help-center-ui-test

Help Center UI Test

Performs a systematic browser-based UI review of the Help Center using Chrome automation (Claude in Chrome extension).

Prerequisites

• The Claude in Chrome browser extension must be installed and connected. Run /chrome in Claude Code if not connected.
• The user must be logged into WordPress.com in Chrome.

Setup

1. Use ToolSearch to load Chrome tools: select:mcp__claude-in-chrome__tabs_context_mcp.
2. Call mcp__claude-in-chrome__tabs_context_mcp to get current tabs.
3. Create a new tab with mcp__claude-in-chrome__tabs_create_mcp.

Error Monitoring

After opening the Help Center on each surface, and after key interactions, check for errors:

• Console errors: Call mcp__claude-in-chrome__read_console_messages with pattern: "(error|Error|ERROR)" to capture JS errors.
• Network errors: Call mcp__claude-in-chrome__read_network_requests and check for any requests with HTTP status >= 400.

Check for errors at these points:

1. After opening the Help Center on each surface.
2. After performing a search.
3. After loading an article.
4. After receiving an AI chat response.
5. After initiating a support handoff.
6. At the end of each surface's tests (final error sweep).

Log any errors found as issues in the test results, categorized as "Console Error" or "Network Error".

Test Surfaces

Test the Help Center on both surfaces, one at a time:

1. Calypso Dashboard: https://my.wordpress.com/sites
2. WP Admin: https://en.support.wordpress.com/wp-admin/
3. Editor: https://en.support.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php

For each surface:

1. Navigate to the URL.
2. Use mcp__claude-in-chrome__find to locate the ? help icon. If not found, wait 3 seconds with mcp__claude-in-chrome__computer (action: wait) and retry.
3. Click the ? icon to open the Help Center.
4. Use mcp__claude-in-chrome__find to confirm the search bar or home screen content has appeared. If not found, wait 3 seconds and retry.

Test Checklist

For each surface, verify all of the following:

1. Home Screen

• Layout renders correctly (no overlapping, no broken spacing).
• Recommended/contextual guides are shown (WP Admin should show WP Admin-specific guides).
• Recent conversation card appears if there is conversation history.
• Search bar is visible and functional.

2. Search

• Type a real query (e.g., "domain") and use mcp__claude-in-chrome__find to confirm search results have appeared. If not found, wait 3 seconds and retry. Verify results show titles and descriptions.
• Clear the search and type gibberish (e.g., "xyzqwfoobar123") — use mcp__claude-in-chrome__find to confirm the empty state has appeared. Verify a fallback action appears (e.g., "Ask AI assistant" button).

3. Article Rendering

• Open a guide/article from the home screen or search results.
• Use mcp__claude-in-chrome__find to confirm the article heading has rendered. If not found, wait 3 seconds and retry.
• Check that headings, images, videos, links, lists, collapsible sections, and embedded UI cards render correctly.

4. Support Assistant (AI Chat)

• Open the AI chat via "Get help" or similar entry point.
• Verify the greeting message renders correctly.
• Send a question (e.g., "How do I change my site title?").
• Use mcp__claude-in-chrome__find to confirm the AI response has appeared. If not found, wait 5 seconds and retry (AI responses may take longer).
• Verify the AI response renders correctly: text formatting, links, feedback icons (thumbs up, thumbs down, copy).
• Expand the Sources dropdown and verify it shows relevant documentation links.

5. Live Support Handoff

• In the AI chat, type "Talk with a human".
• Verify the AI offers a "Talk with a human" button or similar handoff mechanism.
• If prompted about an ongoing conversation, choose "No, connect me with someone new".
• Verify the transition: header changes to "Support Team", a "CHAT WITH SUPPORT TEAM STARTED" divider appears, the input field gains an attachment button.

6. Navigation

• Back button: navigates to the previous screen within the Help Center.
• Close (X): closes the Help Center panel.
• Minimize/Maximize: Help Center can be minimized and restored.
• Three-dot menu: shows options (Minimize, New chat, Support history, Turn off sound notifications).

7. Support History

• Open Support history from the three-dot menu.
• Verify past conversations are listed.
• Click a conversation and verify it opens the correct one (not a different conversation).

