10 User Acceptance Testing Best Practices & Challenges

User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is a critical stage in software development. End users test the program to ensure it satisfies their needs and functions as intended in a practical setting before the software release. 

Quality Assurance (QA) teams should be aware of the essential best practices to ensure user acceptance testing is carried out successfully. We present the top 10 user acceptability test practices based on the end results they produce.

How does User Acceptance Testing (UAT) work?

User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is software testing that determines whether a system or application meets the requirements and expectations of its end users. UAT is typically the final phase of the software testing process, carried out after functional and system testing has been completed.

During UAT, the end-users, or a representative group of end-users, test the software in a real-world environment to ensure that it performs as expected and meets their needs. This includes testing for 

By conducting UAT, you can ensure that the software meets the requirements of its users and is ready for deployment. This helps to minimize the risk of issues and errors that could negatively impact the user experience or business operations. Once UAT is successfully completed, the software is typically considered ready for release.

Who Performs User Acceptance Testing (UAT)? 

End users are the people who will use the program in their day-to-day tasks, and their feedback is essential to ensure that the product satisfies their requirements and expectations. End users or a sample of end users who are knowledgeable about the specifications and use cases of the software often carry out User Acceptance Testing (UAT). Depending on the program being built, end users might be internal or external customers.

A specialist testing team may occasionally carry out UAT. However, it is typically advised that end users carry out UAT since they are in the ideal position to offer input on the functioning and usability of the product. 

Those conducting UAT should not be involved in software development; this will prevent bias in the testing process and ensure an impartial assessment of the software’s performance.

10 User Acceptance Testing Best Practices 

1- Involve the end-users 

UAT should be conducted exclusively by end-users or a representative group who understand software requirements and use cases well. This also means that you should know your target audience, what they prefer, and what might be problems for them. 

2- Define clear test scenarios

Test scenarios should be clearly defined and documented to ensure that all aspects of the software are tested. UAT test cases must be as complete, precise, and detailed as possible. It should also go over how well integrated new functionality is with old components. 

Clear test scenarios provide a structure and a defined process for UAT, making it easier for the end-users to conduct the testing and report any issues or defects they encounter.

3- Use realistic data without exposing user information

Realistic data should be used in UAT to simulate real-world scenarios and ensure that the software functions as expected. For example, if you’re developing an e-commerce website, you could use a realistic dataset that includes a variety of products, prices, and customer profiles, as well as simulated transactions, to test the system’s performance, accuracy, and usability. 

Exposure to user information is a risk even within the company. Therefore using synthetic data or Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PET) to generate test data can minimize exposure of user information, especially Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

As covered above, The UAT and QA environments should be kept entirely separate. If this is not possible, refresh the environment before UAT so that QA experts can verify everything is functioning. 

4- Invest in a good UAT management system

Investing in a UAT management system can bring significant benefits to your software development process, including

1. Streamlined UAT processes: A UAT management system can help streamline the UAT process by providing a centralized platform for test planning, execution, and tracking. 
2. Improved collaboration: A UAT management system can also improve collaboration among stakeholders, including developers, testers, and end-users. It provides a platform for accessible communication, feedback, and issue tracking, ensuring everyone is working towards a common goal.
3. Better test coverage and quality: By providing a platform for more comprehensive testing, a UAT management system can help to ensure better test coverage and quality. It can also assist in ensuring that all test scenarios are covered and that all defects are identified and resolved before the software is released to production.

In addition to the management tool, the communication between the development team, testing team, and end-users should be clear and open, with regular updates on the progress of the UAT as a crucial aspect.

5- Create scenarios based on business requirements

To create user scenarios based on specific business requirements and scenarios for User Acceptance Testing (UAT), you should:

1. Identify the business requirements: Review the business requirements and user needs that the software should address. Identify the scenarios where the user will interact with the software.
2. Define the personas: Define the personas or user roles who will use the software. These personas should represent the different users of the software, including their needs, goals, and motivations.
3. Create user scenarios: Based on the business requirements and user needs, create user stories that describe the software functionality from the user’s perspective. For example, a scenario should follow the “As a job seeker, I want a search engine so that I can search for jobs.”

