What is uat and uvt?

What is the difference between User Acceptance Testing(UAT) and User Verification Testing(UVT). Getting started with UAT testing isn't that easy. By request from Jimeno, a multi-skilled IT professional who has successfully managed to get in and out of leading UAT in one week, I am. Customer performs UVT (User Verification Testing), only different from UAT in the sense that users can't stop a release; Finally install instructions. Designing test cases: These are created to cover the core functional scenarios of the software in real-world usage.

What is User Acceptance Testing (UAT) – A Detailed Guide

Last Updated: 11 Apr 2023

1. What is UAT Testing?

2. Why UAT is essential for your business?

3. Who Performs UAT?

4. What are The Benefits of UAT Testing for Businesses?

5. Pre-requisites Businesses Must Know Before Performing UAT Testing

6. Phases of UAT Testing

7. What are UAT Testing best practices?

8. Types of UAT Testing Businesses Should Know

9. Conclusion

In the software product development process, software testing plays an important role as it ensures and upholds the software product quality. The various phases of this software testing are Unit testing, Integration testing, System testing, Acceptance testing and interestingly, the last phase of software testing, which is named UAT or User Acceptance Testing. It has a significant role in this entire automation software testing process.

The last stage of the software testing process is known as UAT. This UAT process plays an important and crucial role as it validates whether all the business requirements have been fulfilled or not before releasing the actual product.

Further, UAT testing meaning can also be defined as the user methodology where the developed software is tested by the business user to validate if the software is working as per the specifications defined. This type of testing is also known as beta testing, application testing or more commonly end-user testing.

The UAT testing process is taken up before planning to release the software into the market. This step ensures whether the software is complete according to the functional specifications defined by the product owner or not.

It is highly essential for the product owner to take up this process else businesses suffer from significant losses due to many post-release issues.

Usually, this process is taken up as the last phase wherein intended users or rather the customer verify if the functionality as outlined in the user story or requirements documents exists. Specifically, the UAT process is taken up with a separate UAT test plan and in a separate testing environment with typically enabling production-like data set up to make the client/end-user clearly understand the developed software.

UAT is an essential step to be taken up by the business owner / intended user / product-owner / client / stakeholder to have a first-hand understanding of software/product developed. The business user verifies and validates the software system developed before it is actually moved to the production environment.

The various stakeholders involved in the UAT testing process include business analyst, QA lead or Test Manager, requirements specialist (if any), and the business or product owner. Primarily, UAT testing ensures if the developed system can effectively be used to support the business’s day-to-day operations and works as per the user stories laid down. Typically, the product owner verifies if the solution works in full swing without any defects and confirms whether it meets their needs or not.

If any bugs are identified, then the QA team should necessarily fix them up and re-test them. Hence, it is an essential step for software product development as businesses tend to incur significant losses if post-production issues occur.

– Client

– End users

• UAT helps in identifying the bugs that are left during the integration testing

• Reduces the risk of finding defects post-production

• Helps to identify the behaviour of the developed application as visualized by the product owner or the end-user who actually uses the software

• UAT ensures the developed application functions well and meets the defined business conditions as defined in the requirements document

Following are the entry criteria for User Acceptance Testing:

• Check if the application code has been fully developed

• Make sure if unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and acceptance testing has all been done by the QA teams

• Check and verify if regression testing has been completed and no major defects have been identified

• Check whether all reported defects have been fixed and re-tested

• Ensure Traceability matrix should also be made available

• Ensure an effective UAT environment must be made ready

• Ensure a Sign-off mail from the system testing team is received

• Ensure to have a UAT checklist before starting the UAT process

Assigning a UAT Test Manager to oversee the entire process of UAT is essentially done in this stage. Proper planning and execution strategy are outlined here. Identification of critical resources is done and preparation of a critical resource plan is done.

UAT readiness is ensured in this phase as the UAT test environment is set up, preparation of test management plan along with test data, interfaces, data, authorization along with scenario readiness is done here.

Proper action plans with UAT priorities are done in this phase. A triage process is kept in place to prioritize the assessments of defects blocking if any. An effective mechanism to track test scenarios and test scripts based on the requirements defined is taken up.

This is an important phase and proper identification of priority defects is taken up and more focus is placed on performing root cause analysis assessments. A trial run of UAT processes is done to validate execution and defects assignment and assessment is taken up for proper and quick resolution.

In this final phase of UAT, accurate defect and testing status reports and defect reporting is generated from the test management system. Finally, a sign-off when all bugs have been fixed indicates the acceptance of the software. This final phase ensures and validates that the application developed meets the user requirements and is ready to be moved to production.

