OVERVIEW OF USER ACCEPTANCE TESTING (UAT)

User acceptance testing is a testing method where the clients or end users participate in product testing to validate the product according to requirements. UAT is dependent on the context. However, it is recommended that you use UAT testing tools to save on time and costs.

OBJECTIVES OF UAT

• To check the communication between the system and the user

• Whether the functionality is as intended according to the client’s requirements

• Is specified functionality working or not?

• Adding new features and improvements supporting the business needs

DIFFERENT TYPES OF UAT

Alpha & Beta Testing

The testing is done to recognize the bugs before releasing the product to the actual user; then, it is known as alpha testing. As it is done after software development, it is known as alpha testing, whereas in beta testing, the actual or real users are not directly associated with software product development. Beta testing uses the technique of black-box testing. In beta testing, feedback is collected from the users, and defects are fixed. Also, this helps in improving the product to give a rich user experience.

Contract Acceptance Testing

The acceptance test is performed within a predetermined time when the product goes live. In this testing, the contract named service level agreement is there, which comprises the condition of paying only when the service of the product is in line with the standard requirements. This testing comprises the Service Level Agreement (SLA), which comprises information on product services, and their requirements. Sometimes, the SLA contract takes place before the product gets live.

Regulation Acceptance Testing

This testing is used to determine whether the product is in line with the rules and regulations defined by the government of the country where it is to be released. More often, whenever any application or a product is deployed in the market, it has to come under the nuance of regulation acceptance testing. The different countries or regions have their own rules and regulations that are defined by government bodies.

Operational Acceptance Testing

It comes under non-functional testing, which is used to determine the operational performance of the product. This testing covers the main attributes of software, such as compatibility, reliability, maintainability, etc. moreover, the OAT testing assures the product’s solidity before it is deployed.

Black-Box Testing

It is the type of software testing where the functionality is unknown. There is no requirement to have programming knowledge to perform the black-box testing. Furthermore, equivalence partitioning and syntax-driven testing are the ways to perform white-box testing.

BENEFITS OF USER ACCEPTANCE TESTING

• Internal testing guarantees that the system operates according to specifications and that all functionalities are properly specified before being delivered to the customer

• It helps satisfy the end product

• It is helpful to note whether the finished product performs as anticipated

• It helps make the finished product bug-free

• To provide the user with the finished product in working condition

• It is useful to fulfill every need for a finished product’s functionality

• Helps to understand the overview of the system

• Reduces the chance of regression and new defects

• Smoothen the collaboration between domain experts, customers, and developers

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHILE PERFORMING UAT

UAT Scope

Determining the UAT scope is crucial as it will help to determine the testing of the right module within the application. The process of defining the UAT scope is done with the help of Excel spreadsheets.

UAT Planning

In this, the different processes are assigned to different business users, and timelines are set for testing the processes. UAT planning needs input from various stakeholders. However, the scope defining of UAT takes place through excel spreadsheets which is not scalable. So, to manage UAT planning efficiently, UAT testing tools should include the functionality of test discovery.

UAT Execution

After the scope and plan of the UAT process, further testing can be done to move to production.

But complex workflows, clunky defect management, and documentation are the key challenges in UAT execution.

CONCLUSION

To become successful in business, it is necessary to be customer oriented. UAT testing tools are one of the best ways to automate the business process. User acceptance testing with automation helps to streamline the process of business with the changing business requirements.