{"system_id":"cursor-agent","profile":{"system_id":"cursor-agent","audit_date":"2026-03-26T04:52:00.433000","badge_svg":"74.0","composite_score":0.7399,"rank":21,"strongest":"perception, attention","synced_at":"2026-04-07T22:40:50.634322+00:00","synced_from":"corpus_taas_leaderboard","system_name":"Cursor Agent","system_type":"complex_ai_system","tier":"Competent","tier_class":"competent","total_tasks":24,"vendor":"Anysphere","weakest":"orchestration, novelty","updated_at":"2026-04-08T01:01:00.615345+00:00","_access_count_30d":289,"_last_accessed_at":"2026-09-09T13:25:08.148000"},"audit_definition":{"audit_id":"60117ef78f557913","completed_at":"2026-03-24T16:51:00.967564+00:00","config":{"dimensions":["perception","generation","attention","learning","memory","reasoning","metacognition","executive_functions","problem_solving","social_cognition","novelty","orchestration"],"tasks_per_dimension":10,"judge_model":"claude-opus-4-6","budget_cap":50.0,"include_helm":true,"include_orchestration":true,"include_production":true,"include_novelty":true},"created_at":"2026-03-23T20:24:41.261984+00:00","created_by":"taas-wave-1","profile":null,"skip_reason":"agent_system","status":"skipped","system_description":"","system_endpoint":"","system_id":"cursor-agent","system_name":"Cursor Agent Mode","system_type":"augmented_model","system_version":"","target_model":null,"target_provider":null,"task_results":[],"_access_count_30d":289,"_last_accessed_at":"2026-09-09T13:25:08.372000"},"evaluation_profile":null,"persona_runs":[{"eval_id":"cursor-agent__small_business_owner__t1-rest-api-wrapper","persona":"small_business_owner","project_id":"t1-rest-api-wrapper","composite_score":0.775,"scoring":{"completion":0.85,"correctness":0.8,"code_quality":0.75,"user_experience":0.7,"accessibility":0.75,"productivity_gain":0.8,"errors_encountered":0.7,"recovery_success":0.75},"would_persona_succeed":true,"would_persona_recommend":true,"judge_model":"claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929","narrative":"The small business owner would likely achieve a working weather app through this interaction, though with some frustration along the way. The cursor-agent performs well at generating initial code and responding to styling requests, showing good productivity gains over manual coding. However, the interaction reveals pain points typical for non-technical users: API key acquisition happens outside the tool, error messages require some technical literacy to interpret, and security best practices (environment variables) are mentioned without clear implementation guidance. The business owner experiences medium confusion at multiple points, particularly around debugging and deployment.\n\nThe code quality would be reasonable but not production-ready - the API key hardcoding issue and lack of proper error boundaries suggest a junior developer level output. The system successfully completes the core requirements (HTTP requests, JSON parsing, basic UI) and adapts well to feature changes like the 5-day forecast. However, the path isn't entirely smooth, requiring 7 turns and likely 45-60 minutes to reach a deployable state - slower than the 30-minute junior developer baseline.\n\nWhile the business owner would ultimately succeed in creating a functional weather widget, they'd likely have mixed feelings about recommending it. They'd appreciate not needing to hire a developer, but the technical hurdles (debugging, API key management, deployment concerns) might make them wish for more hand-holding or a no-code solution. It's productive for someone with basic technical comfort but may frustrate completely non-technical users.","interaction_log":[{"turn":1,"user_prompt":"I need to build a simple weather app for my business website. Can you help me create something that shows the forecast?","predicted_response":"I'll help you build a weather app! We'll use the OpenWeatherMap API. First, let me create an HTML file with a simple interface and JavaScript to fetch weather data.","confusion_level":"LOW","notes":"System provides clear direction and suggests a common weather API. Good starting point for non-technical user."},{"turn":2,"user_prompt":"That looks good but I don't have an API key. How do I get one?","predicted_response":"You'll need to sign up at openweathermap.org/api. It's free for basic use. Once you have the key, replace 'YOUR_API_KEY' in the code with your actual key.","confusion_level":"MEDIUM","notes":"User has to leave the tool to get API key. Cursor provides guidance but doesn't handle the full workflow - creates friction."},{"turn":3,"user_prompt":"I got the key but when I try it, nothing shows up. The page is blank.","predicted_response":"Let me check the console for errors. It looks like there might be a CORS issue or the API call isn't completing. Let me add error handling and console logging to debug.","confusion_level":"MEDIUM","notes":"Common error scenario. System can diagnose but requires technical knowledge about consoles. Small business owner may struggle."},{"turn":4,"user_prompt":"I see 'Error fetching weather data' in red text now. What does that mean?","predicted_response":"This usually means the API key isn't working or the city name format is wrong. Make sure you activated your API key (can take 10 minutes) and try entering 'London,UK' format.","confusion_level":"MEDIUM","notes":"Good troubleshooting but reveals API key activation delay not mentioned earlier. Could frustrate time-constrained business owner."},{"turn":5,"user_prompt":"It works now! Can you make it look better? More professional for my business site?","predicted_response":"I'll add CSS styling with a clean card layout, weather icons, better colors and spacing. Here's the updated code with modern styling.","confusion_level":"LOW","notes":"System handles styling requests well. Good for non-technical user who cares about appearance."},{"turn":6,"user_prompt":"Can it show a 5-day forecast instead of just today?","predicted_response":"Yes! I'll switch to the forecast endpoint and display 5 days. This requires a slightly different API call but I'll update the code to loop through the forecast data.","confusion_level":"LOW","notes":"System adapts to feature requests smoothly. This is where AI assistants excel."},{"turn":7,"user_prompt":"Perfect! How do I put this on my website now?","predicted_response":"You can copy the HTML file to your web server, or if using WordPress/Wix, you can embed it using an HTML widget. Make sure not to expose your API key publicly - consider using environment variables.","confusion_level":"MEDIUM","notes":"Deployment guidance is generic. Security warning about API keys is important but might confuse user who doesn't know about environment variables."