How to Perform a User Acceptance Test (UAT)

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By Launie Sorrels, eHow Member

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Perform a User Acceptance Test (UAT)

User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is performed after the application is created. The application will have already passed through unit, integration and system testing before reaching this testing stage. Acceptance Testing gives the user time to run the application and verify it meets all the requirements that were set forth to the developers. Acceptance testing will help filter out any bugs that need to be addressed concerning usability issues.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Reread the requirements that were defined during the "Requirements Definition" phase of the project.
Step 2

Utilizing the defined requirements implement a User Acceptance Testing Strategy. This strategy will usually involve some or all of the following: Design "User Acceptance Testing Test Cases," Form a team that will implement the UAT Test Cases, Execute the Test Cases, Track all bugs found during the UAT, Fix or resolve any bug issues and the "Sign Off" stage.
Step 3

Begin the UAT once the UAT Strategy has been designed.
Step 4

Design the UAT Test Cases. The team you will create will execute the UAT Test Cases. These cases will be designed with the input provided by the requirements of the user, the Business Analysis team and the Project Management team. The UAT will test normal usability of the application in the user's environment. The UAT is typically black box testing. All coding and white box testing should have already been tested before reaching this stage. Here are some simple examples that may appear in an UAT:

Fields that are numerical do not accept letters and vice versa
Calculations are performed correctly
Information is properly saved when required
Warnings appear when they should and give accurate information to the user on what to do next

Each of these examples would appear in the Test Cases for each page being tested. They would not be a blanketed question for the entire application. Example from the first example above:

"Shipping and Receiving" page
"Cost" field does not accept letters.
"Address" field accepts alphanumeric characters.
"Name" field does not accept numerical input
Step 5

Select a well balanced team to perform the UAT. Typically these members are the actual soon-to-be users of the application. Add people from different departments that will touch different areas of the application. This will help give the application a thorough testing throughout the User Acceptance Testing cycle.
Step 6

Execute the UAT. The team will follow the UAT test cases and try to 'break' the application.
Step 7

Record any defects or bugs found during the execution phase. The UAT team will record any and all bugs found by them.
Step 8

Fix or resolve the bugs found by the team. The team will find some issues that were not initially mentioned in the "Requirements Definition." Report these to project management and have them contact the users. The bugs will be resolved by fixing, updating or ignoring the reported issue.
Step 9

Sign off. When all requirements are met contact the client and have them sign off that the application is acceptable. At this time you will send all test cases, strategies and procedures to the client, and they will pay you for your hard work.