User Acceptance Testing: Complete Uat Testing Process Explained

By Author: Serena Gray
Total Articles: 2
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What is user acceptance testing (UAT)?

It is a black box type of software testing method where the user checks the functionality of the software to decide whether it is acceptable or not. This is the last and final step, performed after functional and regression testing. It is also known as beta testing or end-user testing. This testing is done to validate the software against business requirements and this validation is done by the end-user who is familiar with the business requirements. The stakeholders involved in this testing process are the business analyst, QA lead or Test Manager, requirements specialist (if any), and the business or product owner.

What are the different types of UAT tests?

Below mentioned are the different types of tests that come under this form of testing:

1. Alpha and beta test- The alpha test is performed before beta testing. The alpha testing is performed by the internal group of the organization. The feedback received from alpha testers helps the development teams to fix the bugs and improve the overall quality ...
... of the product. Beta testing is performed by the end-user to ensure that the product meets business and user requirements
2. Regulation acceptance testing – This test helps to validate if the developed application complies with the rules and regulations as set by the governing agencies at the governmental level.
3. Contract acceptance testing – Here the software is tested against certain critical criteria. These criteria and specifications have been earlier defined and mentioned while the contract is made.
4. Business acceptance testing –This test helps to validate whether the developed software satisfies the requirements and specifications that are set by the business.
5. Operational acceptance testing – It is also known as production acceptance testing and it helps to assure that the software has proper workflow i.e. its reliability, compatibility, stability, etc.
6. Black box testing – In this software testing type the tester is unaware of the code base and is performed to ensure that the software meets business requirements

What is the process of UAT testing?

Below mentioned are the steps involved in UAT testing:

1.Plan: Before actually starting the test it is very essential to do proper planning. Planning should cover the following areas:

• Concept Planning: This is the very first step in the planning stage and teams should be clear regarding the concepts of the user group and its requirements. A proper draft should be made to avoid further problems.
• Team Planning: It is very essential to decide who will be involved in UAT. Careful selection of stakeholders helps in making the process smoother and faster.
• Time Planning: In this step, the team needs to decide what are the timeframes and deadlines and accordingly decide the priority cases.
• Communication Planning: Proper communication is very important for a successful test. Hence it is advisable to check beforehand as to what communication channels will be used so that no information is missed during UAT
• UAT Checklist: It is advisable to create a checklist of all necessary details beforehand. It ensures the tester’s focus on to-do tasks

2. Execute: This is the most important and crucial step. This test is done by end-users, where the risk of rejection is involved. Also, if your end-users are globally situated in different geographies, then this testing is done on a video call. This whole process validates that the software is accepted or rejected by the end-user. If the software gets rejected, the faults are fixed ASAP.

3. Document: Documenting and execution of tests should happen parallel. Clear defined responsibilities of the team member should also be documented as it helps the teams to stay focused. Also, the bug identified, reviews, and feedback from clients should be documented and shared with concerned stakeholders to implement them into the software.

4. Evaluate: In this step, you need to evaluate whether the predefined objectives have been met or not. All the qualitative and quantitative data that was documented earlier are meeting the expectations or not. Careful evaluation and comparison of results with expectations and requirements should be done in this step.

5. Report: This is the last step of the testing process where teams report their learning and give feedback so that they can be further implemented in the next project. This helps in learning and also helps in building relations with testers. Many organizations skip this step, but if followed properly it can help in future projects.

Conclusion: Software testing is a broad concept and contains various types of testing methods that are performed by testers to ensure that the software is meeting the requirements and expectations. However, there is one test that is conducted by the end-user or the product owner, or the business owner and is usually performed at the last stage of software testing. That form of software test is called UAT. This testing method plays a very significant role in this entire software testing process. Leverage UAT testing from a next-gen QA and software testing services provider to get high-quality software.
About the author: I am a technical content writer and I write articles on various IT-related topics. In this article, I have tried to share my views on user acceptance testing.