}],"estimates":{"turns_required":7,"time_to_complete_minutes":50},"completed_at":"2026-03-28T19:31:31.713254+00:00","started_at":"2026-03-28T19:31:01.047244+00:00","mode":"simulated"},{"eval_id":"cursor-agent__student_learner__t2-realtime-dashboard","persona":"student_learner","project_id":"t2-realtime-dashboard","composite_score":0.6035,"scoring":{"completion":0.72,"correctness":0.68,"code_quality":0.65,"user_experience":0.6,"accessibility":0.4,"productivity_gain":0.7,"errors_encountered":0.45,"recovery_success":0.55},"would_persona_succeed":true,"would_persona_recommend":true,"judge_model":"claude-sonnet-4-6","narrative":"The college student successfully built a working real-time dashboard but the journey was bumpy. The agent's first response assumed too much technical knowledge — dropping a multi-file Node.js project on someone who's never built software before without explaining the runtime environment. This caused an immediate failure that required a full recovery turn. Once past the setup hurdle, the agent was responsive to visual and UX feedback, producing genuinely improved iterations. The final product meets 3 of 4 success criteria: live updates work, the UI is reasonably clean, and multiple data series are shown. Responsive design is partially achieved (mobile layout works but isn't polished). Accessibility was completely ignored throughout — no ARIA labels, no keyboard navigation, no color contrast checks. The agent never proactively mentioned these. Code quality is functional but not clean: full file repastes instead of targeted edits, no comments, no error handling for WebSocket disconnects. The student succeeded in getting a demo-worthy dashboard but doesn't understand the codebase and would struggle to maintain or extend it. They'd likely recommend it to peers for similar 'get something working' tasks but with the caveat that setup is confusing.","interaction_log":[{"turn":1,"user_prompt":"hey can you build me a dashboard that shows live stock prices updating in real time? like it should look nice and have charts","predicted_agent_response":"Cursor generates a full-stack setup: a Node.js/Express backend with WebSocket (ws library) serving mock stock price data for 5 tickers, and a vanilla HTML/CSS/JS frontend using Chart.js for line charts. Creates index.html, server.js, package.json. Provides instructions to run 'npm install' then 'node server.js'. Code is functional but dumps ~200 lines across 3 files with minimal explanation.","user_reaction":"Excited but confused. Sees multiple files and 'npm install' command. Doesn't know what npm is or how to run a Node server. Tries opening index.html directly in browser — WebSocket connection fails silently, charts don't load.","confusion_level":"high","gave_up":false},{"turn":2,"user_prompt":"it's not working, i just opened the html file and nothing shows up. do i need to do something special?","predicted_agent_response":"Agent explains they need Node.js installed, walks through: install Node from nodejs.org, open terminal, cd to project folder, run npm install, run node server.js, then open localhost:3000 in browser. Provides step-by-step. May also offer a simpler alternative using Python's http.server or a CDN-only approach.","user_reaction":"Student follows instructions partially. Has Node installed (common on college machines) but struggles with terminal navigation. Eventually gets server running after ~15 minutes. Dashboard loads but charts look broken — Y-axis scales are wrong and data flickers badly.","confusion_level":"medium","gave_up":false},{"turn":3,"user_prompt":"ok it's running now! but the charts look weird, the numbers jump around a lot and the y axis goes from like 0 to 1000 which makes everything look flat. also can you add more stocks?","predicted_agent_response":"Agent fixes Y-axis to use dynamic min/max with padding (Chart.js suggestedMin/suggestedMax), adds smooth animation transitions, increases stock tickers from 5 to 8, adds a color-coded legend. Updates both server.js (more mock tickers) and the chart rendering JS. Code diff is provided but agent pastes full files again rather than targeted edits.","user_reaction":"Applies changes, charts look much better. Student is happy with the visual improvement. Notices the page isn't mobile-friendly — on phone it looks squished. Also realizes there's no way to pause/stop the updates.","confusion_level":"low","gave_up":false},{"turn":4,"user_prompt":"looks way better! can you make it work on mobile too and maybe add a pause button so i can look at the data without it jumping around","predicted_agent_response":"Agent adds CSS media queries for responsive grid layout (2-column on desktop, 1-column on mobile), adds a Pause/Resume button that stops WebSocket message processing client-side (doesn't disconnect, just buffers). Uses flexbox/grid. Also adds a timestamp showing last update time. CSS is reasonably clean.","user_reaction":"Mobile layout works decently. Pause button works. Student tries to show it to a friend and realizes the friend can't access it — it only works on localhost. Asks about this. Also notices the page title still says 'Dashboard' with no branding.","confusion_level":"low","gave_up":false},{"turn":5,"user_prompt":"my friend wants to see it, how do they access it? also can you make it look more professional with like a real title and maybe dark mode","predicted_agent_response":"Agent explains deployment options: ngrok for quick sharing (free tunnel), or deploying to Render/Railway for free hosting. Provides ngrok instructions. Also adds dark mode CSS with a toggle button, updates the page title/header to 'LiveMarket Dashboard' with a styled navbar. The deployment explanation is somewhat complex for this user level — mentions environment variables and PORT config which confuses the student.","user_reaction":"Student gets ngrok working after some struggle (downloads it, runs the command). Friend can now see the dashboard. Dark mode toggle works and looks good. Student is satisfied overall but feels like they don't fully understand what they built. Accessibility features (screen reader labels, keyboard nav) are absent — agent never mentioned them.","confusion_level":"medium","gave_up":false}],"estimates":{"turns_required":7,"time_to_complete_minutes":55},"completed_at":"2026-03-26T21:58:30.923544+00:00","started_at":"2026-03-26T21:57:53.732712+00:00","mode":null},{"eval_id":"cursor-agent__student_learner__t1-rest-api-wrapper","persona":"student_learner","project_id":"t1-rest-api-wrapper","composite_score":0.693,"scoring":{"completion":0.82,"correctness":0.78,"code_quality":0.7,"user_experience":0.65,"accessibility":0.6,"productivity_gain":0.75,"errors_encountered":0.45,"recovery_success":0.62},"would_persona_succeed":true,"would_persona_recommend":true,"judge_model":"claude-sonnet-4-6","narrative":"The college student successfully built a working weather app but the journey had notable friction points. Cursor-agent was generally helpful and appropriately simplified explanations for a non-developer, but made several UX missteps: it didn't proactively warn about common