User Acceptance Test (UAT)
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An User Acceptance Test (UAT) is an acceptance test conducted by end users or client representatives to verify whether a system meets the business requirements and is ready for operational use.
- Context:
- It can (typically) be performed in the final Software Development Lifecycle Stages, just before the system is deployed to production.
- It can (often) involve users simulating real-world scenarios to ensure the system functions as expected in practical situations.
- ...
- It can range from being a Formal UAT with predefined test cases to an Exploratory UAT where users freely interact with the system.
- ...
- It can focus on validating that the system is user-friendly, meets business needs, and aligns with user expectations.
- It can be used to identify issues related to business processes or user workflows that may have been overlooked in earlier testing phases.
- It can result in a UAT Sign-off document if the system meets all acceptance criteria.
- It can involve non-functional testing aspects such as usability and user experience.
- It can be conducted in various environments, including UAT Environments that closely mimic production settings.
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- Example(s):
- A Beta Test of a new mobile application by a select group of target users before public release.
- A Site Acceptance Test for a newly installed manufacturing system, conducted by plant operators.
- An Alpha Test of a video game by a group of players to assess gameplay and user experience.
- An AI System UAT of a new intelligent system used for legal document analysis.
- ...
- Counter-Example(s):
- A System Integration Test, which focuses on how different system components work together rather than user acceptance.
- A Usability Test, which specifically evaluates the ease of use rather than overall business functionality.
- A Regression Test, which checks if new changes have not broken existing functionality, rather than validating user acceptance.
- See: Integration Testing, System Testing, End User, Subject-Matter Expert, Software Development Process, Software Bug, Crash (Computing), Unit Testing, Acceptance Criteria, Beta Testing, User Story, UAT Plan, Test Case, Integration Testing, System Testing, End User, Subject-Matter Expert, Software Development Process, Software Bug, Crash (Computing), Unit Testing.
References
2024
- (Wikipedia, 2024) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acceptance_testing#User_acceptance_testing Retrieved:2024-6-28.
- User acceptance testing (UAT) consists of a process of verifying that a solution works for the user. It is not system testing (ensuring software does not crash and meets documented requirements) but rather ensures that the solution will work for the user (i.e. tests that the user accepts the solution); software vendors often refer to this as "Beta testing". This testing should be undertaken by the intended end user, or a subject-matter expert (SME), preferably the owner or client of the solution under test, and provide a summary of the findings for confirmation to proceed after trial or review. In software development, UAT as one of the final stages of a project often occurs before a client or customer accepts the new system. Users of the system perform tests in line with what would occur in real-life scenarios. The materials given to the tester must be similar to the materials that the end user will have. Testers should be given real-life scenarios such as the three most common or difficult tasks that the users they represent will undertake. The UAT acts as a final verification of the required business functionality and proper functioning of the system, emulating real-world conditions on behalf of the paying client or a specific large customer. If the software works as required and without issues during normal use, one can reasonably extrapolate the same level of stability in production. User tests, usually performed by clients or by end-users, do not normally focus on identifying simple cosmetic problems such as spelling errors, nor on showstopper defects, such as software crashes; testers and developers identify and fix these issues during earlier unit testing, integration testing, and system testing phases. UAT should be executed against test scenarios. Test scenarios usually differ from System or Functional test cases in that they represent a "player" or "user" journey. The broad nature of the test scenario ensures that the focus is on the journey and not on technical or system-specific details, staying away from "click-by-click" test steps to allow for a variance in users' behaviour. Test scenarios can be broken down into logical "days", which are usually where the actor (player/customer/operator) or system (backoffice, front end) changes. In industry, a common UAT is a factory acceptance test (FAT). This test takes place before the installation of the equipment. Most of the time testers not only check that the equipment meets the specification but also that it is fully functional. A FAT usually includes a check of completeness, a verification against contractual requirements, a proof of functionality (either by simulation or a conventional function test), and a final inspection.
The results of these tests give clients confidence in how the system will perform in production. There may also be legal or contractual requirements for acceptance of the system.
- User acceptance testing (UAT) consists of a process of verifying that a solution works for the user. It is not system testing (ensuring software does not crash and meets documented requirements) but rather ensures that the solution will work for the user (i.e. tests that the user accepts the solution); software vendors often refer to this as "Beta testing". This testing should be undertaken by the intended end user, or a subject-matter expert (SME), preferably the owner or client of the solution under test, and provide a summary of the findings for confirmation to proceed after trial or review. In software development, UAT as one of the final stages of a project often occurs before a client or customer accepts the new system. Users of the system perform tests in line with what would occur in real-life scenarios. The materials given to the tester must be similar to the materials that the end user will have. Testers should be given real-life scenarios such as the three most common or difficult tasks that the users they represent will undertake. The UAT acts as a final verification of the required business functionality and proper functioning of the system, emulating real-world conditions on behalf of the paying client or a specific large customer. If the software works as required and without issues during normal use, one can reasonably extrapolate the same level of stability in production. User tests, usually performed by clients or by end-users, do not normally focus on identifying simple cosmetic problems such as spelling errors, nor on showstopper defects, such as software crashes; testers and developers identify and fix these issues during earlier unit testing, integration testing, and system testing phases. UAT should be executed against test scenarios. Test scenarios usually differ from System or Functional test cases in that they represent a "player" or "user" journey. The broad nature of the test scenario ensures that the focus is on the journey and not on technical or system-specific details, staying away from "click-by-click" test steps to allow for a variance in users' behaviour. Test scenarios can be broken down into logical "days", which are usually where the actor (player/customer/operator) or system (backoffice, front end) changes. In industry, a common UAT is a factory acceptance test (FAT). This test takes place before the installation of the equipment. Most of the time testers not only check that the equipment meets the specification but also that it is fully functional. A FAT usually includes a check of completeness, a verification against contractual requirements, a proof of functionality (either by simulation or a conventional function test), and a final inspection.