What is an User Acceptance Testing?
User Acceptance Testing, or UAT for short, is part of software development. The process is at the very end and checks the user-friendliness of the new application. It is important that the right questions are asked and the right testers found.
At the end of the software development , extensive tests are carried out in order to be able to publish the result as error-free as possible. User acceptance testing is the very last step, which takes place after testing all functions, the units involved, the integration of other solutions and the overall system.
As the name suggests, the aim is to determine user acceptance. Put simply, answers must be found to the following questions:
- Does the development meet the expectations of the users?
- Does the result meet the wishes of the users?
If one of the two answers is “No”, the reasons for this must be determined in order to be able to identify possible solutions.
Components of the UAT exams
User acceptance is generally determined based on the following criteria:
- Is usability guaranteed? So can a user use the software without much training?
- Does the software behave as users expect at every point? For example, is the design language consistent?
- Is the software performing well enough to carry out all the tasks that users usually want to do at the same time with a reasonable speed?
- Are there any functions missing that are actually expected by the users? Here it is often small things, such as the desire to be able to print certain forms, etc.
- Are the provided support materials understandable and useful for users? Auxiliary materials that are too long, for example, are often not read and are therefore useless, no matter how easy they are to understand.
Procedure of the tests for user acceptance
User acceptance testing is often referred to as beta or end user testing. These are processes in which the software is made available to a certain public before it is actually published. The aim is to get as close as possible to a “real world mission”. So it is not just any users that are selected, but those users who will actually work with the software later.
With mainstream solutions such as new operating systems, an open beta phase is therefore often carried out, since as many impressions as possible from different user groups have to be collected. In the case of software developed on behalf of customers, on the other hand, only the appropriate people are actually invited.
The test phase begins when the development team signals that all known requirements have been incorporated and the most serious errors eliminated. A procedure should also be incorporated that sends reports to the developers at short intervals. Some companies also divide the UAT into four to five phases:
- Beta: The general fulfillment of expectations is checked.
- [Optional] Contract acceptance for development on behalf of the customer: Are all contractually stipulated requirements met?
- Regulation acceptance : Does the software comply with general regulations?
- Operation acceptance: Does the software work with typical user workflows?
- Black box acceptance: Testers check any functions without knowing the software code.
