User Acceptance Testing: The Holistic Approach to Superior Applications
User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is the most significant phase in the software development lifecycle. It ensures that the new framework or process is user-friendly. It is critical to get the application through user acceptance tests as it is the ultimate quality way to validate product characteristics, performance, and compliance before it deploys into production.
UAT mainly focuses on the functionality and usability of the software rather than just the technical aspects. The purpose of UAT is to validate the application to see if it meets the client’s business requirements.
A thriving UAT is essential for deploying systems without flaws and business risks. Executing UAT in an agile environment may lead to frequent and reduced cycles of testing. This commands UAT testers to strengthen their hold over advanced testing & automation testing techniques while working together with the development and QA teams.
Hence, user acceptance testing is an essential and ultimate phase to test business processes that are implemented in the application or software subsequently.
Objectives of User Acceptance Testing:
- Confirm system set-up for transactions and user access
- Verify utilization of the system in implementing business processes
- Verify performance on business-crucial functions
- Validate the integrity of transformed and additional data
- Evaluate and acknowledge go-live readiness
Each user acceptance test varies depending on which business process is being tested. However, UAT will include these activities:
If we consider the bigger picture of quality initiatives, UAT is an essential element in any Quality Assurance program. To get the best results from the UAT process, it is prudent to assign the task to an experienced QA team.
What is the Role of Software Tester in UAT?
User Acceptance Testing is usually known as “black box” testing. UAT is the ultimate QA effort before the release of the application. It is brought in an environment that nearly resembles the real world or production environment. In order to execute User Acceptance Testing, you must first procure business requirements, then define the test cases, and ultimately, run the tests. A test plan is required to define the scope of testing, who will manage the testing, how errors will be logged, how risks are planned, etc.
In most organizations, user acceptance testing is conducted by business users. It depicts a cross-section of users to test the new application using real-world scenarios. As this testing is a crucial check of software quality, appropriate care must be given to setting a proper UAT environment and strategy.
Tasks Delivered by the QA Team for a Thriving UAT Process
- Establishing tools — Test Management and Bug Tracking tools
- Fixing roles and responsibilities of business users in the tools
- Generating test cases and performing UAT
- Establishing Test Data in the test environment
- Educating business users on how to implement Test Cases and Log Defects
- Regression testing of bugs found during UAT
UAT brings certainty to both the software development team and the client that the software will get released without any major defects or sudden outcomes. Features are coded in such a way that the developer feels it best to match the requirements, but the outcome of this isn’t always streamlined with the actual business requirement. With UAT, you ensure business requirements are satisfied and are communicated effectively.
Similarly, UAT also has an equal and major role to play for Quality Analysts. QA testing team tests a software solution in a specified environment, which might lead to any technical errors. User acceptance testing provides the profitable role of confirming that the product works properly on the field. Hence, it often has a separate focus from quality assurance, as the importance is more towards verifying business requirements than technical implementation.
TestingWhiz with its extensive QA and software testing expertise has domain SMEs capable of providing UAT solutions to the clients. We also have a special training program for business users for assisting them in fixing up the process effectively.
This blog is originally published at TestingWhiz.
