Software and hardware testing are essential in implementing any technology that is developed or configured for your business. While there are many different types of testing, User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is unique in that it is the only time when business or end users are engaged as the primary owners. Other types of testing such as unit, system, security, integration, and scalability are primarily performed by IT team members who have a more technical perspective and do not have the same level of business knowledge as an end user.
Techopedia defines UAT as “the last phase of the software testing process. During UAT, actual software users test the software to make sure that it can handle required tasks in real-world scenarios, according to specification.”
It has been well established that UAT is an important, and some argue the most critical, part of testing. The primary reason to perform UAT is to ensure that you decrease risks that are inherent in the introduction of new software to your business. Therefore, common objectives of UAT is to verify that the software meets the business requirements and to confirm that it supports the day-to-day operations. This is usually the last chance to identify and fix software bugs prior to production release.
Successful UAT can be difficult in practice due to many challenges that project teams encounter. It is imperative to be aware of the challenges and have mitigation measures in-place. Some of the more frequent challenges and recommended mitigation strategies are listed in the table below.
Challenge |
Recommended Mitigation |
USER AVAILABILITY: End users have established day-to-day operational responsibilities independent of UAT. This often results in resource constraints, especially if the UAT schedule changes. |
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TEST ENVIRONMENT: There are multiple environments for different types of testing. UAT should have a dedicated environment. If software fixes are not done in a well-coordinated manner amongst all environments, it may result in confusion, wasted effort, and potentially false test results. |
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TEST DATA: Test data should be as close to production data as possible for meaningful UAT results. Test data setup is often overlooked until just prior to UAT and could cause delays. |
Each end user should have their own dedicated test data so as not to impact others during UAT. If there are test scenarios that cross business functions, carefully coordinate test data usage between multiple users. |
COMMUNICATION: Interactions between business end users and technical team members can be a challenge and can be compounded if technical testing is executed offshore by a third party team in different countries. Time zone and primary language differences are influencing factors in effective communication. A misunderstanding on a small incident may cause delays or require re-testing. |
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SCOPE CREEP: This issue is two-fold; 1) There are occasions where an end user will log a defect when identifying a function useful to a business workflow but which is not included in the software requirements, and 2) An end user may identify an existing production issue that is not part of the software code deployment and log it as a defect. |
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UAT is undoubtedly an important part of the overall world of software testing. Ninestone consultants have in-depth knowledge on best practices for testing on small, medium and large projects with unit, system integration, end to end, scalability, regression, and UAT. We can help you create an appropriate test plan and manage its execution for project success.
Tammy Chu, Senior Ninestone Consultant
September 2017