Following are the 5 UAT testing best practices:

User identification is the first step. Selecting a group of users (who are interested in the product) is essential for conducting UAT. These users are none other than the end-users of the product. These users can be from the company or from outside or both.

There has to be a methodical plan for UAT testers to perform UAT testing productively. As these testers will be going through all the features of the product, their feedback in terms of how they want the product to function should be documented.

A test environment is crucial for the success of UAT. Those users who’ve been selected to perform UAT must have the credentials and data to carry out testing effectively.

As in certain scenarios, if the users are located at remote locations, it would be wise to schedule a common date and time to carry out UAT. Prior planning in terms of the technicalities involved in performing the testing activity should be clearly informed so that the users are well aware of all the implications.

When the test goes live, there will be issues pertaining to addressing bugs. Let the user track and properly list all the bugs that have been encountered. The concerned team responsible for fixing bugs must prioritize the bugs and then solve it accordingly in a systematic manner.

Alpha and Beta testing are the approaches in UAT that are practiced before releasing the software to the customers.

Alpha testing is practiced in the early development phase with the help of internal teams. Before releasing the software to the customers, the potential user groups conduct this testing in the development environment. The feedback received from the alpha testers helps the development teams to fix the bugs and improve the overall quality of the product.

Beta Testing takes place in the customer environment by involving a group of customers for testing. The feedback from this testing group helps in enhancing the quality of the software.

Both these testing processes are done before the actual application or software is released to production.

RAT, also known as Compliance Acceptance testing, is the method to validate if the developed application complies with the rules and regulations as set by the governing agencies at the governmental level. This is a very important testing practice as the application is tested for its compliance towards a set of guidelines given by the prevailing authority.

In this type of UAT testing approach, the software developed is tested against certain critical criteria. These criteria and specifications have been earlier defined and mentioned while the contract is made.

BAT is a user acceptance testing type that helps to validate whether the developed software satisfies the requirements and specifications that are set by the business.

OAT is also known as Production Acceptance Testing is one of the UAT testing types that helps in assuring whether there is a proper workflow for the software, i.e. its reliability, compatibility, stability, etc.

In this type of UAT testing, the testing teams are allowed to analyze a few functionalities of the application without knowing the internal code structure. Though black box testing is categorized under functional testing, but it is a part of UAT as it uses the same principles that the user is unaware of the codebase. This testing ensures that the software meets the business requirements.

Businesses are in need of quality software along with faster releases today to beat the competition. Software testing is an essential component of the software product development and essentially User Acceptance testing should be taken up by the business or the product owner.

UAT testing helps in validating whether the developed software is functioning according to the requirements specified and if it meets all the user stories as defined.

Leverage next-gen independent software testing service providers that ensures the quality software is delivered with careful UAT test plans and guides businesses through to arrive at an effective UAT testing process. With this UAT testing approach, businesses can rest assured of a product that effectively meets their requirements and is all ready to be moved to production.

Ultraviolet transmission or UV transmittance (UVT) is a water quality measurement. The method works by measuring the amount of UV light, typically at 254 nm, that is able to pass through a water sample of a given path length. It is defined as the ratio of the intensity of light after passing through a water sample (l) to the intensity of light at the source (l0), expressed as a percentage:

UVT will be different for different path lengths. Because the UV transmittance varies with path length and the concentration of matter, the UVT is usually expressed with the assumption that a 1 cm path length is used so that the UVT provides a measure of matter in the water independent of path length.

When light passes through the water sample, any substances present will absorb or scatter the light. Therefore, a sample with a high concentration of substances will have a low UVT and a sample with a low concentration of substances will have a high UVT. A pure water sample, such as deionized (DI) water, will have a UVT of 100%. The below image further illustrates this relationship.

UVT is an important measurement for the UV disinfection process. UV disinfection is a treatment process where UV light is used to inactivate pathogenic microorganisms in water or wastewater. Understanding water quality conditions and the capacity of UV light able to penetrate the water via UVT enables the system to determine the UV dose or lamp output settings require for proper disinfection of the water.

UV Transmission varies over time and from site to site as it is related to the quantity of organics, colloidal solids and other material in the water which absorb and scatter the UV light as it passes through the water column.

In a UV disinfection system, if the UVT of the water is low, then the UV light is not able to penetrate the water as effectively, thereby reducing the potency of the dose. For this reason, it is very important to monitor UVT and ensure its levels are maintained above the manufacturer’s minimum for proper disinfection to occur.

It is also useful prior to the installation of a UV disinfection system to determine the expected UVT water quality range for design purposes.

Real Tech’s instruments come in a variety of forms for the different application requirements including portable test meters, bypass cabinet analyzers and submersible probes.

To learn more read our UV Transmittance 101 article.