6- Prioritize defects

Defects found during UAT should be prioritized based on their severity and impact on the user experience. Prioritizing defects found in User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is critical to ensure that the most critical issues are addressed before the software is released to production. Prioritizing defects will provide several benefits, such as:

1. Risk mitigation: Defects in UAT may represent significant risks to the end-users and the business. By prioritizing these defects, you can first address the most critical issues, reducing the likelihood of negative impacts on end-users and the business.
2. Cost and time savings: Prioritizing defects found in UAT can help to reduce the cost and time required to fix them. Focusing on the most critical issues first ensures that the development team uses their time and resources efficiently.
3. Reputation management: Defects found in UAT that are not addressed can harm the organization’s reputation. By prioritizing and addressing these defects, you can demonstrate your commitment to delivering high-quality software and manage your reputation

7- Set clear entry and exit criteria

Defining clear entry and exit criteria is essential for conducting UAT efficiently. Entry criteria ensure that the software is stable and ready for UAT, including factors like the completion of system testing, availability of test environments, and prepared test data. Exit criteria specify the conditions under which UAT can be considered complete, such as resolving critical defects, meeting performance benchmarks, and obtaining approval from stakeholders.

By clearly defining these criteria, you avoid ambiguity about when UAT can begin and end, ensuring better alignment with project timelines.

8- Conduct training for UAT participants

End-users conducting UAT may not always have in-depth technical expertise. Providing them with basic training on how to use the UAT environment, the objectives of testing, and the tools they need to record and track issues ensures that the process runs smoothly. A brief onboarding session can help them understand the scope of their involvement, how to log defects, and the importance of their feedback.

Empowering UAT participants with the right knowledge minimizes confusion and helps produce more accurate results.

9- Monitor test progress and provide real-time feedback

It’s crucial to track UAT progress closely and provide real-time feedback to the testers. Regular status updates help ensure that any blocking issues are addressed promptly, and testers remain motivated throughout the process. Real-time feedback loops, especially through a UAT management tool, help to capture issues early and make adjustments before they escalate.

Additionally, it ensures better engagement with end-users and gives them a clearer understanding of the impact their feedback will have.

10- Simulate peak load conditions

To ensure that the software performs well under stress, UAT should include testing under peak load conditions, especially if the application will be used by many users simultaneously. Simulating high-traffic situations helps uncover any performance bottlenecks that might not be evident under normal circumstances. Incorporating load testing into UAT can give a clearer picture of how the software will behave in real-world scenarios, particularly for large-scale applications.

This ensures both functional and non-functional requirements are thoroughly tested during the UAT phase.

What are the challenges in UAT?

1. Lack of Clear Requirements

• Challenge: When system requirements are not clearly defined or well-documented, testers may not fully understand what they are validating. Without a clear understanding, critical aspects of the system may go untested.
• Example: A scenario could be an e-commerce platform where the requirement is stated as “user can add products to the cart.” If it doesn’t specify conditions like “adding products from multiple vendors” or “adding out-of-stock items,” testers might miss testing these edge cases, leading to system failure when customers attempt these actions in production.
• Solution: Ensure that all requirements are clearly documented, including specific business rules, edge cases, and scenarios. Use business analysts to translate vague requirements into actionable test cases.

2. Inadequate Test Planning

• Challenge: Poor planning often leads to rushed or incomplete testing, especially if the UAT phase is shortened to meet tight project deadlines.
• Example: A situation could be a healthcare management system where UAT is scheduled for two weeks, but due to development delays, testers only have three days. As a result, they might only perform high-level tests on critical workflows (e.g., scheduling appointments) and overlook less frequent processes (e.g., updating patient records). Later, serious issues may be found in these overlooked areas.
• Solution: Allocate sufficient time for UAT in the project timeline, ensuring contingency time for delays. Define a phased UAT schedule that allows thorough testing of core features first, followed by secondary features.

