Technology is the foundation of all modern business processes. Companies need to be able to offer new products and services faster than their competitors.
They should focus on user acceptance testing and quality assurance.
User acceptance testing can be the most important step in achieving the perfect. Why? It’s because of its successful implementation, it’s most efficient in reducing time and costs, while increasing customer satisfaction.
What is a good user acceptance testing definition?
Let me keep it simple: according Techopedia user acceptance testing (UAT), is:
The last stage of software testing is user acceptance testing (UAT). UAT is the process by which actual users of software test the software in order to ensure that it can perform all tasks in real-world situations. UAT is a critical step in any software project before it can be launched to the market.
UAT, also known as Beta or Application or End User Testing is often the final phase of web development. It’s the stage before final release, installation, or distribution of the website or any software to the client.
UAT testing is the use of software by individuals from the target audience. It also records and corrects any defects. This is the closest thing to “real-world” testing. Users can interact with the software to see if it works properly after looking at the features, miscommunicated or not communicated and so forth.
Developer puts it best when they refer to user acceptance testing (UAT), as:
User Acceptance Testing is used to determine if the system supports daily business and user scenarios. It also ensures that the system is adequate and correct for business use.
What is the purpose of UAT?
UAT, or User Acceptance Testing, is an essential part of any application. However, UAT is not possible until the application has a large number of features. Guru99 lists 10 prerequisites that must be met before UAT is possible. These are:
- You must have the business requirements available
- You will need to develop the Application Code fully
- Ensure you complete Unit Testing, Integration Testing & System Testing
- There are no Showstoppers or High or Moderate defects during the System Integration Testing Phase.
- Before UAT, only cosmetic errors are accepted
- Complete Regression Testing without major defects
- You must ensure that all defects reported are fixed and tested
- All testing can be traced back to the original source
- UAT Environment must always be available
- System Testing Team will send you a confirmation email or other communication that the system is ready to execute UAT.
We were saying User Acceptance testing, also known by UAT (or UAT Testing) is, in a nutshell:
This is a process that verifies that the solution is effective for the user.
This is an example of screen recordings using NR:
The keyword is user. This is important because these are the people who will be using the software every day. Software functionality has many aspects.
There are unit and functional testing, integration Testing, system testing and many other options. We often ask these questions as part of our software testing processes:
- Is the application crashing?
- Are all functions able to accept the correct inputs, and output the correct outputs?
- Is the application efficient in consuming the least amount of resources?
- How long does the application take to load?
These and essential are valid but they don’t mean anything if the application isn’t performing as expected. Software artisans need to avoid such situations as:
- Is the software possible to use?
- Are they really getting what they wanted?
- Are they having trouble using it?
- Is it as expected?
Who should participate in User Acceptance Testing?
UAT testing should include only “real” users of your software. This is the most important peer group. You should include all roles and stakeholder groups. This means that you must select people from each group to join the UAT Team.
How to start user acceptance testing
Let’s now discuss the basics of UAT and why it is so important. Now let’s see how we can use it. UAT usually consists of four steps. It can be divided into two categories: whether the application will satisfy one customer or whether it should be available as a ready-to-use software that is easily accessible to everyone.
First, you need to determine what criteria the software must meet in order to be considered “working”. These criteria will likely be gathered from the system requirements and user stories. The next step is to create a series of UAT test cases. Centric defines a UAT test case as:
A collection of steps, conditions, and expected results that are designed to achieve a specific objective. For example, to test a program or verify compliance with a requirement.
Each case is specific to a particular use of the software. This is a list of actions the user can perform to check if the software is functioning properly.
These must be set up and run the tests. The results should then be recorded. Did the tests prove successful or did they yield defects? The bugs found in the tests must be fixed and retested.
Final, once everything seems to be working perfectly, you will need to sign off. This will be done with the client or their team. They will then sign off that everything is working as they expected it to and they meet their requirements.
Framework for User Acceptance Testing
In some companies, User Acceptance Testing is sometimes called User Acceptance Testing. There are many buzzwords, such as beta or alpha testing. Sometimes people enjoy asking about the differences in UAT and functional testing.
Conclusion
This is how, why, and what to do when User Acceptance Testing is integrated into your web development projects. This reduces the chance of problems occurring, which in turn lowers the amount work needed for development and maintenance.
It’s a process you must manage, but the benefits of reducing overall costs and higher user satisfaction outweigh the associated costs.
We have created a UAT test template you can download. This template covers everything you need to prepare your team and the test environment. It also includes test execution and evaluation. You can grab a copy of this guide to assist you in your UAT testing efforts.
How has your UAT experience been so far?
User Acceptance Testing is not something you think of as old-fashioned methods. You don’t want to use email attachments, PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets or PowerPoint presentations. It may be worth compiling feedback from clients and testing the results using project management tools such as Basecamp and Asana. This is not the best option.
The UAT tool should reduce the time required to give feedback and provide screenshots. It’s important to capture this metadata automatically as it is used in real-world testing.