Once you start executing a User Story, you will see the following screen:
The User Story execution screen has a few parts:
Can you confirm the User Story is working?
Depending on the result of your execution, you should choose one of the following options:
"Yes" if you have tested the User Story thoroughly and it works as described.
"No" if the tested User Story does not work as expected. In this case, we recommend submitting a bug report following the general rules of bug reporting if in scope and not listed under "Known Bugs". (here: an existing user is not able to login).
"Not possible to test" if you can not test the given User Story. Please describe the reason for being blocked in the comment field. This is often the case due to technical reasons or missing instructions. For example, if there’re no login credentials available, you can’t test this User Story.
Your comment
Let's see now examples of how proper comments should look like for Yes, No, and Not possible to test executions.
When the Comment is Mandatory
Comments are required in the following scenarios to ensure clarity and completeness:
Execution: Yes – Comments are necessary when additional context or details are needed that are not covered by the screencast.
Execution: No – It is crucial to provide comprehensive details about what was tested, what failed, and any error messages or unexpected behaviors observed.
Execution: Not possible to test – A clear explanation of what prevented the user story from being executed is necessary, along with any steps taken to try to work around the issue.
When the Comment is Optional
Comments can be omitted under this condition:
Execution: Yes – If the attached screencasts clearly show the successful execution and outcome, further commentary may be redundant. In such cases, simply enter “n/a” in the comments section.
Note: Always adhere to specific Test Cycle Instructions as some may require comments for ALL Yes executions regardless.
What to Include in a Comment
Ensure comments are concise and directly related to the specific User Story being executed.
Describe specific actions taken and their outcomes, especially for "No" or "Not possible to test" executions.
Include insights and details that are not apparent from the attachments alone, such as contextual information, settings, configurations, or specific circumstances under which the user story was executed.
What Not to Include in a Comment
Avoid generic phrases like "works as expected" or "no issues found", as they don’t add value.
Do not include information that is clearly visible in the screencast.
Refrain from copying the text of the User Story or including irrelevant details from other sources.
Execution: Yes
Imagine that we have a User Story: As a user, I can open the Become a Tester page from the Header of the website. And you have this outcome:
As we can see in the video, the User Story is working, we select "Yes" as the result, and now it's time to consider a comment.
Good Comment Example: If the execution is straightforward and the screencast shows all necessary details, entering "n/a" / omitting the field is acceptable.
Bad Comment Example: "The page opened successfully." (This is redundant as the execution status "Yes" already implies a successful outcome).
Execution: No
Imagine again that we have a User Story: As a user, I can open the Become a Tester page from the Header of the website. And you have this outcome:
As we can see now, after clicking on the "Become A Tester" button, nothing will happen. The page is not opened. So, in this case, we selected "No" as the result, and we should write a comment.
Good Comment Example: "Clicked the 'Become a Tester' button in the header, but no redirection occurred, and the button did not respond to further clicks."
Bad Comment Example: "The page didn’t open." (This comment lacks detail about what specifically went wrong and what was expected).
Execution: Not possible to test
Imagine that we have now a User Story: As a user, I can change slides in the Our Freelance Testers section of the Become a Tester page. And you have this outcome:
As we can see in this case, after trying to open the Test IO website, only a blank (white) page is shown and you are not able to execute this User Story. In this case, we select "Not possible to test" as result, and we need to write a comment.
Good Comment Example: "Attempted to access the Test IO website multiple times but consistently faced a blank page even after refreshing and trying different browsers."
Bad Comment Example: "Couldn’t test this." (This comment fails to explain why the test could not be conducted and what steps were attempted).
Upload attachments
Every User Story execution requires an attachment to be uploaded. Please follow the following rules for User Story attachments:
For every User Story execution, it’s mandatory to attach a short screencast (no longer than 15 seconds) that shows the result of the execution (if the User Story request has multiple steps, you may record the last step only to make the screencast up to 15 seconds).
Every attachment should be created exclusively for each User Story execution and must not be used multiple times.
General attachment requirements, Date and Time specific rules, Screencast-specific rules, and Screencast-specific rules for Streaming devices from the Bug Report Attachments article also apply to the User Story Execution attachment rules.
Device/Browser used
Please test User Stories with the device that is displayed as your requested device. Make sure that the selected device/browser corresponds with the device/browser shown in the attachment.
How long did the execution take? (in minutes) (optional)
Here you can input the number (in minutes) how much did you take for the User Story execution. And as it is mentioned, this is optional.
Linked bug (optional)
When you cannot confirm a User Story or you are blocked, because you cannot reach the right feature area, it is very likely you discovered a bug.
When there is already a submitted bug report in the test that fits, please use the dropdown to search for it and link it to the User Story. This will help the customer to understand the User Story execution and the bug better.
When there is no bug reported yet (and it's also not listed under "Known Bugs") we recommend you submit a new bug first and then finish the User Story execution.
Hint: The button "Submit bug" opens in a new tab, so you can create the bug report and then go back to your unsubmitted User Story.
You can only link bugs, when the User Story is not confirmed, and find features of the same test cycle, that belong to the same feature as the User Story.
Buttons "Submit" and "Cancel"
At the bottom of the User Story execution screen, you will have the possibility to Submit a User Story when you are done with it, or to Cancel it. Keep in mind that if you submit the User Story execution, you will not be able anymore to Edit or Delete the User Story.
Also, please submit your User Story execution only when you've tested the User Story, otherwise your execution will be rejected.