What Is Acceptance Testing

Here’s something we’ve all been through: 

A development team has spent months coding, debugging, and polishing a new application. You’ve done the internal testing, squashed the bugs, and everything seems perfect in the dev environment. 

But will your target users accept this software? 

The only way to find out is via acceptance testing. 

It’s the final stage where the people who will actually use your software is put to the test. In this article, we’ll talk about what is the purpose of acceptance testing, who performs it, and how to do it right. 

Let’s explore: 

What Is Acceptance Testing? 

The core purpose of acceptance testing is to ensure that the software you’ve built meets the needs of the business and the expectations of end users.  

It’s the final step in the software testing process before a product goes live. One which enables you to catch any gaps, misalignments, or misunderstandings between what was requested and what was delivered. 

In terms of the software development life cycle (SDLC), acceptance testing represents the crucial phase of verification and validation from a user’s perspective. While earlier stages like functional and non-functional testing check whether the system behaves correctly and performs well, acceptance testing answers a different kind of question:  

Is this what the customer wanted? 

That’s why it revolves so heavily around acceptance criteria – the agreed-upon benchmarks that define what a successful delivery looks like. These are usually outlined at the beginning of a project and may include: 

• Functional requirements 

• Performance benchmarks 

• Legal or compliance mandates 

• Usability standards 

The goal is to ensure those criteria are not only met but validated in real-world conditions. 

There are several types of acceptance testing, each with a unique purpose: 

• User acceptance testing (UAT) – verifies that the software works as expected for end users performing actual business tasks. 

• Business acceptance testing – focuses on ensuring that the software meets broader organizational goals. 

• Operational acceptance testing – checks that the system can be maintained, monitored, and supported in a live environment. 

• Contract acceptance testing – confirms that the deliverables match what’s outlined in the client agreement. 

This phase also plays a huge role in quality assurance (QA) by catching critical issues that technical testing might miss. Such issues might impact workflows, user behavior, or business outcomes. 

Because of its real-world focus, acceptance testing often includes phases like alpha and beta testing, both of which help assess readiness in different ways. The former is in-house, controlled testing, while the latter is external and based real-user feedback. Many teams also incorporate agile testing techniques and behavior-driven development (BDD) frameworks to make acceptance testing more collaborative and aligned with user stories. 

To sum up: 

Acceptance testing aims to confirm that it works right and is actually useful. It validates that the product delivers value, performs reliably, and is ready to move from development to production with confidence. 

How to Perform User Acceptance Testing? 

Before we dive deep, let’s answer one critical question: 

Who performs acceptance testing?  

In most cases, select group of end users, business analysts, or client representatives who are familiar with the system’s intended purpose do this. They follow a test plan that outlines the scope, environment, data sets, and schedule.  

You can also include key stakeholders to ensure that the software aligns with business needs and that those who sign off on the release are directly involved in the evaluation. 

On to the next question. 

How do you perform acceptance testing? 

As per usual, the first step is planning. Teams must create acceptance test cases that are closely tied to user stories or business requirements. These should reflect actual use scenarios and be written in clear, understandable language. That’s especially important when using BDD practices. 

To make things easier, just follow these steps: 

• Define entry and exit criteria for acceptance testing – typically derived from business requirements, user stories, and stakeholder expectations. They serve as the baseline for determining whether a feature, function, or entire system is acceptable. 

• Develop a detailed test plan – outline the scope, objectives, timeline, resources, and environments required. Also, define the entry and exit criteria for acceptance testing, specify which systems or features will be tested, and detail how test cases will be developed and executed. 

• Prepare the UAT environment and data – those should mirror the production setup. This allows testers to interact with the system as they would in real life, without risking live data or services. 

• Execute the tests manually or through automated acceptance testing – UAT is often manual due to its subjective and scenario-based nature, automated acceptance testing can be extremely helpful for repetitive tasks or regression scenarios. Tools designed for test automation can save time and improve coverage, especially when paired with BDD frameworks that use plain-language test cases. 

• Record results and manage issues – evaluate the outcomes against the predefined acceptance criteria. It’s best to use alpha or beta testing at this stage, particularly for customer-facing applications. 

• Obtain stakeholder sign-off based on results – if all critical issues are resolved and the software meets expectations, stakeholders provide sign-off and the product is cleared for release. If not, testing may continue in cycles until all blockers are addressed. 

It’s important to note that automation is becoming increasingly common in agile testing environments, especially with the help of test automation and test management tools. These streamline the execution of repetitive tasks and track results across iterations. So, don’t shy away from it. Popular tools for that purpose include LambdaTest, TestRail, and SpiraTest. 

Need help? 

Contact us! 

We at Expert Allies have the best tech talent that will ensure top software quality and performance. Shoot us a message and let’s discuss what you need. 

Wrap Up 

Acceptance testing is where theory meets practice and your product steps out of the lab and into the lives of real users. It ensures the software meets clearly defined acceptance criteria, functions correctly in real-life scenarios, and is aligned with stakeholder expectations.  

So, what is the biggest takeaway?  

Don’t treat acceptance testing as just another formality. When done well, it reduces risk, improves product-market fit, and ensures a smoother handoff to operations and end users. 

What’s not to love? 

FAQ 

What is the difference between QA and acceptance testing? 

Quality assurance (QA) is a broad process that ensures software quality throughout the development life cycle, focusing on preventing defects through planning, standards, and testing. Acceptance testing is a specific phase within QA that verifies whether the final product meets business requirements and user expectations. While the former is ongoing and process-oriented, the latter is outcome-focused and typically happens at the end of development. 

What is acceptance testing in simple words? 

Acceptance testing is the final check to make sure software does what it’s supposed to for real users. It helps confirm that the product meets business needs and works in real-world situations. If it passes, the software is ready to launch. 

What is acceptance criteria in QA testing? 

Acceptance criteria are the specific conditions a product must meet to be considered complete and acceptable. They guide testers and developers on what success looks like for each requirement. In QA testing, they help ensure the software aligns with business goals and user expectations.