to launch
- A phone and a laptop
- A place to record findings
Step 1: List what must work
Write the ten things a visitor must be able to do. Rank them by how much it would hurt if they failed.
Step 2: Test
- Run each on a phone and a laptop.
- Record pass, fail or odd.
- Ask someone else to try the top three.
Step 3: Fix with help
Prompt you can copy
Here is a problem I found: [describe exactly what you did and what happened]. Suggest three likely causes and a way to check each, in order. Do not change anything until I confirm.
Fix one problem at a time.
Step 4: Retest everything
A fix can break something else. Run the whole list again.
Step 5: Decide when it is ready
- All top-three jobs pass on both devices.
- No known problem could lose a customer’s money or data.
- You know how to undo the launch.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Retesting only the thing you fixed
- Skipping the phone
- Launching with a known serious problem
- Letting an assistant change live things unchecked
Final checklist
- My list is ranked
- I retested everything after each fix
- I know how to undo the launch