Software is checked for acceptability using an approach called acceptance testing. This test’s primary goal is to determine whether or not the system complies with the business requirements and whether or not it can be delivered. To ascertain whether a system meets the acceptance criteria and to give users, customers, or other authorized entities the option to decide whether to accept the system or not, formal testing that takes into account user needs, requirements, and business procedures is carried out.
Even though the software has passed all three testing phases (Unit Testing, Integration Testing, and System Testing), there are still a few small bugs that show up when end users utilize the system in real-world situations. The final stage of software testing, known as Acceptance Testing, is carried out following System Testing and before the system is made operational.
Types of Acceptance Testing:
User Acceptance Testing (UAT):
To ascertain whether the product is functioning appropriately for the user, user acceptance testing is conducted. The main objective of testing is to select specific criteria that are frequently utilized by the clients. Another name for this is end-user testing.
Business Acceptance Testing(BAT):
BAT is used to assess whether or not the product satisfies the objectives and goals of the business. BAT’s primary goal is corporate profitability, which can be difficult to achieve in light of emerging technology and shifting market conditions. As a result, adjustments to the existing implementation may be necessary, incurring additional costs.
Contract Acceptance Testing (CAT):
A contract known as CAT stipulates that the product must pass all acceptance use cases and undergo an acceptance test as soon as it goes live, within a set time frame. This contract is known as a Service Level Agreement (SLA), and it states that payment will only be issued if the Product services meet all of the standards, indicating that the contract has been satisfied. This agreement may be reached before the product’s launch. A clear contract should specify the testing period, areas to be tested, terms for difficulties that may arise later, payments, and other details.
Regulations Acceptance Testing (RAT):
RAT is used to ascertain whether the product violates the guidelines established by the national government of the country in which it is being distributed. Even if this wasn’t the aim, the company will suffer as a result. In general, RAT must be followed when releasing a product or application onto the market because all nations and regions have distinct laws and regulations that are established by their regulatory organizations. The product will not be permitted to be released in any country or location where any laws or regulations are broken. Only the product’s vendors will bear direct responsibility if the product is released notwithstanding the infraction.
Operational Acceptance Testing (OAT):
OAT is a type of non-functional testing that is used to assess a product’s operational readiness. Recovery, compatibility, maintainability, reliability, and other tests are mostly included. Before the product is put into production, OAT ensures its stability.
Alpha Testing:
A team of expert testers known as alpha testers uses alpha testing to evaluate the product in a development testing environment.
Beta Testing:
By exposing the product to actual end users—who are usually referred to as beta testers in their setting—beta testing serves to evaluate the product. Users’ feedback is gathered, and errors are corrected. This aids in improving the product to provide a rich user experience as well.
Steps to Perform Acceptance Testing:
- Requirement Analysis: The testing team examines the requirements document in this step to determine the software’s intended use. The use of requirement documents, process flow diagrams, system requirements specifications, business use cases, business requirements documents, and project charters allowed for the completion of test planning.
- Test Plan Creation: This step describes the entire testing process’s approach. This approach is used to make sure and confirm whether or not the program complies with the requirements.
- Test Case Designing: Creating test cases based on test plan documents is part of the test case designing process. The majority of the scenarios for acceptance testing should be covered by the test cases that are created.
- Test Case Execution: This refers to carrying out test cases with the proper input values. To ensure that the program is functioning properly in the real world, the testing team gathers input values from the end user, and then both the tester and the end user run through each test case.
- Confirmation of goals: The testing team verifies that the software program is error-free and ready for client delivery following the successful completion of all testing procedures.
Benefits of Acceptance Testing:
- Because users are involved in the testing process, this testing aids the project team in immediately learning about additional requirements from the users.
- Automated performance of tests.
- Due to their active involvement in the testing process, the clients experience an increase in confidence and pleasure.
- The user finds it simpler to express their needs.
- Since it only addresses the Black-Box testing procedure, all of the product’s functionality will be examined.
Drawbacks of Acceptance Testing:
- The product or program should be familiar to users on a basic level.
- Users may choose not to take part in the testing procedure at times.
- Because there are a lot of users participating in the testing and their opinions may vary, the feedback process is time-consuming.
- There is no participation from the development team in this testing process.