Acceptance Testing
The last step in the software development cycle is commonly known as acceptance testing which
refers to the final determination of whether a software product can be “accepted” for
delivery. Even after all the programming, technical oversight, quality assurance, and bug
fixing, software acceptance testing is necessary to evaluate that the end product fulfills
the purpose for which it was originally designed and developed.
Using our established software testing analogy of the hot air balloon, following unit,
integration, and system testing,
you want to conduct the acceptance phase of verification to make sure that the hot air
balloon is ready for commercial use. Does the final product satisfy the criteria that define
its market-readiness including compliance with specific safety standards? Does a ride in the
balloon meet the expectations of real-world users? Acceptance testing nails down the final
details that prepare your hot air balloon for widespread use.
Advantages of Acceptance Testing in Software Engineering
Less concerned with the intricacies of code architecture and functionality, this stage of quality assurance is based on two main sets of criteria - user satisfaction and business requirements. Essentially, a company presents the final product in its ready-to-ship state and asks, “does this solve the problem we want it to solve for our target audience?”.
Benefits of acceptance testing in software testing include:
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Improves overall user experience as testers and users relay usability and functionality feedback
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Determines the customer’s satisfaction with the product
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Bases validation on real-world scenarios
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Verifies the quality of the software and builds confidence in the final product
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Helps measure against market trends
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Establishes competitive value
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Confirms that the product meets the criteria for delivery to users
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Mitigates any fallout from outstanding bugs or defects that weren’t identified in the previous unit, integration, or system examinations
Types of Acceptance Testing
Alpha (internal) testing secures the involvement of members of the company where the software was
created tasking them with measuring it against acceptance criteria themselves. Sometimes these
company members are the developers but most of the time it is done by team members who weren’t
directly involved in engineering like sales associates and customer service representatives.
Beta testing, on the other hand, opens the door for the product to be evaluated against acceptance criteria by a professional outsourced team and/or external group of relevant users.
Beta testing, on the other hand, opens the door for the product
to be evaluated against acceptance
criteria by a professional outsourced team and/or external group of relevant users. A QA team
may work off a software acceptance testing template or checklist that incorporates
non-functional, functional, and performance benchmarks into it.
A QA team may work off a software acceptance testing template or checklist that incorporates
non-functional, functional, and performance benchmarks into it.
For the most part, this phase of software evaluation falls under the user acceptance testing umbrella, however, a handful of variations on acceptance testing may be required based on the industry or business contracts. These variations include:
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Operational
checking the operational features and procedures of a product helps to validate its reliability, stability, and portability, especially when it comes to using and maintaining the software.
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Regulation
confirming that a product complies with applicable standards, safety protocols, regulations, or laws.
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Contract
if the software is the product of a contract, this type of QA ensures that the product meets all contract requirements.
Outsourcing Late-stage Quality Assurance
Spiral QA offers full-cycle software testing and quality assurance services including user acceptance testing. Feel confident in releasing your software solution to the wider world knowing that a skilled and committed team of software QA experts have given you the green light!
Want to talk about your QA needs?
Contact us to discuss your project.