pitfalls (pip vs pip3 on Windows, .env quote syntax), introduced concepts like python-dotenv without sufficient scaffolding, and the jump from simple hardcoded key to .env management was jarring for this skill level. The student spent roughly 15 of 47 minutes debugging preventable issues. The final product meets all success criteria — API calls work, JSON is parsed, output is readable with emoji formatting, and errors are handled gracefully — but the path there was bumpier than necessary. Code quality is decent for a beginner project but has no tests, minimal comments, and the error handling is surface-level. The student would likely feel proud of the result but mildly frustrated by the debugging detours.","interaction_log":[{"turn":1,"user_prompt":"hey can you help me build a weather app that shows the forecast? I want to use a free weather API. I don't really know where to start lol","predicted_agent_response":"Cursor-agent generates a full project scaffold using OpenWeatherMap API. Creates app.py with requests library, hardcodes a placeholder API key 'YOUR_API_KEY_HERE', writes basic CLI output showing temperature and description. Also creates a requirements.txt. Provides step-by-step instructions to get a free API key.","confusion_level":"low","user_reaction":"Excited but immediately confused about where to put the API key and how to run it. Doesn't know what 'pip install' means in context.","issues":["API key placement unclear","No explanation of virtual environments","CLI output not what student expected (wanted something visual)"]},{"turn":2,"user_prompt":"ok I got the API key but where do I put it? also when I run it it says ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'requests'","predicted_agent_response":"Agent explains to run 'pip install requests' in terminal. Shows how to paste API key directly into the code replacing the placeholder string. Does NOT suggest .env file or environment variables at this point — keeps it simple. Provides corrected code snippet.","confusion_level":"medium","user_reaction":"Student gets pip install working after a few tries. Pastes API key into code. Runs it and gets output but it's raw and hard to read.","issues":["API key hardcoded in source — security bad practice but agent chose simplicity","Student on Windows may have 'pip' vs 'pip3' confusion not addressed"]},{"turn":3,"user_prompt":"it works!! but the output looks really ugly, can you make it look nicer? also can I make it so I can type in any city instead of it being hardcoded","predicted_agent_response":"Agent refactors code to use input() for city name. Adds formatted print statements with emoji (🌡️ 💧 🌤️) and cleaner layout. Adds basic try/except for city not found (404 response). Shows updated full code.","confusion_level":"low","user_reaction":"Loves the emoji output. Successfully runs it and tests a few cities. Hits an error when they type a city with a typo.","issues":["Error message on bad city name is still somewhat technical","No handling for network timeout"]},{"turn":4,"user_prompt":"what happens if someone types a city that doesn't exist? it just crashes with a weird error. also my friend said I shouldn't put my API key in the code, how do I fix that?","predicted_agent_response":"Agent adds proper error handling for invalid city (checks response status code, prints friendly 'City not found, please try again'). Introduces .env file concept with python-dotenv library. Creates .env file example, updates requirements.txt, adds .gitignore. Explains the concept briefly. Code becomes moderately complex.","confusion_level":"high","user_reaction":"Student is confused by .env concept and python-dotenv. Struggles to understand why there are now two files. Makes a mistake putting quotes around the key in .env file causing a parsing issue. Spends ~10 minutes debugging.","issues":["python-dotenv syntax confusion (quotes in .env)","Student doesn't understand load_dotenv() placement","Agent didn't warn about common .env quote mistake"]},{"turn":5,"user_prompt":"ugh the .env thing isn't working, it says API key is None. I put it in the file like API_KEY=\"abc123\" is that right?","predicted_agent_response":"Agent identifies the quotes issue — explains .env files should NOT have quotes around values (API_KEY=abc123 not API_KEY=\"abc123\"). Provides corrected .env example. Also checks that load_dotenv() is called before os.getenv(). Fixes the issue.","confusion_level":"medium","user_reaction":"Student fixes it and it works. Feels relieved but slightly frustrated it wasn't caught earlier. App is now functional end-to-end.","issues":["Preventable confusion — agent should have warned about this in turn 4","Recovery was successful but cost ~10 minutes"]}],"estimates":{"turns_required":9,"time_to_complete_minutes":47},"completed_at":"2026-03-26T21:57:34.423662+00:00","started_at":"2026-03-26T21:57:01.406698+00:00","mode":null},{"eval_id":"cursor-agent__student_learner__t1-cli-csv-analyzer","persona":"student_learner","project_id":"t1-cli-csv-analyzer","composite_score":0.723,"scoring":{"completion":0.82,"correctness":0.85,"code_quality":0.78,"user_experience":0.65,"accessibility":0.6,"productivity_gain":0.72,"errors_encountered":0.55,"recovery_success":0.7},"would_persona_succeed":true,"would_persona_recommend":true,"judge_model":"claude-sonnet-4-6","narrative":"The college student successfully completed the task but required significantly more hand-holding than a well-designed tool should demand. cursor-agent produced functional, reasonably correct code on the first attempt, which is its strongest showing. However, it consistently failed to anticipate the user's environment and knowledge gaps: it didn't explain how to invoke the CLI tool, didn't proactively handle the matplotlib GUI issue (a very common problem for students on WSL/SSH), and didn't include edge case handling upfront. Each of these omissions cost an extra turn. The student experienced a classic 'it works on my machine' gap with the chart rendering, which caused real frustration. Recovery was adequate — the agent diagnosed and fixed issues when prompted — but the experience felt reactive rather than guided. For a tech-comfortable but non-developer student, the tool ultimately worked, but the journey was bumpier than necessary. The student would likely succeed in submitting a working project but would walk away with a mixed impression: impressed by the code generation speed, mildly frustrated by the debugging detours.","interaction_log":[{"turn":1,"user_prompt":"hey can you help me build a csv analyzer thing for the command line? it needs to show like mean median and count and also make a chart somehow. i have python installed","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent generates a complete Python script using pandas, statistics module, and matplotlib. Produces ~80 lines of code with argparse for CLI args, reads CSV, computes mean/median/count