What is user acceptance testing (UAT)?

UAT – an acronym that stands for “User Acceptance Testing” – is the very last step to take place before a software launch – from apps to websites, and even video games. But what is User Acceptance Testing? The main goal of this stage is to check whether the product is ready to be launched in the real world, and how it will be received by the real-life people who may use it. 

User acceptance testing – illustrative photo. Image source: Unsplash, free license

This test is designed to inspect every aspect of the software in question. Are there any bugs? Has public expectation been met prior to release? Is the product strong enough to compete with its rivals? If the answer to each of these questions is “yes”, then the product is ready for the final production stage, before going to market. On the other hand, if the results are unsatisfactory, it’s time to take a step back and address any mistakes and weaknesses. 

To facilitate this step, draw up a detailed document containing all the boxes to be ticked during UAT. You may also choose to make a decision tree to ensure that all necessary stages are well-defined, and clear to all involved. 

User Acceptance Testing prevents embarrassment

Done properly, UAT can anticipate and prevent embarrassing situations. A classic example of what not to do is the Cyberpunk 2077 game, released in December 2020 to widespread anticipation. Years in the making, the first version of the game contained countless bugs and glitches, and became an instant joke on social media. 

That was most certainly the result of sub-standard UAT. After the initial launch, the company had to rework and correct mistakes – a cautionary tale explaining why this production stage can save time instead of wasting it, as some suggest.

Test to predict

The ways in which users interact with software can often be unpredictable. Some product uses only emerge during testing, no matter how great your confidence in your development team. And since surprises can arise anywhere, all production areas should engage in UAT. 

Teams should test all scenarios in which users can interact with the software. For instance, when testing a shop website, find out how it reacts to small and large purchases, how it responds to canceled orders, items added to the shopping cart after check out, login-in, registration, and so on. 

Key criteria to assess

Security: glitches that lead to hacker attacks are a leading example of what security tests should be checking. This is especially relevant for platforms such as online stores, where users supply personal documents and bank account details. Other security issues, such as data protection, also go under scrutiny at this stage. 

Usability: the focus here is on user experience. Is the software easy to use, or do people need clarification while navigating through it? Does it run smoothly, or is it full of stress-inducing glitches? Is it stable, or does it stop working for no apparent reason? Those are some of the questions to be answered when evaluating usability. If the software is intended for use on multiple devices, such as cell phones and desktop computers, then it is vital to consider whether it is responsive and works well across the board. 

Performance: this test assesses speed and efficiency. To ensure a pleasurable experience for users, the software should respond and load quickly, and do everything it’s supposed to. 

Requirements: This test lets users know what the software is for, and asks them to assess design choices and consider how the product can help them. 

How to organize UAT and and put it into practice

Now that we know what User Acceptance Testing is and the key aspects to be evaluated, let’s look at how it is carried out. 

Planning

Understanding what the team is going to test is key here. Depending on the goals and style of the software, UAT may try out different things on users. All concerned parties should decide what they want to test in a real-world setting before moving ahead. 

Designing the tests 

Once the goals and tests are established, it’s time to define how they will take place. During this phase, the team should define the scenarios to be tested, the ways in which users will be asked to engage with the software, and the duration of the UAT. 

Choosing test subjects

Users should be selected from a target audience that makes sense for the software in question. They can’t belong to the development team, since the aim is to test the reactions of an unfamiliar audience, and eliminate bias.

Implementation

The tests have been designed, and the subjects have been chosen. It’s time to run the tests and gather relevant data, reactions and findings. 

Analysis

With these results in hand, developers should analyse what is working and what isn’t, to inform what needs to be updated or maintained.

Fixing mistakes

Bugs, glitches, poor user experience, security gaps and other flaws identified during UAT must be corrected after thoroughly evaluating the results.

A second round of testing

Once this is done, test the software again to check whether the updates are sufficient, or more needs to be done. If it does, the team should repeat the last step. If not, the product is market-ready.