All that You Need to Know about User Acceptance Testing

Jun 3, 2021
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User Acceptance Testing (UAT), also called end-user or beta testing, means testing an application by the user or client to figure out whether the same is workable or not. The key objective of such testing is to authenticate the software for business needs. UAT is usually the final step before the software is live or before your client approves the delivery of the application. This task is completed once the software is meticulously tested.

Pre-requirements for UAT

Application development is considered complete as per its functional requirements; however, you have business requirements as well. Testing plays a pivotal role in determining whether all your business needs are met or not before the application is suitable for commercial use.  

Therefore, the important pre-requirements before the start of the planning stage include:

Software functionality or business-relevancy

Usually, all the major specifications require corroboration, but it is not feasible due to time constraints. That is why you need to have a meeting with the end-users or the client to figure out what amount of testing is required and what are the elements to go for testing

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Identify your QA involvement capacity

The role of your QA team is extremely important in validating the application. It primarily entails training your UAT team so that they can understand how they should use the software and assist them in case of any problem. Your QA team might share user responses and document the log bugs or outcomes, while the users do the real testing.

Perform testing and show results:

The users would identify the UAT areas they want to examine, while the QA or Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) perform the assessment. Once this is through, the users or the client view the results to determine whether the results meet their business requirements.

UAT Goals

There are many user acceptance testing goals you need to achieve, especially when it involves new software launch. You need to ensure that the product or system functions according to the business needs, the product or system could be used from the perspective of the end-user, endorse that the product or system is prepared to go into production and make certain that the product or system conforms with the legal and/or regulatory guidelines.

Key Stages of the UAT Framework

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The initiation of the UAT process: You need to ensure that the test method is classified, business users involved in the process recognized, testing data needs are recognized, segregation of testing environments performed, support from additional teams is discussed, and identification of the support teams.

Test design: You must ensure that related testing data or info is recognized. Again, you need to ensure the validation of business situations as well as recognized and recorded, situations are uploaded in the equivalent management tools, and the precise user accesses asked for and arranged.

Implementation of UAT: Make sure all testing implementation of your business situations are performed, defects uploaded on the management tool, and regression testing, as well as re-testing, is performed.

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Closing of UAT: It means that you need to make certain that the UAT closing report is presented. You also need to have a discussion related to the go or no-go recommendation and propose the same.

UAT Control: As UAT control is as important as testing, you need to assure uninterrupted UAT validation, implying that your critical business processes are in place and function according to your expectations.

Test Planning of UAT

The user acceptance testing plan involves the dates, who, environment, roles and responsibilities, communication rules, templates, entry and exit criteria, and results and their evaluation.

Key Challenges in UAT and How to Overcome Them

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Here are the major UAT challenges and improvement plan:

Test environment set up and deployment:

Your critical test activities like application efficient tests aren’t feasible in an environment with deficient test data. Therefore, you need to set up a production-like environment.

Managing new business needs as flaws or incidents:

Uncertainties are part of the UAT and so, customers or end-users need a solution in the present product release. Therefore, you need to leave scope for last-minute changes.

Inaccurate test planning:

Inaccurate test planning will result in an overlap between UAT and system testing. Therefore, your software testing calls for planning with a clear approval test strategy when it comes to the required assessment and design stage.

Imperfect channel of communication:

Communication between application development, software testing, as well as UAT posing challenges for your business. You need to have multiple communication modes to ensure you fall back on another if one fails to deliver.

Final words

The best way to ensure whether your software is working or not is by putting the product in front of your clients or the end-users. With UAT, businesses are embracing the agile methods of delivering the product that works seamlessly with more business users partaking in the testing phase and changes made based on feedback loops.

These ideas will certainly help you to implement a winning user acceptance strategy and overcome the multiple challenges. Perfect planning, implementation, communication, and a dedicated testing team will result in successful UAT.

Who We Are and What Makes Us an Expert?

getSmartcoders has over 10 years of experience in UAT services. Our team consists of senior level UAT testers with over 8 plus years of experience in UAT. We leverage their knowledge, experience, techniques, and a well-defined user acceptance testing process to carry out extensive UAT testing at different stages of the SDLC.