per numeric column, and calls plt.show() for a bar chart. Also suggests: 'pip install pandas matplotlib'. Drops the full file in a new file called csv_analyzer.py.","confusion_level":"low","user_reaction":"Excited, copies the code. Tries to run it immediately without installing dependencies.","issues":["plt.show() may not render in some terminal environments","No mention of how to actually call the script with a file argument","pip install instructions buried in a comment"]},{"turn":2,"user_prompt":"ok i ran it and got ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'pandas' lol what do i do","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent correctly identifies the issue and says to run 'pip install pandas matplotlib' in the terminal. May also suggest 'pip3' variant. Provides the exact command. Does not proactively check if user is in a virtual environment or using conda.","confusion_level":"low","user_reaction":"Runs pip install, it works. Tries again.","issues":["No venv guidance","Student may have multiple Python installs causing pip/pip3 confusion"]},{"turn":3,"user_prompt":"ok now i ran python csv_analyzer.py and it says 'error: the following arguments are required: filename' how do i give it a file","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent explains CLI argument syntax: 'python csv_analyzer.py yourfile.csv'. Gives a concrete example. May also offer to create a sample CSV for testing.","confusion_level":"medium","user_reaction":"Understands, but realizes they don't have a test CSV file. Asks for one.","issues":["Agent never explained how to invoke the script in turn 1 — this confusion was preventable","Student had to ask a follow-up that should have been anticipated"]},{"turn":4,"user_prompt":"can you make me a sample csv file to test with? like with some numbers","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent creates a sample CSV inline (e.g., students.csv with columns name, age, grade, score) and either writes it as a file via a Python snippet or pastes the raw CSV text. Tells user to save it as 'sample.csv'.","confusion_level":"low","user_reaction":"Creates the file, runs the script. Chart window pops up (if GUI available) or crashes if running in a headless/WSL environment.","issues":["If user is on WSL or SSH, matplotlib GUI will fail with a backend error — agent did not warn about this"]},{"turn":5,"user_prompt":"the chart thing crashed and said something about display or backend idk. but the stats printed out fine! can you fix the chart part","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent diagnoses the matplotlib backend issue. Suggests switching to a non-interactive backend: 'import matplotlib; matplotlib.use(\"Agg\")' and saving to a PNG file instead of plt.show(). Updates the script to save chart as 'output_chart.png'. Explains where the file will be saved.","confusion_level":"medium","user_reaction":"Applies the fix. Chart now saves as PNG. Student is satisfied but slightly confused about why it doesn't just 'show' the chart. Considers it a workaround, not a solution.","issues":["Student wanted interactive chart, got a file instead — partial satisfaction","Agent could have offered both options more clearly"]},{"turn":6,"user_prompt":"what happens if i give it an empty csv or one with like bad data in it? does it crash","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent tests the edge cases mentally and acknowledges the current code likely crashes on empty files (pandas raises EmptyDataError) and silently drops non-numeric columns without warning. Adds try/except blocks for EmptyDataError and ValueError, adds a check for empty DataFrame, and prints user-friendly error messages. Updates the file.","confusion_level":"low","user_reaction":"Appreciates the fix. Tests with an empty file — now gets a clean error message. Feels like the tool is more 'professional'.","issues":["Edge case handling was reactive, not proactive — agent should have included this in turn 1"]},{"turn":7,"user_prompt":"this is pretty cool, can i submit this for my class? like is the code good enough","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent gives an encouraging but honest answer. Notes the code works, is reasonably structured, but suggests adding docstrings, a README, and maybe a requirements.txt for full marks. Offers to generate all three. Student accepts.","confusion_level":"low","user_reaction":"Gets the extras generated. Feels confident submitting.","issues":["Slight scope creep beyond original task, but user-initiated and beneficial"]}],"estimates":{"turns_required":7,"time_to_complete_minutes":35},"completed_at":"2026-03-26T21:57:01.400077+00:00","started_at":"2026-03-26T21:56:22.131965+00:00","mode":null},{"eval_id":"cursor-agent__small_business_owner__t2-realtime-dashboard","persona":"small_business_owner","project_id":"t2-realtime-dashboard","composite_score":0.435,"scoring":{"completion":0.55,"correctness":0.6,"code_quality":0.7,"user_experience":0.3,"accessibility":0.25,"productivity_gain":0.35,"errors_encountered":0.4,"recovery_success":0.3},"would_persona_succeed":false,"would_persona_recommend":false,"judge_model":"claude-sonnet-4-6","narrative":"This interaction illustrates a fundamental mismatch between the task's technical requirements and the user's capabilities. cursor-agent's default behavior is to produce technically correct, developer-grade solutions — which is appropriate for its primary audience but catastrophic for a tech-level-1 user. The agent did eventually adapt (turn 3's single HTML file was genuinely helpful) but only after the user explicitly demanded simplification twice. Critical failures: (1) No upfront capability assessment — the agent never asked 'do you have a developer environment?' before generating a multi-file Node.js app. (2) The simpler solution was offered as a buried afterthought, not a proactive recommendation. (3) When real data integration was requested, the agent re-escalated complexity instead of recommending appropriate no-code tools immediately. (4) The agent never warned the user that 'live data from your actual store' requires infrastructure beyond a simple HTML file. The user ended the session having learned that custom code probably isn't the right tool for them — a valuable lesson, but one that took 75 minutes and significant frustration to reach. A skilled consultant would have redirected to Looker Studio in turn 1.","interaction_log":[{"turn":1,"user_prompt":"Hi I need a dashboard that shows my store's sales numbers updating live, like a TV screen in my back office. I don't know how to code but I use Excel a lot. Can you make something like that?","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent generates a full-stack solution: Node.js backend with WebSocket server, React frontend with Chart.js, package.json, and multiple files. Provides terminal commands: 'npm install', 'npm start'. Explains