How to plan user acceptance testing

Test the business outcome

User acceptance testing checks whether the agreed workflow works for the people operating it. It complements developer testing. Give each test an owner, starting conditions, steps, expected result and a place to record the actual result.

Cover successful and unsuccessful journeys

For an illustrative approval process, test submission, correction, approval and rejection with the intended roles. Check records and notifications as well as the screen.

• Can a permitted user complete the task?
• Is an unrelated user prevented from seeing or changing the record?
• What happens with missing information or repeated submission?
• Can users recover after a connection or provider failure?
• Do exports agree with the completed records?

Keep useful evidence

Record the build, device, role and test data reference when reporting a failure. Describe expected behaviour and reproduction steps. Keep sensitive records out of public issue trackers and agree where evidence may be stored.

Make the release decision explicit

Agree which defects block release and who can accept a known limitation. Retest corrected failures and connected workflows they affect. Record the decision, remaining issues and support owner before wider use.