User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Meaning, Types & Process Explained
Tags: useracceptancetesting, testgrid
Published: 2024-06-10 14:36:03

Use Acceptance Testing is the validation stage in the software development lifecycle that tests applications or programs in a real-world interface. It is the last stage before your app goes live. As the significance of app development rises, the need for proper UAT testing is highly coveted. 
In this guide, we’ll talk about user acceptance testing (UAT), its importance, types, and a step-by-step process for performing UAT testing.
 

## What is User Acceptance Testing?
 
User Acceptance Testing, abbreviated as UAT, is an end-user or application testing that tests the application or software for real-world interactions with its intended audience or business representatives. 
The goal of performing UAT is to test the software for its functionality, usability, security, and applicability in real-world scenarios. UAT is generally performed before the official release of the product. 

## Importance of User Acceptance Testing

Just as important as it is to have a test drive before launching the automobile to the market, releasing software or an application program after real-world testing is equally important. 
Hence, user acceptance testing is significant in reducing the errors that the users might face after the release. According to a survey, performing user acceptance testing can reduce post-release errors by 60%. 

But that’s not the only reason. Let’s look at why UAT is important for the testers and developers: 

**Cost-reduction**: Fixing the errors during the development process is much cheaper and easier rather than detecting and fixing them post-release. 
**Improves final product**: When the developers release the product to a small part of the audience or within their organization, they receive critical feedback to improve product quality. Users can further know about optimizing the product as per users. 
**Offers compliance**: UAT double-checks the laws and regulations set up by the local government. This is to ensure that the product offers compliance and follows regulations. 
**Improves brand image**: Imagine your users giving feedback post-release about the bugs and glitches. UAT saves you from embarrassment, improves the brand image, and boosts customer loyalty.
Also, conducting user acceptance testing improves the overall user experience and saves you from the embarrassing monologue– “We are still new and evolving.”

 

## Types of User Acceptance Testing

UAT is a vast process and serves more than one purpose. Thus, it is divided into five different types deemed for different purposes: 

**Beta testing**:  Beta testing, also called field testing, is the real-world testing of the software by the selected end-users or stakeholders. It uses the real-world framework to create an environment in which the real users would work. 

**Blackbox testing**: Also called behavioral testing, Blackbox testing tests the specific functionalities of the software without knowing the internal code. It focuses specifically on the input and output of the software program. 

**Contract acceptance testing**: This testing is performed to ensure that the terms and conditions laid down in the service level agreement (SLA) are met. The product owners will only pay if the software follows specific requirements or criteria as laid in the contract. 

**Alpha testing**: This is the first stage of UAT and is done during the software development stage. Alpha testing is performed by special testers who use various testing frameworks to conduct the test pre-release. The testers give feedback on the usability and compatibility of the software.
 
**Operational acceptance testing (OAT)**: As the name implies, OAT is a non-functional testing process that tests software or programs for stability, reliability, and operational efficiency.
 

## Pre-requisites of User Acceptance Testing
 
Before you start with the UAT test and set it up, there are a few prerequisites for the application to be qualified for the acceptance testing: 

- Application code has to be completely developed.
- Unit testing, integration testing, and system testing should be done.
- The environment for UAT must be prepared.
- Business prerequisites must be present.
- There shouldn’t be any defects in the System Integration Test Phase.
- Regression testing must be performed with no major defects.
- All the defects found must be fixed and tested before UAT.
- The traceability matrix for all testing should be finished.
- Sign off mail of communication from the System Testing Team so that the system is ready for UAT execution.
- The only error acceptable before UAT is a cosmetic error.

## How to perform UAT testing?

Performing a user acceptance testing process takes a well-devised strategy.
 

