Agile UAT checklist: How to conduct user acceptance testing

Sonos’s new app was supposed to be a major upgrade for its 15.3 million user base. Instead, it launched with irrelevant features and unreliable performance, leading to mass frustration, 100 employee layoffs, and a hit to the company’s reputation. This is what happens when you prioritize deadlines over strategy and ignore user acceptance testing. Hopefully, it will never happen to your product if you read this guide on conducting Agile UAT.

This article will help you conduct testing with a practical UAT checklist and UAT templates that transform it into manageable steps. 

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What is user acceptance testing?

User acceptance testing (UAT) is all about confirming that your product meets the real needs of users. Don't let the word "testing" fool you — this isn't just another technical checkbox. UAT focuses on validation rather than verification, a distinction that makes all the difference.

UAT vs QA are two ends of the spectrum. Quality Assurance is testing your product's functionality and performance, hunting for vulnerabilities throughout development. In contrast, UAT is validation-focused to evaluate whether the software solves real-world problems. While QA and UAT appear similar, their perspectives are different. QA asks, "Does it work correctly?" while UAT asks,  "Does it work for our users?"

When comparing acceptance testing vs functional testing, remember that functional testing verifies that features work according to specifications, while acceptance testing validates that the system satisfies business requirements and user expectations.

End-to-end testing vs UAT is another important distinction. End-to-end testing examines complete workflows from start to finish from a technical perspective, while UAT examines those same workflows from a user's perspective.

UAT also differs from System Integration Testing (SIT). SIT occurs earlier and verifies that system components work together correctly, like ensuring a payment gateway successfully communicates with your eCommerce platform.

Similarly, UAT vs usability testing highlights different priorities. Usability testing focuses specifically on how easy and intuitive the interface is to use, while UAT more broadly evaluates whether the entire solution meets expectations.

Finally, despite the common technical background, UAT is also quite different from API testing. API testing verifies the functionality, reliability, and security of individual application programming interfaces, while UAT analyzes the software as a whole.

Understanding these distinctions helps you implement a comprehensive testing strategy that delivers technically sound and user-satisfying software solutions.

Why conduct testing on user acceptance, and who typically does it?

Unlike technical testing phases, UAT validates that your solution solves real problems in ways that make sense to the people who will use it daily. The fundamental purpose of UAT is to validate whether your product meets user expectations and functional requirements in real-world scenarios. This testing phase allows you to:

• Verify the software meets the initial requirements established during product discovery.
• Identify any misalignments between what was built and what users actually need.
• Capture potential usability issues that technical testing might miss.
• Gather authentic feedback from the perspective of people who will rely on the system, especially during the MVP development.

What stakeholders are involved in UAT? Different organizations structure their UAT differently, and the traditional QA roles are not suitable for this type of testing.

The UAT manager oversees the entire process, coordinating between stakeholders, development teams, and testers. They establish testing schedules, manage resources, and ensure objectives are met. A skilled manager understands technical capabilities and business needs, bridging these sometimes conflicting perspectives.

Another key player, the UAT analyst, develops test cases, documents requirements, and analyzes results. They translate business requirements into actionable test scenarios and help interpret findings in business terms. This role requires analytical thinking and clear communication skills to articulate technical issues in business language.

The actual testing is performed by several groups:

• Genuine end users of the existing product.
• Users familiar with previous versions of the system.
• Key stakeholders involved in the product's development.
• Business analysts acting as end-user specialists.

Organizations often monitor the UAT acceptance rate — the percentage of test cases passed — as a key metric to determine readiness for launch. This rate helps quantify user satisfaction and system readiness in concrete terms.

Types of user acceptance testing

User acceptance testing comes in several forms, each serving specific validation needs depending on your project requirements. 

• Alpha testing occurs in development and is conducted by internal teams or selected potential users. This helps catch issues before exposing the product to external users, providing a controlled first look at performance with real use cases. The development team incorporates this feedback to improve functionality before wider testing begins.
• Beta testing moves validation into the customer's environment, where selected external users interact with the product in real-world conditions. This reveals how your software performs outside the controlled environment and provides authentic user perspectives. Beta feedback often uncovers unexpected usage patterns and environmental issues.

