Understanding User Acceptance Testing

In software development, the application developed is tested by different teams. Developers perform Unit testing and Integration testing before passing the product to QA for their validations. QA Performs System Testing, SIT and regression testing on the product. Once the QA certifies the product, the Product is passed on to the client/UAT Team for User Acceptance Testi

Client/UAT Team before passing the product to the end users needs to verify if the product delivered to him is the same as requested or a different product is developed. The basis for testing is the requirements of client and product is developed as expected in the requirement. The product is passed on to client once the exit criteria between client and supplier is met which includes conditions of no major issues in the developed product by supplier.

Client on receiving the developed product tests the product internally if it is as per expectation and then passes the same to a subset of end users (beta users) to validate the product from end user point of view. Once it passes both internal customers testing and external customer testing (by beta users and can be called as beta testing), it is released to market to be used by customers or end users.

Entry Criteria for UAT testing is usually the exit criteria for System Testing Phase. Entry criteria for UAT testing includes in general:

• No Major open defects in the product

• Test Execution completed and sign off communication provided by System Testing team

• List of Known issue provided.

• Environment for UAT deployed.

Once Entry Criteria for UAT is met, the UAT team starts testing on the product. UAT can happen in two stages. In First stage, the testing is done by the UAT Team of the client. The focus or key aspect of testing is to validate the product is developed as per the requirement agreed between the stakeholders. To Test the requirements, business scenario needs to be identified and testing should focus on business scenario validations. Once UAT Team feels the product is as per agreed in requirements and there are no major defects in the product, the product can be provided to subset of targeted end users to know their views and feedback on the usability of the products before releasing it officially to the end users. It is important to know either of the two stages i.e. testing by UAT Team of client or subset of targeted end users can be skipped based on the product.

To understand this, beta testing by subset of the end users is very important for a shopping or social networking website. As it is very critical to know the actual end user needs and before releasing it to market. While if the application is an internal tool to be used by client itself, he can skip the beta testing.

Next Question is who the UAT testers are. UAT Testers are usually the subject matter expert with good in-depth knowledge of domain. UAT testers usually focus on real life scenario that can happen. For e.g. for a banking Lending application, it is important to have someone with prior experience in banking and specifically in Lending domain to drive the UAT testing and preparing plan for execution.

Once the UAT team completes User Acceptance testing on the product, it provides sign-off for the product to be released to production/Go-Live. And then it’s party time for all stakeholders involved in the application with finger-crossed for no defect identified in production. 

Signing off this post and publishing to end users of this blog. Feedback/suggestion must welcome.