Centric defines a UAT test case as:. A set of test steps, execution conditions and expected results developed for a particular objective, such as to exercise a particular program path or to verify compliance with a specific requirement.
Each case covers a specific usage scenario of the software. With these in place, the tests have to be run and the results recorded.
Were the tests successful, or did defects result? Any bugs then need to be corrected and re-tested. Finally, assuming that everything is working perfect, there is a need to complete an orderly sign-off. There are various buzzwords — such as alpha or beta testing — out there. And sometimes people love asking about the differences between UAT and functional testing. Therefore we decided to collect all our thoughts and knowledge on the different types of UAT in this article.
It reduces the likelihood of issues that is happening, which in turn reduces the amount of work required in development and maintenance. This covers everything from preparing your team, the test environment, to test execution and evaluation. To get the most out of end-user testing, start with the training. Your testers and UAT manager are responsible for that. Consider structuring your training process to include the following aspects.
The whole process can also be done online. More complicated projects or confidential data may require gathering a dedicated team of user testers at your office. Once you have your test scenarios and test cases, you are good to go with the tests. To support your end users during the process and get the required results, deliver a clear understanding of what actions each test case requires.
Keep in mind that your users are not professional testers. During the test, be sure to provide real or close to real data to the users, avoiding sample content or dummy buttons. Any misconception may get them stuck at the test case. Another important aspect is having your developers ready to fix anything that goes wrong. Your testing environment can shut down or there can be errors preventing users from testing. During your UAT activities, you will get tons of data from the testers.
Your QA team will have to analyze it. The data is collected via user reports submitted manually or via a specific tool. Additionally, you can conduct interviews with separate users to get more insight about the test cases they performed and what they think of them. Test tracking dashboard in Panaya. System stability.
Stability can be determined by the number of unexpected errors met during the UAT. Coverage of testing. You may also match your UAT testing results with the user journey map to understand which part of functionality was left untested. Usability of the system. But the overall UX is tested during usability testing , which is conducted as a separate activity. Requirement compliance is checked after all the end-user tests are finished.
After executing UAT, all defects have to be documented with relevant comments and passed to the development team. They have to make adjustments to the code to address the issues revealed by UAT. Once you fix the bugs, retest them to make sure everything is working properly. When the acceptance criteria are reached and approved by reviewers, the final acceptance decision is made about production-readiness of the product. Involving QA professionals and business analysts is also necessary, as is close collaboration with the project manager and development team.
The responsibilities of the UAT team can differ depending on the company and project needs, but here is an example of the role distribution you can consider. Business program manager. This is the person that coordinates and oversees the entire project, aligning it with business objectives.
Before the UAT stage, the program manager should generate the program delivery plan and business requirements document to support the testing activities. During UAT, the program manager monitors test activities execution and ensures completion on schedule and budget. For that, usually close cooperation with the project manager is required. The test lead gathers and analyzes all the business and functional requirements that are then used to develop the necessary documentation, i.
The test lead also prepares and manages the necessary resources and loads essential test data in test tools. Throughout the UAT, the lead coordinates the execution of test cases, making sure all test results are documented. UAT test team members. The main task of the test team is to execute tests in accordance with the provided schedule and instructions. Testers should create test logs and report on defects and incidents. They also typically participate in retesting activities if needed.
The project manager, as the person responsible for successful project completion, has to monitor testing activities, provide organizational support, and report on progress. In fact, there are some prerequisites that need to be met before user acceptance testing is able to take place. Of course, YMMV. Not all of the conditions will be relevant for all scenarios.
First of all, you need business requirements in place. In other words, you must have the specs written down for the piece of software you intend to test. These specifications, or business requirements, will guide the development of the test cases for UAT more on that later.
Another important—though somewhat obvious—requirement is that the code should be complete. The other types of tests that your organization employs—for instance, unit and integration testing—should also be completed.
Speaking of other types of testing, regression testing should be successfully performed. That is, no significant defects should be found. If there are defects, you should fix them ASAP and repeat the testing session. Finally, the environment for the user acceptance testing process must be ready. That means that all of the infrastructure needed—software and hardware—should be in place.
You should write the requirements for each feature that you intend to test. Modern software shops will most likely collect those in the form of user stories. The exact artifacts and medium for these requirements might vary. You could use post-it notes on a whiteboard or a sophisticated project management application. What matters is that you capture the requirements for each of the intended features for the application. A test case is, in short, a sequence of steps, each with their expected results.
Each test case covers one usage scenario of the application. It usually consists of a series of actions that the user—or its representative—can perform and then check whether the program behaved as it was supposed to. With the test cases in place, the next step is actually to perform the tests. UAT is when we conduct a test to see whether a software product meets the business requirements.
It is the final stage of software development before moving on to production. The end-user does it to verify a software system before moving the software product to a live environment. It confirms whether the solution works well for the user or not. UAT is different from unit testing , integration testing , and system testing. System testing ensures that the system does not crash and meets the documented requirements.
On the other hand, UAT ensures that the software system is working as per the business requirements. The system is evaluated in real-life scenarios from the external user point of view. You should do the test in an environment equivalent to a production environment. The end-users or the client conducts UAT. These can be the end-users of a custom made software or someone who has requested custom software from a software developer as a service.
The people performing the test are called the test team. In an organization, the team should comprise members from all departments and different groups. The testing team should be comprised of subject matter experts. For example, accounting software UAT should involve accountants. The main reason why you need user acceptance testing is to validate if all business requirements of the software are met. This must be done before releasing the software to the market. UAT also validates that change requirements are implemented to suit the business requirements.
There could be some business changes that might not have been communicated to the development team effectively. UAT would be able to capture such changes. UAT ensures that the losses that may arise from post-release issues will be reduced.
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