user acceptance testing is done in which stage, User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is done in the final phase of the software testing process, after the development and other testing phases (like unit testing, integration testing, and system testing) have been completed. UAT is conducted just before the software is released to the production environment or handed over to the client or end-users.
Here’s a typical software development and testing lifecycle for context:
- Requirement Analysis: Requirements for the software are gathered and analyzed.
- Design: Based on requirements, the system’s architecture and design are created.
- Implementation/Development: The actual code for the software is written during this phase.
- Unit Testing: Individual units or components of the software are tested.
- Integration Testing: Different units are combined and tested as a group.
- System Testing: The complete software system is tested as a whole.
- User Acceptance Testing (UAT): End-users or stakeholders test the software to ensure it meets their needs and expectations.
- Deployment: After successful UAT, the software is deployed to the production environment.
- Maintenance: Post-deployment, any necessary updates, fixes, or improvements are made.
UAT is crucial as it provides the development team with feedback from actual users, ensuring the software not only works from a technical standpoint but also fulfills user needs and provides a satisfactory user experience. If issues are identified during UAT, they are addressed and fixed before the software goes live, ensuring a smoother rollout and reducing post-release issues.
user acceptance testing is done in which stage