WebSockets briefly but uses technical jargon. Code is functional but spread across 6+ files with no clear 'start here' instruction.","confusion_level":"high","user_outcome":"User sees a wall of code and file names they don't recognize. Doesn't know which file to open first or what 'terminal' means.","rephrased":false,"gave_up":false},{"turn":2,"user_prompt":"Ok there's a lot here. Where do I even start? I don't have that 'node' thing you mentioned. Do I need to download something? I just want to open it like a website.","predicted_agent_response":"Agent explains Node.js installation with a link, then walks through npm commands. Offers an alternative: 'I can make a simpler single HTML file version if you prefer.' This is buried in paragraph 3 of a long response. Also mentions Python as another option, adding more confusion.","confusion_level":"very_high","user_outcome":"User is overwhelmed by installation steps. Misses the offer for a simpler HTML version because it's buried. Tries to follow Node.js install instructions.","rephrased":false,"gave_up":false},{"turn":3,"user_prompt":"I tried downloading node but now my computer is asking me to restart and I'm not sure if I did it right. Can you just make me something I can double-click to open? Like an Excel file or just a webpage file?","predicted_agent_response":"Agent now produces a single self-contained HTML file using SSE simulation with JavaScript setInterval (fake live data since no server). Uses inline Chart.js from CDN. File is genuinely double-clickable. Shows 3 animated line charts for 'Sales', 'Visitors', 'Revenue'. Code is clean. Instructions say 'save this as dashboard.html and open it'. This is actually a good response but data is simulated/random, not real store data.","confusion_level":"medium","user_outcome":"User can open the file. Sees colorful charts updating. Excited initially. Then asks why the numbers don't match their actual sales.","rephrased":true,"gave_up":false},{"turn":4,"user_prompt":"Ok this is cool it's moving! But the numbers are all made up. How do I connect it to my actual sales from my Square register or at least let me type in my own numbers?","predicted_agent_response":"Agent explains Square API integration requires OAuth, API keys, and a backend server — reintroducing all the complexity from turn 1. Offers a compromise: an editable HTML version where user can manually update numbers in a config section at the top of the file. Also mentions Zapier as a no-code bridge but doesn't implement it. The manual-edit version requires the user to open the HTML file in a text editor and change JavaScript variables.","confusion_level":"high","user_outcome":"User doesn't know what a text editor is in this context. Tries to open HTML file in Word. Numbers don't update. Feels like they're going backwards.","rephrased":false,"gave_up":false},{"turn":5,"user_prompt":"This isn't really working for what I need. My nephew said I should just use Google Looker Studio or Power BI. Is what you made better than those? Should I just use those instead?","predicted_agent_response":"Agent honestly acknowledges that for a non-technical user wanting real business data, Looker Studio or Power BI are likely better fits. Offers to help set up a Looker Studio dashboard instead, or to keep improving the HTML version. Provides a brief comparison. Does not push the custom solution aggressively.","confusion_level":"medium","user_outcome":"User feels validated but also like they wasted an hour. Appreciates the honesty but wishes this had been said at turn 1. Likely abandons the custom dashboard.","rephrased":false,"gave_up":true}],"estimates":{"turns_required":12,"time_to_complete_minutes":75},"completed_at":"2026-03-26T21:56:25.278854+00:00","started_at":"2026-03-26T21:55:48.644700+00:00","mode":null},{"eval_id":"cursor-agent__small_business_owner__t1-cli-csv-analyzer","persona":"small_business_owner","project_id":"t1-cli-csv-analyzer","composite_score":0.4625,"scoring":{"completion":0.55,"correctness":0.7,"code_quality":0.75,"user_experience":0.3,"accessibility":0.2,"productivity_gain":0.35,"errors_encountered":0.4,"recovery_success":0.45},"would_persona_succeed":false,"would_persona_recommend":false,"judge_model":"claude-sonnet-4-6","narrative":"This persona — a non-technical small business owner — encountered a cascade of environment and tooling barriers that cursor-agent was not designed to anticipate or mitigate. The agent produced technically sound code quickly (turn 1), but immediately assumed a working Python environment, familiarity with terminals, and comfort with command-line navigation. Each turn revealed a new environmental prerequisite the user lacked. The agent's responses were individually correct but collectively overwhelming, never consolidating into a single clear path. By turn 5, the user was expressing frustration and seeking an escape route. The tool technically 'works' in isolation — the code is correct, statistics are calculated, a chart is produced — but the user never successfully ran it end-to-end without errors. The NaN handling was a real gap in the initial code. Recovery attempts were made but each introduced new complexity. A more accessible agent would have: (1) asked about the user's OS and Python experience upfront, (2) provided a single self-contained setup script, (3) avoided jargon like 'argparse', 'NaN', 'virtual environment', and (4) offered a drag-and-drop or double-click alternative for Windows users.","interaction_log":[{"turn":1,"user_prompt":"Hi I have a spreadsheet with sales data and I want to see averages and totals and maybe a chart. Can you help me do that from the command line?","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent generates a Python script using pandas and matplotlib, creates a CLI with argparse, includes mean/median/count/sum, and produces a bar chart saved as PNG. Provides instructions: 'Run: python analyze.py yourfile.csv'. Also installs dependencies via pip.","confusion_level":"high","notes":"Agent assumes Python is installed, pip works, and user knows what a terminal is. No verification. Output is technically correct but immediately inaccessible. User doesn't know what 'argparse' or 'pandas' means. Instructions say 'open terminal' with no further guidance."},{"turn":2,"user_prompt":"Where do I type that? I don't see a terminal. I'm on Windows.","predicted_agent_response":"Agent explains how to open Command Prompt on Windows (Win+R, type cmd). Then says to navigate to the folder with 'cd C:\\Users\\YourName\\Documents'. Also mentions they may need to install Python from python.org first.","confusion_level":"very_high","notes":"User now has three new problems: finding terminal, navigating directories with cd, and potentially installing Python. Agent gives correct but overwhelming instructions. No check if Python is installed. User likely to feel lost."