๐Ÿ‘Œ User Acceptance Tests (UAT)

Is it working as expected?

What’s are Acceptance Tests?

User Acceptance Tests (UAT) are the final step in the product or software testing process. During UAT, real users test the feature or product in a real-world environment to ensure it meets all specified requirements and performs necessary tasks according to the initial specifications. This stage validates that the product fulfills business needs and user expectations before it goes live.

Benefits

โž• Ensures quality

Acceptance testing is crucial for validating that the product meets both user and business requirements. By testing against predefined Acceptance Criteria, it confirms the product’s quality and identifies functional or usability issues that need to be addressed before launch.

โž• Reduces risks

By identifying and fixing issues before release, UAT reduces the risk of encountering major problems post-launch. This proactive approach prevents costly and time-consuming fixes after deployment.

โž• Builds confidence

UAT reassures stakeholders that the product is ready for release. By demonstrating that it performs well in real-world scenarios, stakeholders gain confidence in the productโ€™s ability to deliver value to users.

What About Acceptance Criteria?

Acceptance Criteria are established early in the development process and guide the creation of UAT test cases. During UAT, testers use these criteria to validate that the product meets all defined standards. If a feature fails to meet the Acceptance Criteria, it cannot pass UAT and must be revised before deployment.

How UAT and Acceptance Criteria Work Together: Acceptance Criteria are established early in the development process and guide the creation of UAT test cases. During UAT, testers use these criteria to validate that the product meets all defined standards. If a feature fails to meet the Acceptance Criteria, it cannot pass UAT and must be revised before deployment.

Playbook

โช Prepare

Define Acceptance Criteria: Collaborate with stakeholders to define clear Acceptance Criteria based on user stories, business requirements, and use cases. These criteria will guide the creation of test cases for UAT.

Select UAT participants: Recruit actual users or representatives who closely match the target audience. Ensure they understand their role in testing the software.

Prepare the test environment: Set up a testing environment that mirrors the production environment to ensure realistic and reliable test results.

โ–ถ๏ธ Run

Conduct UAT: Allow selected users to perform UAT using the developed test cases. Ensure they are familiar with the Acceptance Criteria and testing procedures.

Document results: Record the outcomes of each test, noting whether each case passed or failed. Gather detailed feedback from users on any issues encountered.

โญ๏ธ After

Review and address issues: Review the test results with stakeholders and address any issues identified. Retest any failed cases until all Acceptance Criteria are met.

Obtain sign-off: Once all tests are passed, secure formal approval from stakeholders to confirm the product is ready for deployment.

3 Bad Practices to Avoid

โš ๏ธ Lack of clear Acceptance Criteria

Without clear criteria, itโ€™s challenging to develop effective test cases and accurately measure success. This can lead to misunderstandings, incomplete testing, and a failure to meet user and business requirements. To avoid these issues, collaborate with stakeholders to establish comprehensive and clear acceptance criteria before starting UAT. Ensure these criteria draw from user stories, business requirements, and use cases. They should be documented clearly and understood by all parties involved to prevent potential misalignments and ensure thorough testing.

โš ๏ธ Inadequate user involvement

Involving the wrong users in User Acceptance Testing (UAT) can lead to feedback that does not accurately reflect real-world usage or meet the actual needs of your target audience. This oversight can result in a product that falls short of user expectations and fails to resolve critical usability issues. To prevent this, it’s crucial to ensure that actual end-users or accurate representatives of your target user base are actively engaged in the UAT process. Make an effort to recruit a diverse group of users who can provide comprehensive feedback on various facets of the software, thus enhancing the validity and relevance of the test results.

โš ๏ธ Ignoring user feedback

Neglecting user feedback during User Acceptance Testing (UAT) can result in unresolved issues and a product that fails to meet user needs or expectations, leading to dissatisfaction and potentially more defects after release. To prevent this, it is essential to document all feedback and issues reported thoroughly. Collaborate with stakeholders to review this feedback, prioritize the issues based on their impact, and take decisive action to resolve them. Additionally, keep users informed about how their feedback is being used to improve the product, reinforcing their value to the development process and maintaining trust.

Example

User performing UAT for a property rental app, testing the search, property details, booking process, and system performance.

#1 Definition of Acceptance Criteria

Functional Requirements:

  • Users must be able to search for properties by location, dates, and number of guests.
  • Users must be able to view detailed property information, including photos, descriptions, amenities, and user reviews.
  • Users must be able to select a property, choose dates, and book it successfully.
  • Users must receive a booking confirmation with details via email and within the app.

