There will be a strategic difference between conducting software testing in a lab environment and in a real-time environment. The results of both these testing environments matter in ensuring the reliability, quality, stability and robustness of a software product or application that has been developed.

But, when it comes to testing in a real-time environment through the User acceptance testing platform, there will be some associated issues that come with it. In this article, you will learn how UAT defects can be addressed strategically.

What is User Acceptance Testing (UAT)?

It is a testing method that focuses on using the experience, knowledge and expertise of users to test specific product or application. Specific criteria and resources are provided to users so that they can test the product or application in a real-time production environment.

User feedback is another highlight of this testing method that helps ascertain the worth of a software product or application from a user and business perspective.

Further, user feedback helps in modifying or updating certain aspects of the software product or application and thus enhances the quality of the software product or application. It is conducted in the final stages of the software development process, just before the product is going to be released.

Following are a few defects in the UAT process that needs to be addressed accordingly:

1.Improper communication between the QA team and other team members: There might be scenarios wherein QA team members might work independently and do not collaborate with other team members. However, there would be scenarios wherein the QA team should clearly communicate about testing strategies and testing scenarios with other team members and also share relevant ideas and research work with other team members.

If there is any scope for enhancing the project’s usability and functionality, then the QA team should communicate the same with other team members. This in turn helps in improving the effectiveness of the project and optimizing it accordingly.

2.Missing negative test cases: Negative test cases should include the test case suite. These test cases are designed, so that the software behavior can be assessed against unexpected, abnormal or unacceptable condition data input. Negative test cases should be covered to make sure that the developed application/software output response should be expected when random or invalid input is provided.

3.It is not sufficient to test “n” number of times: For this issue, a proactive approach should be taken by the project management team, so that they can come up with an effective plan. An important aspect is that the QA timelines should be considered.

4.Acceptance criteria are not understood: The understanding of the acceptance criteria should be done from a customer’s perspective. For this to happen, Sprint 0 activities should be a part of the QA work profile. There should be a clear understanding of the customer’s requirements and hence the work related to acceptance criteria should be carried out accordingly.

If the users are provided with unclear or incomplete requirements then it can result in missing functionalities or bugs. To avoid this, a clear communication channel should be set up between the team representatives, testing team, development team and customers, so that clarifications and communication are carried out smoothly.

5.The significance of project meetings: When team members participate in project meetings, they will be able to better understand the product or application from a user’s perspective. The QA team will also be able to understand the views and opinions of other team members and thus get to understand the project from a broader perspective. This in turn makes sure that the requirements are testable, clear and aligned with the overall project goals.

Conclusion: The above mentioned five points might have given you a basic idea about the defects in UAT that need to be addressed accordingly. If you are looking to implement effective and result-oriented UAT testing solutions for your organization, then do get connected with one of the best software testing services company.

About the author: I am a technical content writer focused on writing technology specific articles. I strive to provide well-researched information on the leading market savvy technologies.