### 1. Determine your business requirements
 
The first step is to identify and jolt down your business requirements. Requirements are the problems your software aims to solve for your target audience. There are two types of requirements that the testers take into consideration: business and functional requirements. 
While the business requirements demonstrate the problem you solve, functional requirements include the technicalities of a program. 
Based on these requirements, testers create test scenarios. Other documents for creating test scenarios: 
These test scenarios are found from the following documents –

- Project charter
- Business use cases
- Process flow diagrams
- Business requirements documents
- System requirements specification

### 2. Create a UAT test plan
The strategy used to verify and ensure that the application meets its business requirements is outlined in the user acceptance testing plan. The [test plan](https://testgrid.io/blog/test-planning/) consists of various documents, which are explained below: 
End-user testing strategy: It outlines various strategies that a user will use to perform the test. These include points like product description, test objectives, scope, standards, testing types, testers, user acceptance managers, and report methods. 
Entry criteria: These are the criteria that the testing team lays before the testing begins. It checks if the product fulfills the pre-standards. 
Exit criteria: These are the criteria set by the testing team to see if the product is ready to use. It includes all the pointers that determine the success of your product. 
Test scenarios: Testers create these hypothetical conditions to test the viability of the product in the long run. It helps determine the common issues during the test. 

### 3. Prepare test data & test environment 
Preparing the test environment and test data is an essential step in conducting User Acceptance Testing (UAT). 
The test environment should closely mimic the production environment where the software will be used, ensuring that the UAT accurately reflects real-world scenarios and conditions. Similarly, the test data should represent realistic user profiles, sample data sets, and any other data required for the specific testing scenarios. 

Here’s what to keep in check for creating test data and test environment: 
Hardware and software configurations: Set up the necessary hardware and software configurations to create a testing environment that closely resembles the production environment.

Network configurations: Configure the network settings to simulate the expected network conditions and connectivity for the end users.
Test data generation: Generate or gather the necessary test data that represents realistic user scenarios and activities. This may include user profiles, transaction data, or any other relevant data required for the UAT.

### 4. Choose the right UAT testing tools 

Choosing the right User Acceptance Testing (UAT) testing tool is crucial for conducting an effective and efficient UAT process. A UAT testing tool provides features and functionalities that streamline the testing process, facilitate test case management, and enable effective communication and collaboration among the testing team and other project stakeholders. 
When choosing a UAT testing tool, consider the following factors:
**Test case management**: Look for a tool that allows easy creation, organization, and management of test cases. The tool should provide features for assigning test cases to testers, tracking progress, and documenting test results.
**Bug tracking**: The tool should have built-in bug-tracking capabilities, allowing testers to report and track issues encountered during the UAT process.
**Collaboration and communication**: Choose a tool that facilitates clear communication and collaboration among the testing team, development team, and other stakeholders. It includes features such as comment threads, notifications, and real-time updates that can enhance collaboration and streamline communication.
**Integration capabilities**: Consider whether the tool can integrate with other project management and development tools used in your organization. It should also offer integration with tools such as project management software and bug tracking.
By choosing the right UAT testing tool, organizations can streamline the testing process, improve efficiency, and ensure accurate documentation and communication throughout the UAT process.

### 5. Execute and run the test

During this step, testers follow the defined test procedures and scenarios to validate the software’s functionality, performance, and usability. The key considerations for running UAT tests include:
**Execution of test scenarios**: Testers execute the predefined test scenarios, following the specified steps and interactions with the software.
**Recording test results**: Testers document the test results, recording any issues, observations, or unexpected behavior encountered during the testing process.
**Reporting issues**: Testers report any issues or bugs discovered during the testing process, providing detailed information about the problem, steps to reproduce it, and any supporting documentation or screenshots.
By running the planned tests, organizations can validate the software’s functionality, identify any issues or bugs, and ensure that the software meets the specified requirements and performs as expected.