Viewport Testing

After completing the full test checklist at desktop size on each surface, test responsive layouts at additional viewports.

Viewport Presets

Procedure

For each surface, after the desktop checklist is complete:

1. Use mcp__claude-in-chrome__resize_window to switch to Mobile (375x812).
2. Open the Help Center and verify:
   • Home Screen layout (no overlapping, no broken spacing, no horizontal overflow).
   • Search results layout.
   • Help Center panel sizing (doesn't overflow viewport).
3. Use mcp__claude-in-chrome__resize_window to restore Desktop (1280x800) before moving to the next surface.

Test Results Format

Every test run must produce a structured summary using this format:

## Test Results Summary
 
### Surface: [Calypso Dashboard / WP Admin]
 
| # | Check | Viewport | Status | Issue | Evidence |
|---|-------|----------|--------|-------|----------|
| 1 | Home Screen — layout | Desktop | PASS/FAIL | Description | screenshot.png |
| 2 | Home Screen — guides | Desktop | PASS/FAIL | Description | |

Only FAIL rows and errors should be filed as Linear issues.

Taking Evidence

For every issue found during testing, record a GIF using mcp__claude-in-chrome__gif_creator:

1. Call gif_creator with action: start_recording on the Help Center tab.
2. Take a screenshot immediately after to capture the initial state as the first frame.
3. Perform the actions that demonstrate the issue (click, scroll, type, etc.).
4. Take a screenshot immediately before stopping to capture the final state.
5. Call gif_creator with action: stop_recording.

Name GIFs descriptively (e.g., "search-clear-button-bug.gif"). For static visual issues, a single-frame GIF (start → screenshot → stop) is sufficient.

Reporting Issues

After completing all tests, if issues were found:

1. Present a summary of all issues to the user.
2. Ask the user if they would like to:
   • File Linear issues for the bugs found.
   • Attempt to fix the issues directly in the codebase.
   • Both (fix and file).
3. Default the Linear project to "Help Center Polish and Maintenance". Ask the user to confirm or pick a different one.
4. Use ToolSearch to load Linear tools: +linear save issue.
5. For each issue, create a Linear issue with mcp__linear-server__save_issue including:

   • Title: Clear, concise description of the bug.

   • Description (Markdown) — use this template:

     ## Bug Report
      
     ### Steps to Reproduce
     1. ...
      
     ### Expected Behavior
     ...
      
     ### Actual Behavior
     ...
      
     ### Surface
     - [X] Calypso Dashboard
     - [ ] WP Admin

   • Team: Ask user or default to "Dotcom Support Infrastructure" (DOTSUP).

   • Project: The project the user specified.

Fixing issues

If the user wants to attempt fixes:

1. Create a new branch named after the Linear issue ID (e.g., git checkout -b DOTSUP-448).
2. Investigate the root cause and implement a fix.
3. After fixing, ask the user if they want to commit and create a PR.

Attaching evidence to Linear issues

After creating each Linear issue, attach the GIF to the description via drag-and-drop. GIF recordings are scoped to the tab group, so they can be exported directly onto the Linear tab.

1. Navigate to the Linear issue in a Chrome tab (same tab group as the Help Center tab):

   https://linear.app/a8c/issue/<ISSUE-ID>

   Use mcp__claude-in-chrome__find to confirm the issue description is visible. If not found, wait 3 seconds and retry.

2. Export the GIF with mcp__claude-in-chrome__gif_creator using action: export, setting tabId to the Linear tab and coordinate to a point inside the issue description area. The GIF will be embedded in the description (exact placement within the description may vary).

3. Verify: Take a screenshot of the Linear tab to confirm the image was embedded.

Tips

• Use mcp__claude-in-chrome__read_page with filter: interactive to find clickable elements.
• Use mcp__claude-in-chrome__find for natural language element search (e.g., "Help Center close button").
• Use mcp__claude-in-chrome__computer with action: left_click and ref parameter to click elements by reference ID.
• Use mcp__claude-in-chrome__find to confirm elements have appeared after actions instead of fixed-delay sleeps. If an element isn't found, wait 3 seconds with mcp__claude-in-chrome__computer (action: wait, duration: 3) and retry up to 3 times.
• If the Help Center closes unexpectedly, click the ? icon again to reopen it.