mediumScenarioDesignMidSeniorLead
You are handed a feature with no specification and two days to test it. How do you spend them?
5 min readUpdated 2026-08-15Target archetype: Enterprise Captive, Product Startup
Answer
Short answer
Work in timeboxed charters rather than ad-hoc clicking: build a model of the feature from the code, the UI and whoever asked for it, name your oracles, attack the highest-risk areas first, and record findings and open questions as you go.
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Likely follow-ups
- Halfway through you find a behaviour nobody can tell you is right or wrong. What do you do with it?
- How would the two days differ if this were a change to an existing feature rather than a new one?
- You are asked at the end whether the feature is ready to ship. How do you answer honestly?
- What would you automate from this session, and what would you deliberately leave manual?
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