• Contract acceptance testing (CAT) validates software against predefined criteria and specifications established in formal agreements. These UAT templates outline what constitutes acceptable performance, creating clear benchmarks for project success. CAT provides an objective framework for determining whether deliverables meet contractual obligations, reducing potential disputes.
• Regulation acceptance testing (RAT) focuses on compliance with governmental regulations, industry standards, and legal requirements. This specialized validation ensures your software meets all applicable laws and regulations before release, helping avoid costly legal issues and regulatory penalties that could impact your business.
• Operational acceptance testing (OAT) verifies the necessary workflows and procedures to support the software in production. This includes validating backup systems, maintenance processes, security protocols, and training materials.
• Black box testing shares UAT principles by evaluating software solely from the user perspective without consideration of internal code. Testers work with UAT scripts that define expected behaviors without revealing implementation details, focusing purely on whether the software meets requirements from a user standpoint.
• Agile UAT integrates acceptance testing throughout the development cycle rather than only at the end. This involves the continuous validation of completed features by product owners or user representatives after each sprint or iteration. The UAT Agile approach provides faster feedback loops and allows for more responsive course corrections.

Many teams use a mix of these approaches to ensure comprehensive validation from multiple perspectives. Each UAT type offers specific advantages depending on your project needs, team structure, and business requirements. 

Key advantages of UAT

User acceptance testing delivers great value to development projects far beyond its relatively modest investment of time and resources. When implemented effectively, UAT provides a crucial final validation.

• Enhanced real-world validation

UAT demonstrates that your software's required functions operate effectively in usage scenarios. Unlike technical testing, UAT focuses on the intersection between functionality and user expectations, ensuring these align perfectly before release. This real-world validation prevents costly mismatches between what was built and what users need.

• Superior bug detection

Even though UAT occurs late in the development cycle, it consistently uncovers critical issues that would otherwise reach production. The perspective of fresh eyes — particularly those of actual users—reveals problems that developers and QA teams often miss. This is why UAT typically consumes only 5-10% of project time but can eliminate up to 30% of potential waste.

• Higher ROI for stakeholders

UAT provides stakeholders with concrete evidence that their investment is delivering the expected value. According to industry surveys, 60% of companies implement UAT to build the best possible product for their audience, while 22% focus on collecting end-user feedback, and 18% use it to ensure compliance. These user testing results translate directly to improved ROI by reducing post-launch issues and support costs.

• Early problem resolution

Fixing issues discovered during UAT is less expensive and disruptive than addressing them after launch. Problems identified in production cost 4-5 times more to resolve and often create negative user experiences that damage adoption rates. UAT creates a controlled environment for identifying and fixing these issues before they impact your reputation or bottom line.

• Objective quality assessment

Developers are naturally invested in their creations and may overlook issues or assume user behaviors that don't match reality. Independent testers bring fresh perspectives and authentic user reactions.

• Streamlined implementation in Agile

Agile UAT integrates user validation throughout the development cycle rather than concentrating it at the end. By incorporating UAT into sprint reviews and demonstrations, Agile teams can validate features incrementally and avoid major surprises late in development.

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UAT in the software development lifecycle: Preparation & execution

A good start is half the result! Proper preparation helps you make sure that the UAT phase validates your solution’s adherence to user expectations and proves a business value. 

• Timing your UAT effort

The ideal time to begin UAT preparation is immediately after the requirements are finalized. Before launching UAT, several key prerequisites must be met, including completed system, integration, and unit testing with no critical or high-priority defects, regression testing to ensure new changes don't break existing functionality, thoroughly documented business requirements shared with the testing team, and a fully configured UAT environment ready for testing.

• Establishing clear entry and exit criteria

Defining precise entry exit criteria for when UAT begins and when it can be considered complete is essential. Your entry criteria specify that all critical development work must be completed, the test environment configured, test data prepared and validated, and all testers trained and briefed on objectives. Exit criteria typically require a minimum percentage of test cases passed (often 95-98%), zero critical defects remaining, all high-priority defects resolved or accepted with workarounds, and formal stakeholder sign-off obtained before moving to production.

• Creating effective test documentation

Developing a comprehensive UAT template is crucial for consistent results. Understanding the difference between acceptance criteria vs test cases is essential here — acceptance criteria define what a feature must do, while test cases outline steps to verify the criteria are met, such as an acceptance criterion stating "Users can reset their password" while test cases detail each step in the password reset process and what should happen at each point.

