User Acceptance testing is the software testing process where system tested for acceptability & validates the end to end business flow. Such type of testing executed by client in separate environment (similar to production environment) & confirm whether system meets the requirements as per requirement specification or not.
UAT is performed after System Testing is done and all or most of the major defects have been fixed. This testing is to be conducted in the final stage of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) prior to system being delivered to a live environment. UAT users or end users are concentrating on end to end scenarios & typically involves running a suite of tests on the completed system.
The Acceptance testing is “black box” tests, means UAT users doesn’t aware of internal structure of the code, they just specify the input to the system & check whether systems respond with correct result.
User Acceptance testing also known as Customer Acceptance testing (CAT), if the system is being built or developed by an external supplier. The CAT or UAT are the final confirmation from the client before the system is ready for production. The business customers are the primary owners of these UAT tests. These tests are created by business customers and articulated in business domain languages. So ideally it is collaboration between business customers, business analysts, testers and developers. It consists of test suites which involve multiple test cases & each test case contains input data (if required) as well as the expected output. The result of test case is either a pass or fail.
Prerequisites of User Acceptance Testing:
Prior to start the UAT following checkpoints to be considered:
The completion of User Acceptance Testing is the significant milestone for traditional testing method. The following key deliverable of User Acceptance Testing phase:
UAT is performed after System Testing is done and all or most of the major defects have been fixed. This testing is to be conducted in the final stage of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) prior to system being delivered to a live environment. UAT users or end users are concentrating on end to end scenarios & typically involves running a suite of tests on the completed system.
The Acceptance testing is “black box” tests, means UAT users doesn’t aware of internal structure of the code, they just specify the input to the system & check whether systems respond with correct result.
User Acceptance testing also known as Customer Acceptance testing (CAT), if the system is being built or developed by an external supplier. The CAT or UAT are the final confirmation from the client before the system is ready for production. The business customers are the primary owners of these UAT tests. These tests are created by business customers and articulated in business domain languages. So ideally it is collaboration between business customers, business analysts, testers and developers. It consists of test suites which involve multiple test cases & each test case contains input data (if required) as well as the expected output. The result of test case is either a pass or fail.
Prerequisites of User Acceptance Testing:
Prior to start the UAT following checkpoints to be considered:
- The Business Requirements should be available.
- The development of software application should be completed & different levels of testing like Unit Testing, Integration Testing & System Testing is completed.
- All High Severity, High Priority defects should be verified. No any Showstoppers defects in the system.
- Check if all reported defects should be verified prior to UAT starts.
- Check if Traceability matrix for all testing should be completed.
- Before UAT starts error like cosmetic error are acceptable but should be reported.
- After fixing all the defects regression Testing should be carried out to check fixing of defect not breaking the other working area.
- The separate UAT environment similar to production should be ready to start UAT.
- The Sign off should be given by System testing team which says that Software application ready for UAT execution.
- Based on the Requirements definition stage use cases the Test cases are created.
- Also the Test cases are created considering the real world scenarios for the application.
- The actual testing is to be carried out in environments that copy of the production environment. So in the type of testing is concentrating on the exact real world use of application.
- Test cases are designed such that all area of application is covered during testing to ensure that an effective User Acceptance Testing.
The completion of User Acceptance Testing is the significant milestone for traditional testing method. The following key deliverable of User Acceptance Testing phase:
- Test Plan: This outlines the Testing Strategy
- UAT Test cases: The Test cases help the team to effectively test the application in UAT environment.
- Test Results and Error Reports: This is a log of all the test cases executed and the actual results.
- User Acceptance Sign-off: This is the system, documentation, and training materials have passed all tests within acceptable margins.
- Installation Instructions: This is document which helps to install the system in production environment.
- Documentation Materials: Tested and updated user documentation and training materials are finalized during user acceptance testing