The methodology of User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is pretty straight-forward. The implementation itself requires some in-depth knowledge on the available types of User Acceptance Testing, though.

User Acceptance Testing is the process of verifying that a created solution/software works for ‘the user’. This might sound easy enough but, in practice, it isn’t.

To make your journey into User Acceptance Testing a bit easier, we researched the 5 most common types of User Acceptance Testing you have to consider.

If you’re just getting started with User Acceptance Testing, we’ve prepared a UAT testing checklist you can download. It covers everything from preparing your team and your test environment to executing and then evaluating the UAT test.

An acceptance test can be understood as a way to check if a previously defined “contract” between the developer and the client is still on track. Running those acceptance tests also ensures that no requirement change has happened in the meantime and that everything is as it should be to satisfy the client.

Acceptance tests are useful, because:

When looking at the process of software development, we can see that UAT is utilised to identify & verify client needs.

Now you’re probably wondering about the differences between User Acceptance Testing and functional testing.

User Acceptance Tests consist of a set of test steps, which verify if specific requirements are working for the user. If the customer and the supplier agree on the product, the software development starts. Legally. And practically.

Functional testing, on the other hand, tests specific requirements and specifications of the software. It lacks the user component. A functional test could conclude that the software meets its specifications. However, it doesn’t verify if it actually works for the user. The functional dimension is only one of many.

Let me give you an example: Let’s say, Facebook launches a new feature, allowing Facebook users to send postcards to family & friends. Technically the implemented solution works. Testers also can use it – however due to lack of interest and need, no one will want to send printed postcards. Functional tests would go well, usability tests would go fine too, but the user acceptance test would probably fail as Facebook users do not demand to send postcards within Facebook.

Now that we’ve clearly separated functional testing from User Acceptance Testing, we can look at the various types of User Acceptance Testing. The following User Acceptance Testing Types exist:

Alpha Testing normally takes place in the development environment and is usually done by internal staff. Long before the product is even released to external testers or customers. Also potential user groups might conduct Alpha Tests, but the important thing here is that it takes place in the development environment.

Based on the feedback – collected from the alpha testers – development teams then fix certain issues and improve the usability of the product.

Beta Testing, also known as “field testing”, takes place in the customer’s environment and involves some extensive testing by a group of customers who use the system in their environment. These beta testers then provide feedback, which in turn leads to improvements of the product.

Alpha and Beta Testing are done before the software is released to all customers.

Yes, there is a User Acceptance Testing tool for that! Asking testers via email to provide their test results is still a popular way to conduct and run alpha/beta tests. And yet you’re probably wondering, “but isn’t there a better solution for that?” Luckily, there is.

Usersnap is a great solution for asking alpha and beta testers for feedback.

It’s an easy-to-use UAT solution that helps QA teams verify if a certain solution works for the user. By having a simple feedback widget, alpha and beta testers can provide comprehensive feedback on a software prototype.

With Usersnap, UAT teams can easily gather and analyse qualitative feedback from testers. And for testers it’s super-easy to work through a first alpha or beta test, as they can simply draw on their screen to provide feedback.

Usersnap offers a free 15-day trial as an easy way to get your testing project started. Sign up now

Contract Acceptance Testing means that a developed software is tested against certain criteria and specifications which are predefined and agreed upon in a contract. The project team defines the relevant criteria and specifications for acceptance at the same time when the team agrees on the contract itself.

Regulation Acceptance Testing, also known as Compliance Acceptance Testing, examines whether the software complies with the regulations. This includes governmental and legal regulations.

Also known as Operational Readiness Testing or Production Acceptance Testing, these test cases ensure there are workflows in place to allow the software or system to be used. This should include workflows for backup plans, user training, and various maintenance processes and security checks.

Black Box Testing is often categorized as functional testing, but can, to some extent, be seen as a type of User Acceptance Testing.

It’s a method of software testing which analyzes certain functionalities without letting testers see the internal code structure. Black Box Testing is part of User Acceptance Testing, because Black Box Tests share the same principles as UAT.

During Black Box Tests the user isn’t aware of any code base, but only about the requirements which the software should meet.

Testers do not require any specific knowledge about the application or any of its features. The tester conducting Black Box Tests is only aware of what the software is supposed to do. They don’t know how it should be done.

Many QA and development teams use Black Box Testing for their UAT efforts pretty frequently.

Of course, there are more types of User Acceptance Testing. I hope that by providing you with our basic overview of 5 types of User Acceptance Testing, we shed some light into the darkness of UAT.

Last but not least, I wanted to give you a heads-up on Usersnap, which is our very own visual user acceptance testing solution, used by companies like Facebook, Google, and Microsoft.

Start your UAT efforts with a free Usersnap trial.