Talk pages project/Replying/Prototype testing

Throughout the course of this project, the Editing Team will be developing a series of prototypes.

These prototypes are intended to help answer questions like:


 * How does the prototype work compared to how contributors expect it to work?
 * What enhancements could be made to improve the prototype?
 * What edge cases have not yet been considered that need to be designed for before this version can be deployed?

This page is where you test the different prototypes the team is developing and help answer the questions listed above.

Version 1.0 prototype test
This is the first structured test of Version of 1.0 of the prototype for replying to specific comments on talk pages. The team is thankful for the effort you are putting in to try an early version this software.

Below you will find information about:


 * Why tests like these matter: Test goals
 * How to participate in the test: Test instructions
 * What the feedback you share will be used for: Next steps

Test goals
This is a structured tested designed to answer questions like:


 * How does the prototype work compared to how contributors expect it to work?
 * What enhancements could be made to improve the prototype in future versions?
 * What edge cases have not yet been considered that need to be designed for before this version can be deployed?

Test instructions
Step 1: Read through the "Situation" section.

Step 2: Complete the tasks listed in the "Tasks" section.

Step 3: Review the questions listed in the "Feedback" section.

Step 4: Share your thoughts about the prototype here: INSERT LINK

Before getting started, there are a couple of things to keep in mind:


 * 1) All of the steps below will take place in a test environment, so you will not actually be editing or vandalizing Wikipedia.
 * 2) This test may seem simple. This is because we are trying to keep the test consistent for contributors across experience levels.
 * 3) Feel free to experiment in ways not described in the "Tasks" section. Although, if you encounter an error or something unexpected, please provide enough context for us to be able to recreate the issue/experience you

Situation

Imagine that you come to an article on Wikipedia about cats. You wonder, "What could be controversial about this topic?'" and click on the "Talk" tab to view conversations about this article. There, you notice a comment from someone else that you want to respond to...

Once you've completed the tasks below, please review the "Questions" and share your experience on the project talk page here: LINK.

Tasks


 * 1) On a desktop computer, go to this talk page: https://en.wikipedia.beta.wmflabs.org/wiki/Talk:Cats
 * 2) Find the section-heading, "How can we make this article better?"
 * 3) Within this section, there is a discussion happening. Reply to any comment in the discussion (you can write anything for the purpose of this test).
 * 4) Publish your response.
 * 5) Find your published response on the page.
 * 6) Imagine that you notice an error in the response that you wrote. Go back in, fix it, and publish the changes.
 * 7) Find your published response on the page.
 * 8) Start typing another short reply, but this time imagine that you changed your mind mid-reply and decide that you don’t want to write a reply. Try to cancel out.
 * 9) Now click to view the page history tab.
 * 10) Find your reply.

Next steps
When you are finished testing out the prototype, please go to INSERT LINK and respond to the following questions


 * 1) Do you think that you completed the Task above correctly? Were there any tasks you are not certain about?
 * 2) Was there anything painful or not obvious about this experience?
 * 3) How does replying with the replying prototype compare with the currrent experience for replying to comments on talk pages on desktop?
 * 4) What other additional comments, concerns, or ideas would you like to make the known?
 * 5) How do you typically use talk pages (across namespaces)?
 * 6) How often do you typically participate on/edit talk pages? Daily? Weekly? Monthly?