Software testing is an important process in software development. Moreover, software testing is done to ensure the delivery of optimal results for different business processes. To this end, the article will highlight the importance of Acceptance Test in software engineering.
Let us begin by knowing what Acceptance Testing is.
What is Acceptance Testing?
Usually, after the System Testing process is completed by the testing team, the product or application is handed over to the customers to test for its acceptability. It is important that the product/application be flawless and meet the critical and major business requirements.
Furthermore, the production-like environment will be the testing environment for Acceptance Testing. Moreover, it is a black box technique where only the functionality is verified. This is done to ensure that the product meets the specified acceptance criteria.
Why is Acceptance Testing Done by Customers?
This, of course, is a logical question. Why should customers perform this test? Well, it is for the following reasons,
To ensure the quality of the product that is getting released in the market.
To ensure optimal performance of the product.
Importantly, to make sure that the product matches current market standards and is moreover competitive enough with other similar products in the market.
To put it in simple words, User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is done bearing the following factors in mind, namely, Reputation Risk, Legal Risk, Time Risk, and Resource Risk.
Different Types of User Acceptance Testing
The different types of UAT are,
Alpha Testing
Alpha testing is usually done by customers at the developer’s site. Moreover, it is performed by potential users like developers, end users or organization users before it is released to external customers and report the defects found while alpha testing.
Beta Testing
Beta Testing is also known as Field Testing. This is done to get feedback from the market. Furthermore, this testing is conducted by limited users. And all issues detected during this testing is reported on a continual basis to help improve the system.
Contract Acceptance Testing
Here the software is tested against certain criteria. Moreover, the criteria and specifications are defined during the making of the contract.
Regulation Acceptance Testing / Compliance Acceptance Testing
This test phase is done to ensure whether the software complies with legal and government regulations.
Operational Acceptance Testing (OAT)
This test ensures a proper workflow for the software to be used. This comprises of backup plans, maintenance, and training.
Black Box Testing
This testing is often categorized as functional testing. This type of test allows the tester to analyze certain functionalities without letting the testers to see the internal code.
Furthermore, the principles of Black Box testing are similar to User Acceptance Testing.
Benefits of Acceptance Testing
The benefits of Acceptance Testing are,
It collects the user requirements in a verifiable way
It spots the issues missed during the unit or integration testing
Significantly, it facilitates collaboration between developers, domain experts, and customers.
It paves the way for a well-defined contract between developers and customers
The chances of new defects and regressions are minimal
It provides an overview of the system.
Feedback/surveys conducted help in improving the product performance and user experience
Completely remove or minimize the issues arising from the Production Product.
Conclusion
User Acceptance Testing is important as it helps demonstrate that the required business functions are operating in a manner suited to real-world circumstances.
Furthermore, UAT generally takes 5-10% of the project time but it saves almost 30% of the total waste. Investing in Acceptance Testing frees up your organization from incurring a huge loss.
Author Bio
Isaac John is a Content Manager at Zuan Education, an institute of excellence offering software testing course. He is always thrilled about writing on disruptive technologies. He strongly believes in delivering products that yield optimal performance, satisfying business purposes.