### 6. Analyze test results 

Lastly, Testers document the test results, providing detailed information about each test case, including the steps performed, expected results, and actual outcomes. It should track and report any issues or bugs discovered during the testing process, including detailed information about the problem and any supporting documentation or screenshots.
**User Acceptance Testing Checklist: **

- For performing the user acceptance testing, we have created a quick checklist to ensure that you tick mark all the requisites: 
- Identify test cases for your reference
-  Create a test scenario based on the test case
- Set out the pre-conditions to execute and create a test case
- Identify and note down the test data, such as login information, input values, etc.
- Let the testers write a report on the actual result of the performed test
- Compare the expected outcome with the actual outcome 
- Include the additional screenshots or documents for supporting your tests
- Record the test date and track the progress of these tests

## UAT Best Practices 
Before you begin with user acceptance testing, make sure to stick to the industry’s best practices. 
Here are the quick best practices for performing UAT: 

- Craft the UAT plan early in the project lifecycle. This plan should include comprehensive checklists to guide the entire testing process. 
- Conduct pre-UAT sessions during the system testing phase to align expectations and define the precise scope of UAT. Testing should encompass the entire business flow from start to finish, simulating real-world scenarios and using actual data to ensure the system performs as expected under practical conditions. 
- Adopt the perspective of a user who is completely unfamiliar with the system, focusing on usability to identify any potential areas of confusion or difficulty.
- After the completion of UAT, it is imperative to hold a feedback session. This allows testers to provide valuable insights and suggestions, which can be crucial for refining the system before it progresses to production. 
- This structured approach not only streamlines the transition to the live environment but also enhances the overall quality and user satisfaction of the project.

## Challenges with User Acceptance Testing 

Let’s look at the common challenges faced during the UAT testing process: 
Old testing process: One of the challenges that testers face is the constant retests. The potential reason is the use of old testing methods like Excel sheets or a traditional/on-premise tool. This leads to a lack of visibility and an inefficient testing process. 

**Undefined acceptance criteria**: There’s no success in UAT until you have clearly defined acceptance criteria. Testers should clearly lay out the acceptance criteria, agreed upon by all stakeholders. 
Complex scenarios: Some test scenarios need specific testing conditions that may not be executed correctly by traditional testing tools. With traditional testing tools, executing the test scenarios may even require a higher learning curve. 

**Time constraints**: Acceptance tests are often time-constrained, meaning testers have a fixed timeline for performing the tests. This limited time constraint leads to incomplete coverage of the software’s features and functionality. 

**Adapting to changes**:  Software projects are dynamic, with requirements and scope frequently changing. As new features are added, the testers have to adapt to these changes, which may be challenging without the right testing strategies
. 

## Best User Acceptance Testing Tools 

Next, look at the best user acceptance testing tools along with some UAT frameworks and benefits: 

### TestGrid 
TestGrid is an AI-powered testing automation tool that leverages AI to write scripts on the go. This testing tool is perfect for performing UATs on web applications or mobile apps that help identify bugs and vulnerabilities early in the development lifecycle, reducing debugging time by up to 60%.
**Features**:

- Access to more than 1000 real devices, including mobile OS and web browsers
- Record & capture the user interactions to analyze and identify the bugs 
-  Write test cases in various formats, such as English, BDD, and CSV, and paste them into the TestGrid portal 

### TestComplete
TestComplete is a veteran in testing tools that boasts powerful automated testing features for desktop, web, mobile, and more. Testers can choose whether they need codeless testing or code-based testing. 
**Features**:

- Supports various scripting languages like Python, VBScript, and JavaScript
- Performs various tests, including functional testing, regression testing, and load testing
- AI & Machine learning for advanced object recognition
 

## Conclusion
 
UAT is a substantial part of your software development process. This rigorous process involves various stakeholders, representatives, testers and beta users all on the same page. 
UAT testing needs to be performed under the right testing environment with the right set of testing tools. 
UAT testers should effectively communicate and manage feedback on the go to fill in any gaps and reduce the time to identity errors. TestGrid helps bridge the gap with its scriptless test cases using 1000+ real devices and effective feedback management between the teams.
This blog is originally published at [Testgrid](https://testgrid.io/blog/user-acceptance-testing-uat/)