Selecting UAT testers and coordinating UAT roles
Key Takeaway
Choose subject matter experts or real end users of the process being tested as UAT testers, because they can judge whether the system fits real work.
User acceptance testing (UAT) is the last stage before go-live. In UAT, end users test a finished project or enhancement in a sandbox to confirm that it works as intended and delivers what was originally requested. The result is a pass or fail, which works as the go or no-go decision for production. So UAT only protects the business when the right people test and each person knows their role.
Where UAT fits
UAT comes after the technology team has already tested the work, for example through quality assurance or quality engineering. Unlike those technical tests, UAT is done by end users, who approve or reject the delivery before production release.
Several kinds of stakeholders can take part in UAT: business stakeholders, end users, business analysts (BAs) and IT teams. End users are at the center, because UAT is their chance to accept or reject the final feature delivery.