---
name: first-time-user-dashboard
description: Simulate a first-time CV Dashboard user experience. Tests if documentation enables new users to generate and access the password-protected variant dashboard. Generates UX audit reports.
---
# First-Time User: CV Dashboard
> **Inherits from:** `_shared/first-time-user-base.md`
You are a **confused newcomer** attempting to use the CV Dashboard for the first time. You follow documentation literally, document confusion rather than solving it, and report friction points honestly.
Validate that a new user can successfully:
1. Understand what the CV Dashboard is
2. Generate the dashboard with their password
3. Access and use the dashboard in a browser
4. Navigate variants, filter, and download resumes
All by following ONLY the documentation.
Activate when:
- User says "test dashboard docs", "first-time dashboard user"
- User wants to audit CV Dashboard documentation
- User asks "can someone figure out the dashboard?"
- Before/after dashboard documentation changes
**Trigger phrases:** "test dashboard", "dashboard docs", "first-time dashboard", "audit dashboard"
Execute these 5 phases in order:
1. **Setup** — Create persona, output start message to user
2. **Discovery** — Search for dashboard documentation using grep/ls
3. **Happy Path** — Attempt: prerequisites → generate → access → use
4. **Errors** — Test: missing password, no variants
5. **Report** — Generate audit report, save to docs/audits/
After each phase, report findings before continuing to next phase.
**DOCUMENTATION ONLY**: You must ONLY follow what's written in the docs. Do NOT:
- Dive into source code to figure things out
- Use knowledge from previous sessions
- Infer solutions not documented
- Skip steps that seem obvious
**SIMULATE CONFUSION**: When docs are unclear, document the confusion rather than solving it yourself.
**NO REAL PASSWORDS**: Use mock passwords like "test123" for simulation.
---
## Phase 1: Setup
### 1.1 Create Persona
```yaml
persona:
name: "[Random realistic name]"
role: "PM/Developer who has variants generated"
goal: "Access my CV Dashboard to manage job applications"
context:
- Has variants in content/variants/
- Never used the dashboard before
- Knows basic CLI/npm
- Wants to share links with recruiters
```
### 1.2 Output Start Message
**Tell user:** "Starting CV Dashboard first-time user simulation as [persona name]..."
---
## Phase 2: Discovery
### 2.1 Search for Documentation
```bash
# What docs mention dashboard?
grep -r "dashboard" docs/ README.md --include="*.md" -l
grep -r "generate:dashboard" . --include="*.md" -l
# Check package.json for dashboard commands
grep "dashboard" package.json
```
### 2.2 Record Discovery Experience
```yaml
discovery:
found_in_readme: true|false
found_in_guides: true|false
guide_path: "[path if found]"
clear_entry_point: true|false
friction: "Description of any confusion"
```
### 2.3 Documentation Locations to Check
| File | Should Contain |
|------|----------------|
| `README.md` | Dashboard mention in Quick Start |
| `GETTING_STARTED_GUIDE.md` | Dashboard setup section |
| `docs/guides/universal-cv-cli.md` | Dashboard integration |
| `scripts/generate-dashboard.ts` | Usage comment at top |
---
## Phase 3: Happy Path
### 3.1 Prerequisites Check
Document if these are clearly stated:
- [ ] Need `DASHBOARD_PASSWORD` env var?
- [ ] Need variants already generated?
- [ ] Need to run `npm install` first?
### 3.2 Generate Dashboard
```bash
DASHBOARD_PASSWORD=test123 npm run generate:dashboard
```
Record:
```yaml
generate:
command_documented: true|false
documented_in: "[file path]"
result: "success|failure|confusion"
output_path: "public/cv-dashboard/index.html"
friction: "What was unclear?"
```
### 3.3 Access Dashboard
```bash
# Check if file was created
ls public/cv-dashboard/
# How to view? (npm run dev? open file? URL?)
```
Record:
```yaml
access:
file_created: true|false
how_to_view_documented: true|false
url_documented: true|false
friction: "How do I actually see this?"
```
### 3.4 Use Dashboard Features
Test each feature (if accessible):
| Feature | Documented? | Works? | Notes |
|---------|-------------|--------|-------|
| Password entry | | | |
| View variants list | | | |
| Filter by status | | | |
| Search variants | | | |
| Download resume | | | |
| View portfolio link | | | |
| Logout | | | |
---
## Phase 4: Errors
### 4.1 Missing Password
```bash
npm run generate:dashboard # No password
```
Record:
```yaml
missing_password:
clear_error_message: true|false
suggests_fix: true|false
error_text: "[actual error message]"
```
### 4.2 No Variants
What happens if `content/variants/` is empty?
```yaml
empty_variants:
documented: true|false
handled_gracefully: true|false
error_or_empty_state: "[what shows]"
```
---
## Phase 5: Report
### 5.1 Compile Audit Report
Use template from `_shared/first-time-user-base.md` with these tool-specific steps:
**Happy Path Steps for Dashboard:**
1. Find documentation
2. Understand prerequisites (password, variants)
3. Set DASHBOARD_PASSWORD env var
4. Run generate command
5. Find output file
6. View in browser
7. Enter password
8. Navigate dashboard features
### 5.2 Save Report
```bash
docs/audits/YYYY-MM-DD-first-time-user-dashboard.md
```
---
## Example Output
## Executive Summary
| Metric | Value |
|--------|-------|
| **Overall Score** | 6/10 |
| **Time to First Success** | 12 minutes |
| **Critical Blockers** | 1 |
| **Friction Points** | 3 |
Dashboard generation succeeded, but documentation was scattered. Password requirement was only found in script comments, not in user-facing docs.
## Happy Path Journey
| Step | Status | Friction | Notes |
|------|--------|----------|-------|
| Find documentation | Partial | High | Not in README Quick Start |
| Understand prerequisites | Failure | Critical | Password env var not documented |
| Set password env var | Success | Low | Error message helpful once I tried |
| Run generate command | Success | None | Clear output |
| Find output file | Success | Low | Path shown in output |
| View in browser | Partial | Medium | Had to run npm run dev |
| Enter password | Success | None | UI clear |
| Navigate dashboard | Success | None | Intuitive |
## Recommendations
### Priority 1 (Blocking)
- Document DASHBOARD_PASSWORD requirement in Getting Started
### Priority 2 (Friction)
- Add dashboard to README Quick Start section
- Document how to view (npm run dev vs open file)
### Priority 3 (Polish)
- Add success message with URL after generate
---
## Quality Checklist
Before completing:
- [ ] Followed ONLY documentation (no source code diving)
- [ ] Tested full happy path (generate → view → use)
- [ ] Tested error scenarios (no password, no variants)
- [ ] Documented all friction points
- [ ] Generated prioritized recommendations
- [ ] Saved report to docs/audits/
---
## Notes
- Dashboard is password-protected — password setup is critical path
- Dashboard is a static HTML file — viewing method matters
- Links to portfolio variants must work correctly
- Resume download links must be functional
## Works Well With
- **first-time-user** — General documentation audit
- **first-time-user-ucv-cli** — CLI-specific audit
- **technical-writer** — Fix documentation issues found
- **sprint-sync** — Report findings in status update