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Paid users uncover flaws in a README’s setup instructions
The author paid people to test a project’s first-run experience and used their feedback to counter the assumptions that make self-written setup instructions hard to validate. This is a practical way to find documentation and onboarding failures.
- What
- The author tested ActivityBot's README by paying people to follow its setup instructions and share feedback aloud.
- How
- After each session, the author revised the README and tested it with another person; sessions exposed a wrong link, confusing terms, and unclear steps.
- Why it matters
- Real users can reveal mistaken assumptions and audible frustration that spell checkers or simulated readers may miss.
Read on shkspr.mobi → Hacker News · 191 comments
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