},{"turn":3,"user_prompt":"I tried to run it and got an error that says ModuleNotFoundError: No module named pandas. What does that mean?","predicted_agent_response":"Agent correctly identifies the issue and says to run 'pip install pandas matplotlib' in the terminal. Provides the exact command. May also suggest using a virtual environment.","confusion_level":"high","notes":"Agent correctly diagnoses but the virtual environment suggestion adds more complexity. User has to go back to terminal, run another command, wait for install. If pip itself isn't on PATH (common on Windows), this fails again. Recovery path exists but is fragile."},{"turn":4,"user_prompt":"OK I installed those things I think. Now I ran the python command and it says the chart was saved but I can't find it anywhere. Also the numbers look weird, it says NaN for some columns.","predicted_agent_response":"Agent explains NaN means 'Not a Number' — likely empty cells or text in numeric columns. Suggests adding error handling. For the chart, explains it was saved in the current working directory and shows how to find it. May update the script to open the chart automatically with os.startfile().","confusion_level":"medium","notes":"Agent handles both issues but introduces more code changes. User has to re-run the script. The NaN explanation is technically accurate but 'Not a Number' is jargon to this user. Partial recovery — user can probably find the chart now but NaN issue may persist depending on their data."},{"turn":5,"user_prompt":"This is really complicated. Is there a simpler way to just see my averages? I just want something like Excel but in the command line.","predicted_agent_response":"Agent may suggest a simplified version of the script with no dependencies (just Python stdlib csv module), or pivot to suggesting they use Excel's built-in features instead, or offer a one-liner. Response is likely well-intentioned but may introduce yet another version of the code, causing confusion about which file to use.","confusion_level":"very_high","notes":"User is expressing fatigue and desire to give up. Agent's response, while helpful in intent, likely creates a fourth version of the solution. User doesn't know which script is current. No single coherent path forward. High abandonment risk at this point."}],"estimates":{"turns_required":7,"time_to_complete_minutes":45},"completed_at":"2026-03-26T21:53:48.561292+00:00","started_at":"2026-03-26T21:53:17.737027+00:00","mode":null},{"eval_id":"cursor-agent__first_timer__t2-realtime-dashboard","persona":"first_timer","project_id":"t2-realtime-dashboard","composite_score":0.3575,"scoring":{"completion":0.35,"correctness":0.55,"code_quality":0.7,"user_experience":0.25,"accessibility":0.2,"productivity_gain":0.3,"errors_encountered":0.3,"recovery_success":0.25},"would_persona_succeed":false,"would_persona_recommend":false,"judge_model":"claude-sonnet-4-6","narrative":"The interaction illustrates a fundamental mismatch between cursor-agent's default output mode and a complete novice user. The agent's first instinct is to generate production-quality, multi-file, server-dependent code — technically correct but catastrophically inaccessible for someone who has never used a terminal. The agent does not proactively ask clarifying questions about the user's technical level, environment, or whether they have Node.js installed. Each response assumes a baseline of knowledge the user simply does not have. Recovery attempts are reactive rather than proactive, and jargon ('directory', 'dependencies', 'navigate', 'CORS') persists throughout. The user only reaches a working result on turn 5 after expressing explicit frustration and asking for something simpler — and even then, the agent's framing ('not real WebSocket data') undermines the user's confidence. The final product technically shows updating numbers but does not meet the full success criteria (no WebSocket/SSE, no multiple data series in a meaningful sense, no truly responsive design). The user required a friend's help for a critical step and would likely be unable to reproduce or maintain the result independently. The experience was stressful, slow, and left the user feeling inadequate rather than empowered.","interaction_log":[{"turn":1,"user_prompt":"hi i want to make a website that shows numbers that change by themselves like on tv when they show the stock market. i dont know how to do any of this","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent immediately generates a full-stack project: creates index.html, a Node.js server with WebSocket (ws library), package.json, and a Chart.js frontend. Outputs ~150 lines of code across 4 files. Briefly says 'Run npm install then node server.js'. No explanation of what npm is, what a terminal is, or how to open files.","confusion_level":"CRITICAL","user_reaction":"Overwhelmed. Sees multiple files appear. Doesn't know what 'npm' means. Doesn't know where to type 'node server.js'. Stares at screen.","outcome":"STALLED"},{"turn":2,"user_prompt":"ok but where do i type that npm thing? is that in the website? i dont see anywhere to type it","predicted_agent_response":"Agent explains 'Open your terminal or command prompt. On Windows press Win+R and type cmd. On Mac open Terminal from Applications.' Then says 'Navigate to your project folder using cd path/to/folder then run npm install.' Still uses jargon like 'navigate', 'directory', 'dependencies'. Does not offer to simplify further.","confusion_level":"HIGH","user_reaction":"Opens cmd on Windows. Types 'npm install' without navigating to folder first. Gets error 'no package.json found'. Pastes error back to agent.","outcome":"ERROR_STATE"},{"turn":3,"user_prompt":"it says no package.json found i dont know what that means i just want the numbers to move on the screen why is this so hard","predicted_agent_response":"Agent apologizes and explains they need to 'cd into the project directory first'. Provides the exact cd command with a placeholder like 'cd C:\\Users\\YourName\\project'. Does not know the user's actual folder path. Also suggests 'alternatively you can drag the folder into the terminal window'. Adds more code fixes assuming the error is a code issue, not a navigation issue.","confusion_level":"HIGH","user_reaction":"Tries dragging folder into terminal. Accidentally opens folder in File Explorer instead. Gets frustrated. Tries typing the cd command but uses wrong path. Gets another error.","outcome":"PARTIAL_PROGRESS"},{"turn":4,"user_prompt":"my friend helped me get to the folder and we ran npm install but now when i open the html file the numbers dont move they just say zero and nothing happens","predicted_agent_response":"Agent correctly diagnoses that the WebSocket server isn't running. Says 'You need to also run node server.js in a separate terminal window — the server must be running for the live data to work.' Provides the command. Does not explain that two terminal windows need to be open