in which phase of sdlc is user acceptance testing done
User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is typically performed in the later stages of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), specifically during the “Testing” phase, just before the “Deployment” phase.
Here’s a general sequence of how it fits into the SDLC:
- Requirements Gathering/Analysis
- Design
- Implementation/Coding
- Testing
- Unit Testing
- Integration Testing
- System Testing
- User Acceptance Testing
- Deployment
- Maintenance
During the UAT, actual software users test the software to make sure it can handle required tasks in real-world scenarios, according to specifications. This is the final testing performed once the functional, system and regression testing are completed.
The main purpose of UAT is to validate the end to end business flow and user requirements. It does not focus on cosmetic errors, spelling mistakes, or system testing. UAT is carried out in a separate testing environment with production-like data setup. It is kind of a black box testing where two or more end-users will be involved.
It’s important to note that depending upon the development model (Waterfall, Agile, etc.), the timing and manner in which UAT is implemented can vary. In Agile methodologies, for instance, UAT can be conducted at the end of each sprint.
