We already know what software testing is all about. Acceptance implies agreement or approval. The user here in regards to software products is the end customer who would be finally using the product.
So according to the above concept, the User Acceptance Testing (UAT), also called end-user or beta testing, is the process of the testing software product by the client or user for determining if it can be accepted for use or not. This is the final software testing performed on a product after the system, regression, and functional testing have been completed.
The primary objective of the User Acceptance Testing is, validating a software product against the given business needs. The validation process is conducted by users or clients who are aware of the business needs.
User Acceptance, Beta, and Alpha testing are the various kinds of Acceptance testing.
Since the User Acceptance Test is the final testing process conducted before the release of the software product, this is the final opportunity for the users for testing the product and measuring whether it is suitable for the said purpose.
When Is User Acceptance Testing Performed?
This is generally the final stage before the release or delivery of a software product. This testing is conducted after the software product has gone thoroughly through all other test processes.
Who Performs The User Acceptance Testing?
The clients or users- it can either be the people who are purchasing the software product or the people who have had a custom software developed via a provider or user if in case the software product has been made available for them before time.
Need for the User Acceptance Testing
Functional testers and developers are technical personnel who provide validation to a software product against the requirement or functional specifications. They interpret those requirement specifications based on their knowledge and understanding and test the product accordingly.
This software product is finished concerning the given functional specifications; however, certain business processes and requirements are known to the end users who are either misinterpreted or missed to interact.
User Acceptance Testing is a very critical process for validating whether every business requirement has been fulfilled before the release of the software product to the market. The use of actual use cases and live data make this test process a crucial aspect of a typical software release cycle.
Also Read: A Comprehensive Guide To Agile Testing
A large number of business enterprises that have already experienced huge losses because of post-release problems now know the necessity of a good User Acceptance Test. The cost of working on the bugs after the release is often higher in comparison to working on them before the release.
The Process of the User Acceptance Testing
The simplest way of understanding the User Acceptance Test process is thinking of it as a regular testing project. This implies it would have the test plan, test design, and test execution phases.
- Gather the primary acceptance criteria.
- Define the QA involvement scope. The role of the QA team is to:
- Assist in the test process.
- Perform the User Acceptance test and present the results.
The Expectation from the User Acceptance Testing
- User Acceptance testing assumes that a given software is stable and no important functional faults would be uncovered. Hence it only aims at validation of the business process.
- It is expected not to be so extensive like that of the System testing.
- The final sign-off authority will give a No- Go or Go recommendation for the production implementation.
Primary Activities Involved In the User Acceptance Testing
- UAT Test Initiation.
- UAT Test Design.
- UAT Test Execution.
- UAT Test Closure.
Challenges Involved In the User Acceptance Testing
It does not matter at all whether you are a billion dollar business enterprise or a mere startup; you have to overcome certain challenges to deliver a successful software product to the users.
- Conducting the UAT in that same environment, which was used for functional testing will overlook the real world use cases.
- The test planning is often not done properly.
- Sometimes the testers lack the proper idea of the actual business requirements.
- Communication between the development team, testing team, and UAT team becomes very difficult some times.
Also Read: Automation Testing Vs. Manual Testing
The perfect way of finding whether your software product is fit and acceptable for the given goal is to put it before the real users.
The business enterprises are now adopting the agile method of delivering, the real users are becoming much more involved in the software development process, and the software projects are getting improved and delivered through feedback loops.
All that being said, the User Acceptance Testing phase is the gate to enter the production stage.
