What is UAT (User Acceptance Testing)?

UAT (User Acceptance Testing) is the process of testing software performed by end-users or clients in a real or near-real environment to ensure that the system meets business requirements and is ready for release. The main goal is to verify whether the product satisfies user needs and functions as expected in daily operations.

Key aspects of UAT:

• Participants: End-users, business representatives (product managers, analysts), sometimes QA engineers (as observers or consultants).
• Focus: Verification of compliance with business processes and requirements, ease of use, conformity to expected functional behavior from the user's perspective.
• Environment: Production or testing environment, as close to the real environment as possible.
• Test cases: Based on real business scenarios and workflows.
• Result: System acceptance by users (Sign-off) or identification of critical defects requiring correction before release.

UAT is usually conducted at the final stages of the development cycle, after completing modular, integration, and system testing. It is the last chance for the business to ensure the quality of the product before deployment.