• Selecting and preparing testers

It's important to choose testers with varied technical skill levels and roles and provide UAT training that covers not only how to execute test cases but also how to effectively document issues and provide constructive feedback. 

By preparing for UAT, you create a structured environment for discovering user-experience issues before they impact your customers. This reduces post-launch problems, improves user satisfaction, and ultimately delivers a better return on your development investment.

Differences between internal QAT vs UAT

Understanding the distinction between QA vs UAT testing helps teams allocate resources appropriately and set realistic expectations for each testing phase. The difference between QA and UAT is not just about when they occur but about perspective. QA takes a technical, inside-out view, while UAT provides a user-centered, outside-in assessment. They vary in some important aspects, so let’s look at them in detail.

• Objectives. QA testing focuses on identifying technical defects, ensuring code quality, and verifying that the software functions as specified, while UAT validates that the software meets real business needs and works effectively in actual user scenarios.
• Timing. QA testing occurs throughout the development lifecycle, starting early and continuing iteratively, when UAT takes place after QA testing is complete and just before deployment to production.
• Testers. QA testing is performed by technical specialists with expertise in system architecture, and UAT is conducted by actual end users, business stakeholders, or representatives simulating real usage patterns.
• Focus areas. QA testing emphasizes technical correctness, performance, security, and adherence to standards, whereas UAT prioritizes usability, workflow efficiency, and alignment with business processes.
• Testing approach. QA testing often includes automated testing, stress testing, and validation of technical edge cases, while UAT primarily involves manual testing of common user journeys and business scenarios.
• Success criteria. QA testing ensures that the software functions correctly with no technical defects, and UAT confirms that users can complete their tasks efficiently and that the software meets business objectives.

The relationship of these processes is complementary. QA creates the foundation upon which UAT validates business value. Without thorough QA, UAT participants waste time encountering basic technical issues rather than evaluating how well the software meets their needs. Similarly, UAT validates what technical excellence alone cannot guarantee. A technically perfect product that fails to meet user needs or business requirements is ultimately unsuccessful. 

How UAT can benefit from UX audit

You can think of UX audits as qualitative pre-checks and UAT as quantitative final checks. When used together, they ensure both functionality and usability are validated before release.

• UX audit insights can inform UAT test scenarios by highlighting real user pain points or expectations.
• If a UX audit has revealed usability problems, UAT can validate whether fixes have truly improved the experience.
• UAT often includes real users performing tasks — if UX was audited earlier, these users are more likely to have a smooth experience.

For example, when testing an e-commerce checkout flow, a UX audit identifies that users often overlook the "Apply coupon" field due to poor visibility, and UAT includes test cases to ensure the field is now visible and functional, and users successfully apply discounts.

While UX audits uncover usability issues and inform design improvements, UAT ensures those changes function correctly for end users — and if you're looking to strengthen this process in your product lifecycle, request a UX audit from COAX for the best results.

A thorough UAT process is your best insurance against costly post-launch problems. Without clear procedures, you might meet some challenges, so let’s explore common mistakes leading to wasted resources and unsuccessful products.

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Agile UAT checklist

A well-executed UAT process ensures your software truly delivers value before it goes live. However, performing UAT in Agile requires specific procedures:

