What Does User Acceptance Testing (UAT) Mean?

User acceptance testing (UAT) is an important phase of the software development process that verifies whether a product or software is fit for the purpose it was built for in the first place—namely, that it:

Techopedia Explains User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

UAT can also be implemented by making software available for a free beta trial on the internet or through an in-house testing team.

The UAT strategy is outlined during the planning step. For example, the requirements for each intended feature that will be tested are noted, and the minimum standards that should be met are determined.

Test cases are designed to cover all the functional scenarios of the software in real-world usage. Each test must describe a sequence of steps and the expected results to cover an ideal usage scenario of the product. Ensure they use simple language and are written in a clear manner to make the test process easier for the testers.

The testing team is comprised of real-world end users that should meet certain criteria to be included (for example, knowledge of the business, ability to detect and report issues, etc.).

The testing team executes the designated test cases. Sometimes it also executes some relevant random tests. All bugs are logged in a testing document with relevant comments.

Responding to the bugs found by the testing team, the software development team makes final adjustments to the code to make the software bug free. After bugs and errors are fixed, testing can be run again to ensure that the issue was properly addressed.

When all bugs have been fixed, the testing team indicates acceptance of the software application. This shows that the application meets user requirements and is ready to be rolled out in the market.