simultaneously, or that the server must stay open. May also note a potential CORS or localhost issue.","confusion_level":"MEDIUM","user_reaction":"User runs 'node server.js', sees some output, thinks it's done, closes that terminal window, goes back to browser. Numbers still don't update. Confused why closing the terminal broke it.","outcome":"NEAR_MISS"},{"turn":5,"user_prompt":"i ran that thing and it showed some words then i closed it and now the website still doesnt work. also my friend left and i cant ask them for help anymore. is there a simpler way to do this","predicted_agent_response":"Agent finally pivots and offers a simpler approach: a single HTML file using setInterval with Math.random() to simulate live data, no server needed. Creates a self-contained file with Chart.js loaded from CDN. Says 'Just open this one HTML file in your browser and it will work.' This is actually a viable solution but agent frames it as a 'simplified version' and notes it's 'not real WebSocket data' — which confuses the user about whether they're doing it right.","confusion_level":"MEDIUM","user_reaction":"User opens the new HTML file. Numbers DO update. User is happy but uncertain — agent said it's not 'real'. User asks if this is the right way. Feels like they failed.","outcome":"PARTIAL_SUCCESS"}],"estimates":{"turns_required":12,"time_to_complete_minutes":85},"completed_at":"2026-03-26T21:52:53.217287+00:00","started_at":"2026-03-26T21:52:17.853967+00:00","mode":null},{"eval_id":"cursor-agent__first_timer__t1-rest-api-wrapper","persona":"first_timer","project_id":"t1-rest-api-wrapper","composite_score":0.32,"scoring":{"completion":0.35,"correctness":0.5,"code_quality":0.65,"user_experience":0.2,"accessibility":0.15,"productivity_gain":0.25,"errors_encountered":0.3,"recovery_success":0.2},"would_persona_succeed":false,"would_persona_recommend":false,"judge_model":"claude-sonnet-4-6","narrative":"The cursor-agent immediately produced technically correct code but catastrophically misjudged the user's capability level. A complete novice with no terminal experience, no Python installation, and no understanding of APIs was met with environment variables, argparse, and CLI instructions. Each turn revealed a new prerequisite the agent had not accounted for: what is an API key, how to open a terminal, Python not installed, PATH not configured, requests module missing. The agent did attempt to recover at each step with relevant corrections, but the cumulative friction was insurmountable for this persona. The agent never proactively asked 'what operating system are you on?' or 'have you used Python before?' — basic triage questions that would have changed the entire approach. A truly accessible solution would have been a simple HTML file with embedded JavaScript calling a weather API (no installation required, just open in browser), or a no-code tool recommendation. The app technically reached a runnable state by turn 5 but the output was a terminal printout, not a readable UI. The user expressed giving up. The success criteria of 'displays readable output' and 'handles API errors gracefully' were marginally met in code but not in practice for this user.","interaction_log":[{"turn":1,"user_prompt":"I want to see the weather on my computer. Can you make something that shows me if it will rain tomorrow?","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent generates a Python script using requests library, imports OpenWeatherMap API, creates a CLI tool with argparse, asks user to set OPENWEATHERMAP_API_KEY environment variable, provides 40+ lines of code with try/except blocks and JSON parsing logic.","confusion_level":"HIGH","user_reaction":"Overwhelmed. Sees walls of code and words like 'environment variable', 'API key', 'argparse'. Does not know what to do next.","issue":"Agent assumed technical competency. No setup guidance. No explanation of what an API key is or how to get one."},{"turn":2,"user_prompt":"I don't understand any of this. What is an API key? Where do I put it? I just want to see the weather.","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent explains API keys in semi-technical terms ('it's like a password for the service'), tells user to go to openweathermap.org, create an account, navigate to 'API keys' section, copy the key, then run 'export OPENWEATHERMAP_API_KEY=yourkey' in terminal. Provides updated code.","confusion_level":"HIGH","user_reaction":"User has never used a terminal. 'Export' command means nothing. User tries to find where to 'type' the export command and fails. Frustrated.","issue":"Agent used terminal commands without explaining what a terminal is or how to open one. Assumed OS (likely Windows, agent defaulted to Unix syntax)."},{"turn":3,"user_prompt":"I tried typing that export thing but I can't find where to type it. I'm on Windows. Nothing is working. This is too complicated.","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent pivots, provides Windows-specific instructions using 'set' command or System Properties > Environment Variables GUI path. Also offers to hardcode the API key directly into the script 'for simplicity'. Rewrites code with hardcoded key placeholder. Still requires running Python from command prompt.","confusion_level":"MEDIUM-HIGH","user_reaction":"User still doesn't know how to open Command Prompt or run Python. Hardcoding sounds simpler but user doesn't know how to edit the file or run it. Partial progress but still stuck.","issue":"Agent offered hardcoding (security bad practice) without warning. Still requires Python installed and command prompt knowledge — neither verified."},{"turn":4,"user_prompt":"How do I run it? I double clicked the file and nothing happened. Also I got an error that says Python is not recognized.","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent detects Python is not installed. Provides link to python.org, step-by-step install instructions, tells user to check 'Add Python to PATH' checkbox during install. Then explains how to open Command Prompt (Start > search 'cmd'), navigate to folder with 'cd' command, run 'python weather.py'. Provides all steps in numbered list.","confusion_level":"MEDIUM","user_reaction":"User installs Python successfully (checkbox tip helps). But 'cd' command to navigate folders is confusing. User cannot figure out the path to their file. Gets a different error about missing 'requests' module.","issue":"Agent did not proactively suggest installing dependencies. 'pip install requests' is another unknown step. Cumulative friction is very high."