3. Lack of User Involvement

• Challenge: If the users involved in UAT are not the actual end-users or those familiar with the system’s daily operations, they may overlook critical functionality or workflows.
• Example: A situation could be a financial reporting tool where UAT is performed by IT staff instead of financial analysts. The IT staff might focus on system performance and security, but miss critical business logic issues that a financial analyst would notice, such as incorrect tax calculations.
• Solution: Ensure that the right end-users, who are familiar with daily operations, are involved in UAT. Their knowledge of the business processes is crucial for effective testing.

4. Unrealistic Test Environment

• Challenge: UAT is often conducted in environments that don’t fully replicate the production setup, leading to undetected issues until after go-live.
• Example: A scenario could be a retail point-of-sale (POS) system where the UAT environment doesn’t include integration with external payment gateways or inventory systems. In production, users might encounter issues processing real payments or updating stock levels, which were never tested.
• Solution: Set up a test environment that closely mimics the production environment, including all integrations, data, and configurations.

5. Resistance to Change

• Challenge: Users may resist participating in UAT due to fear of changes to their workflows or unfamiliarity with the new system, leading to incomplete or biased testing.
• Example: A situation could be in a CRM system upgrade where sales staff are reluctant to test because they feel the new system will complicate their daily work. As a result, they may only test the features they’re comfortable with and ignore newer functionalities, missing critical defects.
• Solution: Provide training and demonstrate the benefits of the new system to ease users’ concerns. Engage them early to ensure thorough testing across all functionalities.

6. Poor Communication

• Challenge: Miscommunication between testers, developers, and stakeholders can cause confusion regarding what needs to be tested, expected outcomes, or how issues should be reported.
• Example: A scenario could be in a banking system where UAT testers report an issue with transaction processing, but fail to specify under which conditions the error occurs. Developers may then struggle to reproduce and resolve the issue, leading to delays.
• Solution: Establish clear communication protocols, including templates for reporting defects, and ensure users understand how to provide sufficient details for reproducing issues.

7. Inconsistent or Unreliable Data

• Challenge: UAT may use inconsistent or inaccurate test data, leading to test results that do not reflect real-world scenarios.
• Example: A situation could be in a payroll system where test data includes unrealistic employee salaries and benefits. As a result, testers miss defects related to tax calculations and overtime pay that would only appear with real-world data sets.
• Solution: Use representative data that closely mimics production data, including realistic salaries, benefits, and deductions, to ensure meaningful and reliable testing.

8. Time Constraints

• Challenge: UAT often takes place toward the end of the project, and time constraints can pressure users to rush through testing, potentially missing critical defects.
• Example: A situation could be an ERP system where testers are asked to complete UAT within a week due to an impending project deadline. Rushed testing may only cover the main workflows (e.g., generating invoices) and overlook less common scenarios (e.g., handling credit notes), leading to post-deployment issues.
• Solution: Start UAT early in the development process with incremental testing of features as they are completed, allowing more thorough validation and reducing the pressure at the end.

9. Insufficient Test Coverage

• Challenge: Users may focus on testing familiar features or workflows, while overlooking edge cases or less frequently used scenarios.
• Example: A scenario could be a hotel booking system where testers validate the common process of booking a standard room but fail to test edge cases like booking a room during maintenance periods or with loyalty discounts. These edge cases might cause errors when the system is live.
• Solution: Develop a comprehensive test plan that covers all user scenarios, including edge cases and less frequent workflows. Ensure that users understand the importance of testing a wide variety of use cases.

10. Difficulty in Defining Success Criteria

• Challenge: Defining clear and agreed-upon success criteria for UAT can be difficult, particularly if different stakeholders have differing expectations.
• Example: A situation could be an inventory management system where stakeholders from sales focus on the speed of stock updates, while warehouse managers prioritize the accuracy of inventory counts. Without a common definition of success, UAT could be declared successful by one party but seen as incomplete by another.
• Solution: Ensure that all stakeholders agree on the UAT acceptance criteria from the outset. The criteria should be measurable and cover all aspects of the system, from performance to functionality and usability.