Before software is deployed, the people who will use it—or stakeholders representing their needs—need to check whether it meets the specified requirements. User acceptance testing (UAT) is that check. It asks whether the software meets users’ needs and expectations and is ready for deployment. section 12.2.2
UAT has a different focus from other tests:
- Development testing looks for defects in individual components early in development. section 10.1.4
- QA testing checks software against predetermined specifications and standards; usability testing focuses on navigation and interaction. section 10.1.4
- UAT lets end users or stakeholders judge whether the result meets their requirements and expectations. section 12.2.2
A check before release
End users test the software against their requirements before deployment. Their feedback may reveal a gap that other testing did not settle. An employee beta release can likewise gather early feedback and uncover bugs before a customer release, though it is not necessarily UAT. section 12.2.2 section 10.1.4