    Non-Functional Requirements:

    • The booking process should be completed within a maximum of 5 steps.
    • Page load time should not exceed 2 seconds for any step.
    • The app should be able to handle at least 100 concurrent bookings without performance degradation.

      #2 UAT test cases

      Test Case 1: Search for Properties

      • Steps: Enter location, select dates, select number of guests, and click โ€œSearch.โ€
      • Expected Outcome: A list of available properties is displayed with accurate results that match the entered criteria. Users should see the correct number of guests, dates, and location reflected in the search results.

      Test Case 2: View Property Details

      • Steps: Click on a property from the search results.
      • Expected Outcome: The property details page is displayed with complete information, including high-quality photos, a detailed description, amenities, and user reviews. The page should load within 2 seconds and all elements should be clearly visible without errors.

      Test Case 3: Book a Property

      • Steps: Select dates, number of guests, click โ€œBook,โ€ enter payment details, and confirm booking.
      • Expected Outcome: The booking process completes successfully within 5 steps, and a confirmation message appears on the screen. The user also receives a booking confirmation email with all relevant booking details within a few minutes.

      Test Case 4: Handle Errors in Booking

      • Steps: Attempt to book a property without entering all required information (e.g., missing dates or payment details).
      • Expected Outcome: Appropriate error messages are displayed, guiding the user to correct the missing information. Errors should be clear, actionable, and displayed immediately to prevent user frustration.

      #2 UAT test results documentation

      Test Case 1: Search for Properties

      • Actual Outcome: The search function displayed properties matching the location and guest criteria, but there were occasional delays in displaying results, exceeding the 2-second load time.
      • Status: Passed with performance issue (delay noted).
      • Notes: Optimize the search algorithm to ensure faster response times within the expected 2-second threshold.

      Test Case 2: View Property Details

      • Actual Outcome: The property details page displayed correctly with all required elements. Load time averaged 1.8 seconds.
      • Status: Passed.
      • Notes: User feedback indicated satisfaction with the amount of detail provided on the page.

      Test Case 3: Book a Property

      • Actual Outcome: Booking completed in 4 steps, confirmation displayed immediately, and email received within 2 minutes.
      • Status: Passed.
      • Notes: Some users requested more clarity on payment options during the booking process.

      Test Case 4: Handle Errors in Booking

      • Actual Outcome: Error messages were displayed correctly, and users were able to complete the booking after correcting errors. However, one error message was reported as unclear.
      • Status: Passed with feedback.
      • Notes: Review and improve the wording of error messages to enhance clarity.

      Disclaimer: This is a hypothetical example created solely for illustrative purposes to demonstrate how User Acceptance Testing (UAT) can be applied in a property rental app scenario. The scenarios, participants, and results are fictional and intended for demonstration only.

      UAT Prompt for ChatGPT

      I need assistance with defining user cases and writing User Acceptance Tests (UAT) for a [describe your application, e.g., property booking app, e-commerce website, etc.]. Could you help me with the following: User Cases: List and describe the primary user cases for the application. Focus on key functionalities that users will interact with. User Acceptance Tests (UAT): For each user case, provide detailed UAT test cases, including: Steps to execute the test. Expected outcomes. Any specific acceptance criteria.

      Here are some details about the application to guide you:

      • Application Name: [Name of the application]
      • Description: [Brief description of what the application does]
      • Key Features: [List of key features, e.g., search functionality, booking process, user reviews, payment processing, etc.]
      • Target Users: [Description of the target users, e.g., travelers, shoppers, etc.]

      Please provide comprehensive examples for each user case, ensuring that the UAT covers both functional and non-functional requirements.

      โœ๏ธ Note from the author

      User Acceptance Testing and Acceptance Criteria are essential components of the final stages of product development. My aim with this page is to simplify these concepts and provide a clear overview that can guide you through implementing UAT effectively. While there are many ways to approach UAT, this page focuses on a high-level understanding, emphasizing theory and practical guidance.

      Itโ€™s important to remember that the actual implementation of UAT will vary based on your specific context, resources, and tools. My goal is to share what has worked for me, provide some experience-based insights, and help you get started or refine your own approach. Whether youโ€™re new to UAT or looking to enhance your current process, I hope this serves as a valuable reference to support your productโ€™s successful delivery.

      Tolgay B.

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