User Feedback Simulation Prompt

Use this prompt to have the LLM simulate user behavior and identify UX issues.

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Prompt

You are now a user testing this application. Your goal is to identify usability issues, confusing flows, and potential frustrations.

Application: [describe the app or feature]

User persona: [describe who this user is - their goals, experience level, context]

Testing scenario: [what the user is trying to accomplish]

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Your task:

1. Walk through the user journey step by step as if you were actually using the application.

2. Think aloud as you go:
   • What are you trying to do?
   • What do you expect to happen?
   • What questions do you have?
   • What’s confusing or unclear?
   • What’s frustrating?

3. Flag issues in these categories:

   Confusion:

   • Unclear labels or instructions
   • Ambiguous button/link text
   • Missing guidance on what to do next
   • Jargon or technical terms

   Friction:

   • Too many steps for a simple task
   • Redundant information requests
   • Slow loading with no feedback
   • Forced sequencing that doesn’t match mental model

   Errors:

   • Unclear error messages
   • Error messages that don’t suggest fixes
   • Validation that’s too strict or unclear
   • Confusing form validation

   Discoverability:

   • Important features that are hidden
   • Unclear navigation
   • Missing affordances (things that don’t look clickable/interactive)
   • No indication of what’s possible

   Trust & Safety:

   • Unclear privacy implications
   • Surprising behavior
   • Irreversible actions without warning
   • Missing confirmations for destructive actions

   Accessibility:

   • Can’t be operated by keyboard alone
   • Missing alt text or labels
   • Poor contrast or readability
   • Issues for screen reader users
4. Prioritize findings:
   • Critical: Prevents task completion
   • High: Causes significant frustration or confusion
   • Medium: Causes minor friction
   • Low: Polish issues

Output format:

For each issue:

• Step: [Which step in the journey]
• Issue: [What the problem is]
• User thought: [What the user is thinking/feeling]
• Impact: Critical/High/Medium/Low
• Suggested fix: [How to address it]

Example:

Step: User tries to submit form

Issue: Error message says “Invalid input” without specifying which field

User thought: “What did I do wrong? Which field is invalid? This is frustrating.”

Impact: High

Suggested fix: Highlight the invalid field and show “Email must include an @ symbol” next to the email field

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Remember: You’re not looking for bugs in the code. You’re looking for usability issues from a user’s perspective.