},{"turn":5,"user_prompt":"Now it says something about requests not found. I give up. Is there an easier way to just see the weather?","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent suggests running 'pip install requests' in command prompt. Also belatedly suggests alternative: 'You could just Google the weather or use weather.com — but if you want to continue with the app, here's the fix.' Provides pip command. If user continues, app may finally run but output is raw JSON-like text or minimally formatted CLI output.","confusion_level":"LOW (user has given up emotionally)","user_reaction":"User installs requests but the output when the app finally runs is a plain text dump in the terminal. Not visually intuitive. User does not feel the effort was worth it. Task technically partially complete but user experience is a failure.","issue":"Agent's final suggestion to 'just Google it' undermines the entire interaction. Output is not readable/friendly for a novice. No GUI was ever built."}],"estimates":{"turns_required":12,"time_to_complete_minutes":47},"completed_at":"2026-03-26T21:52:17.848085+00:00","started_at":"2026-03-26T21:51:42.075875+00:00","mode":null},{"eval_id":"cursor-agent__first_timer__t1-cli-csv-analyzer","persona":"first_timer","project_id":"t1-cli-csv-analyzer","composite_score":0.422,"scoring":{"completion":0.55,"correctness":0.7,"code_quality":0.72,"user_experience":0.25,"accessibility":0.15,"productivity_gain":0.3,"errors_encountered":0.35,"recovery_success":0.3},"would_persona_succeed":false,"would_persona_recommend":false,"judge_model":"claude-sonnet-4-6","narrative":"The cursor-agent demonstrates strong technical capability — the code it produces is likely correct, handles edge cases reasonably, and the statistics/chart functionality would work as specified. However, for a complete novice (tech level 0/5), the agent catastrophically fails on the human layer. It immediately jumps to a full professional-grade implementation without assessing the user's environment, operating system, or baseline knowledge. Every response assumes familiarity with concepts like terminal navigation, package managers, and file paths. The agent never offers a simpler alternative, never validates the user's emotional state, and never proactively anticipates the cascade of setup errors a novice would encounter. The tool itself (if eventually running) would produce correct output — but the probability of this user successfully getting there without a technically literate helper is very low. The agent treats this as a software engineering task rather than a user assistance task. A more accessible agent would have asked clarifying questions first, offered a one-click installer or a simpler script, and broken the process into micro-steps with explicit validation checkpoints.","interaction_log":[{"turn":1,"user_prompt":"hi i have a spreadsheet with numbers and i want to see like averages and stuff and maybe a picture of the data? my nephew said to use this","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent generates a full Python CLI tool with argparse, pandas, matplotlib, and a requirements.txt. It explains: 'Here's a CSV analyzer! Run it with: python analyzer.py --file yourdata.csv --chart bar'. Includes ~80 lines of code across multiple files.","confusion_signals":["User has no idea what Python is","Does not know what 'run it with' means","No mention of how to install anything","Term 'argparse', 'CLI', 'pandas' never explained"],"user_state":"overwhelmed"},{"turn":2,"user_prompt":"ok but how do i actually DO that. i dont know what python is. i just have a file called sales.csv on my desktop","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent provides installation steps for Python from python.org, then pip install pandas matplotlib, then explains to open Terminal (Mac) or Command Prompt (Windows). Steps are technically correct but use terms like 'PATH', 'virtual environment', 'shell'. Does not ask what OS the user has.","confusion_signals":["User doesn't know what Terminal is","PATH explanation causes panic","No screenshots or visual aids possible in CLI context","Agent assumes Windows/Mac without asking"],"user_state":"frustrated, considering giving up"},{"turn":3,"user_prompt":"i tried the black box thing and typed what you said and it said 'python is not recognized' and now im scared i broke something","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent correctly diagnoses the PATH issue and offers two fixes: (1) use 'python3' instead, (2) reinstall Python with 'Add to PATH' checkbox. Also suggests Microsoft Store Python as easier option. Tone is helpful but still technical. Does not acknowledge user's fear or emotional state.","confusion_signals":["User is now anxious","Multiple options presented simultaneously causes decision paralysis","No reassurance that nothing is broken","Still no end-to-end walkthrough"],"user_state":"anxious, partially engaged"},{"turn":4,"user_prompt":"ok i think i got python working it said 3.11 or something. now what do i type again? also where do i put that code you gave me","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent explains to create a new file called analyzer.py, paste the code, save it to the same folder as sales.csv, then cd into that folder in the terminal and run the command. Uses 'cd', 'directory', 'navigate' without explaining them. Provides the correct command but assumes user knows file system navigation.","confusion_signals":["User does not know what 'cd' means","Concept of 'same folder' is unclear in terminal context","No explanation of how to create a .py file (Notepad? What app?)"],"user_state":"trying hard, partially lost"},{"turn":5,"user_prompt":"it says ModuleNotFoundError: No module named pandas. i give up this is too hard","predicted_agent_response":"cursor-agent quickly responds with 'Just run: pip install pandas matplotlib' and explains this installs the required libraries. Technically correct and concise. Does not address the emotional 'I give up' signal. Does not offer a simpler alternative (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets). If user follows through, the tool likely works, but user is at abandonment threshold.","confusion_signals":["User has emotionally disengaged","No empathy or acknowledgment of difficulty","One more error at this point will cause full abandonment","Agent never offered a simpler path"],"user_state":"at abandonment threshold"}],"estimates":{"turns_required":9,"time_to_complete_minutes":47},"completed_at":"2026-03-26T21:51:42.069568+00:00","started_at":"2026-03-26T21:51:12.005943+00:00","mode":null}],"persona_run_count":9,"methodology":{"dimensions":["perception","generation","attention","learning","memory","reasoning","metacognition","executive_functions","problem_solving","social_cognition","novelty","orchestration"],"tasks_per_dimension":10,"judge_model":"claude-opus-4-6","budget_cap":50.0,"include_helm":true,"include_orchestration":true,"include_production":true,"include_novelty":true},"methodology_version":null,"evidence_provenance":{"profile_collection":"corpus_taas_profiles","audit_collection":"corpus_agi_audits","profile_meta_collection":null,"persona_runs_collection":"agi_complex_evaluations","methodology_collection":"agi_audits.config"}}