Here Are Some of the Best Practices for User Acceptance Testing

Software testing is a crucial step in the end-to-end software product development process because it reveals the quality of the product. The software testing processes consist of Unit Testing -> Integration Testing -> System Testing -> Acceptance Testing.

User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is the last phase of software testing and an important phase that measures quality assurance. As such, it plays a significant part in the software testing process. Although it is the last phase of the process, it requires detailed and effective planning to get it right.

Is User Acceptance Testing difficult for you to scale through? Are you having challenges with validating end-user needs?

Let’s go through the best practices.

What is User Acceptance Testing?

User Acceptance Testing is used to ascertain if the system accepts the requirements of the user. The analogy of the User Acceptance Testing can be likened to the final approvals before a construction project is finished. The engineers have created designs, and the construction team follows those and builds the building. But final testing and inspection need to take place before that building can be delivered to the customer. The design that was constructed needs to be matched against the original drawings and blueprints. The wiring, plumbing, and internal structure also need to be tested to ensure they are all up to code.

User Acceptance Testing for software applications is similar. Testing must be done to ensure the initial design has been created as intended and that all the backend processes are designed efficiently and securely. This ensures that the application functions appropriately. Business managers make use of User Acceptance Testing to find out if the system is capable of supporting day-to-day business activities. Interestingly, it can take different forms such as in-person, virtual means, and focused time.

2 Types of User Acceptance Testing

Two types of Acceptance User Testing are:

Alpha Testing: This type of testing is used to identify all the bugs in a product before it is released to the public or data user. This testing is carried out in the environment where the product was manufactured. In Alpha testing, the internal employees of an organization are the real users.

Beta Testing: Beta testing recognizes the users of software applications as real users. This application is referred to as the external User Acceptance testing and it is tested in a real environment. This testing reduces the risk of failures and increases product quality through customer validation. It is the final testing that is conducted before the product is given to the consumer.

What is the Importance of User Acceptance Testing?

User Acceptance testing is necessary after the software has gone through various stages such as the unit, integration, and system testing.
It is significant in writing codes with the aid of required documents.
It is used to communicate change in the software effectively.
User Acceptance Testing is used to ensure that the products/services meet the expectation of the customers.

How Does User Acceptance Testing Work?

User Acceptance Testing is a type of testing that is conducted at the client’s location. As soon as the system or application is ready for testing, the following tasks must be performed. They are:

Analyze business requirements
Create a User Acceptance Testing plan
Recognize test scenarios
Establish User Acceptance Testing cases
Prepare test data
Run the cases
Take note of the results
Double-check business objectives
Go through business requirements

5 Best Practices for The User Acceptance Testing

The five (5) best practices for UAT are:

Identify your users: User selection is of utmost importance in UAT. Of course, you want to know who is going to do the testing for you. In making this choice, it is best to choose users who will also be the end-users of the product. However, if the product is customer-facing, it is best to choose consumers as your users because the feedback will help you determine if there are issues in the system.

Identify the test cases: Your UAT testers need a step-by-step plan to serve as a roadmap through the testing. The steps must be easy to follow to avoid any confusion and ensure all bases are covered.

Adequate environment preparation: Preparation is key in UAT. You must prepare the UAT environment accordingly. The users should also be equipped with the relevant credentials before the testing.

Schedule time for remote testing: Most of your users are remote. So, you wouldn’t want to catch them unaware. It is best to offer them a meeting invitation. Having remote users for the testing process is very difficult but adequate planning will help resolve any issue.

Bug triage: Bugs are almost unavoidable. But, when they appear, there should be a plan in place to take care of the issues. The issue can be easily addressed when you have your users show you how they discovered it. This will make it easier for the technology team to fix the problem.

Find Out How Easy UAT Can Be

Twin State Technical Services has software integration experts that can help your Quad Cities area business with potential user acceptance testing to ensure the products/services meet the expectation of the customers.

References linked to:

https://www.tsts.com/software-development/

https://www.tsts.com/contact/

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Tags: quality assurance, software development, user acceptance testing