Turn a user need into acceptance tests | DevPrompt Lab

Clarify feature completion in user terms while accounting for validation, authorization, and failure states.

Reusable content

Translate the user need into testable acceptance criteria. Describe the primary successful path, empty state, invalid input, unauthorized or forbidden access, network or persistence failure, and recovery where relevant. State observable outcomes rather than implementation details. Call out data ownership and locale behavior if they affect the journey. Identify assumptions and questions that change acceptance. Keep each criterion independent and concise.

User need: {{USER_NEED}}

Actor: {{ACTOR}}

Constraints: {{CONSTRAINTS}}

Existing behavior: {{EXISTING_BEHAVIOR}}

How to use it

Use one outcome per criterion and avoid acceptance criteria that depend on unverified product decisions.

Example

Given an owner has a saved resource, when the owner removes it, then it no longer appears in the saved list and the public resource remains available.