User acceptance testing ensures that a software product or application works as per the business and user-specific requirements. Gaining strategic inputs from users about the overall working of the product in terms of user experience, functionality and performance will in turn help the team to build a better quality product. The product can be fine-tuned, which will in turn make the product more reliable and scalable. In this article, you will get to know the five steps required to carry out effective user acceptance testing.
What is User Acceptance testing (UAT)?
It is a testing method that is performed in a real-world scenario by end-users. The worth of a software product or an application that has been developed is judged by the end user. It is usually the last phase of the Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC) process and is conducted at the final stages of software development, just before the product is going to be released.
This testing method evaluates whether the software product matches with real-world expectations and business requirements. User feedback is another key component of UAT, as it helps the testing and development team to make strategic decisions to further improve the overall quality of the software product and equate it with user and business-specific requirements.
Following are the five simple steps required to carry out effective User acceptance testing:
1. A well-defined plan: The strategies, time frame and business requirements are outlined in the plan. If the plan is prepared in a meticulous manner, then the testing can be carried out more effectively and smoothly.
2. The real-world test scenarios should be identified and created: As many as possible functional test cases should be covered in these test scenarios that end-users may work upon
3. Selecting the participants: The development team can decide whether a software application has to be tested by a huge number of participants by offering a free trial or only by a select few end-users who are qualified for testing. These qualified users have the required knowledge about the business and product and hence are able to detect and report issues.
4. Document the tests: The software is tested by end-users and hence potential bugs or other issues are logged. A bug tracker should be used to record the bugs with specific notes on how the errors can be reproduced.
5. The code should be updated and retested: Based on the test results, the development team will adjust the code to ensure that bugs and necessary changes are resolved and then retest it again. Once the software product or application is able to meet the user’s expectations, then the tester will sign off.
User acceptance testing best practices:
1. Information should be gathered appropriately: The correct data must be collected, which includes testing the process, the specific actions taken for tests and selecting test data based on a set of guidelines.
2. The target audience should be properly identified: UAT users are identified who know what needs to be done to some extent and provide insightful feedback.
3. The project scope needs to be clearly understood: Specific processes need to be tested, so that collection of data can be done from only the specific processes
4. The design phase: Different users can be assigned different testing steps. Test cases need to specify procedures and should be detailed along with providing expected conditions and results a tester may need to verify.
Conclusion:
If you are looking forward to implementing UAT for your specific project, then do get connected with a leading software testing services company that will provide you with a tactical testing blueprint that is in line with your project specific requirements.
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.
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