1. Analyzing requirements is where it all begins. Review your business requirements and functional requirements. These requirements become the foundation of your UAT test case templates, which should clearly define what functionality needs verification from the user perspective. If your requirement states that customers must be able to purchase items using multiple payment methods, your functional requirement involves implementing various payment gateways. 
2. Choosing the right timing is very important for this specific methodology. In Agile, it occurs throughout multiple iterations, providing continuous feedback. To make these cycles successful, timing is crucial — users need a stable version to evaluate effectively, so this must become the goal of the next step — creating your UAT test plan template.
3. Create a comprehensive UAT plan. In Agile contexts, these plans are typically lighter weight than traditional waterfall approaches but still provide enough structure to keep testing focused and effective across sprint boundaries. A detailed user acceptance testing template Excel spreadsheets should track test execution, results, and issues. These typically include columns for test IDs, descriptions, steps, expected results, actual results, pass/fail status, and comments.
4. Identify test scenarios and test cases. Create realistic scenarios that represent actual user journeys through your software. Each scenario can then be broken down into specific test cases with step-by-step instructions for testers to follow. In Agile environments, prioritize these scenarios based on business value and risk to ensure the most critical functionality receives appropriate attention within time constraints.
5. Find testers who understand the business context. Selecting the testers dramatically impacts the quality of your UAT results. In Agile user acceptance testing, involve a diverse group including actual end-users, product owners, stakeholders, and subject matter experts. Remember that in Agile environments, testers often need to work quickly and collaboratively as features become available for testing throughout the sprint cycle.
6. Implementing tools and training prepares your team for success. Popular tools like Jira simplify the testing process. Create a UAT checklist template covering environment setup, tester access, documentation readiness, and communication channels. Then, conduct training sessions so testers understand their role and how to use testing tools.
7. Test execution is where theory meets reality. Provide testers with clear UAT test scripts that outline specific steps to follow (like "Log in with credentials X, navigate to shopping cart, add product Y"). Create a standardized UAT feedback template that captures detailed information about each issue. In Agile, testing often happens concurrently with development across multiple iterations, requiring communication between testers and developers to address issues. Regular status meetings help keep everyone aligned.
8. Results analysis reveals the true state of your system. Collect all feedback systematically, categorizing issues by severity and impact. Calculate key metrics like pass/fail percentages, test coverage, and stability measurements. 
9. Fixing, retesting, and sign-off complete the cycle. After addressing issues identified during testing, the product owner or designated stakeholders approve the software. In Agile projects, this approval might happen incrementally for features across sprints rather than as a single massive sign-off. 

A well-structured UAT process in Agile helps validate functionality while adapting to changes. By planning effectively, involving the right testers, and ensuring clear communication, teams can deliver high-quality software with confidence.

User acceptance testing best practices

Implementing effective user acceptance testing requires thoughtful planning and execution. These best practices will help you maximize the value of your UAT process while avoiding common pitfalls that can undermine its effectiveness.

• Define a clear test strategy and plan. Understanding the distinction between test strategy vs test plan is vital. Your test strategy outlines the overall approach to testing, including objectives, scope, and testing methods. In contrast, your test plan provides specific details about test cases, schedules, and resources. Develop your strategy first to guide your plan development, ensuring both align with your business objectives.
• Create a comprehensive checklist. A thorough UAT checklist is your roadmap throughout the testing process. Include elements such as environment setup, test case preparation, tester selection, defect management procedures, and sign-off requirements. A well-structured checklist prevents critical steps from being overlooked.
• Prepare your testing environment. Ensure your UAT environment mirrors production as closely as possible. This includes infrastructure, databases, security settings, and integrations with other systems. Any deviation from production conditions leads to missed defects that surface after launch.

• Develop detailed test scripts. Create clear, step-by-step scripts that guide testers through each scenario. A good UAT test script example includes prerequisites, detailed actions, expected results, and space for recording outcomes and observations. This ensures consistency across testers and comprehensive functionality coverage.
• Implement effective communication channels. Establish communication channels between testers, developers, and project stakeholders — regular status meetings, shared documentation, and accessible defect-tracking systems.
• Plan for common UAT testing interview questions. Prepare for questions that stakeholders commonly ask during UAT reviews, such as: "What percentage of test cases passed?", "What critical defects remain?", and "What is the overall quality assessment?" Having ready answers to these questions helps build confidence in your testing process and results.
• Document and prioritize defects. Develop a standard approach for logging defects with severity ratings, reproduction steps, and supporting evidence such as screenshots. Prioritize issues based on business impact rather than technical complexity.
• Conduct pilot testing. Before full-scale UAT, run a smaller pilot test with a subset of testers and test cases. This reveals potential issues with your test environment, scripts, or processes that can be addressed before broader testing begins.

By implementing these best practices, your UAT process will more effectively validate that your software meets user needs and business requirements before release.

Common mistakes to avoid in UAT

Even the most sophisticated UAT processes fall short when teams make critical missteps. Understanding these common pitfalls will help you ensure your testing delivers meaningful results.

• Treating UAT as a technical checkbox rather than a business validation process is perhaps the most fundamental mistake. Your UAT document template should explicitly connect test cases to business outcomes, not just technical specifications.
• Involving users too late in the game creates unnecessary risk. Many teams make the error of designing and building in isolation, only bringing in actual users at the final stage. Instead, adopt an iterative approach where users provide feedback throughout development. 
• Failing to prepare testers properly sets everyone up for frustration. Real users aren't professional testers — they need clear guidance on what to test and how to provide useful feedback. Create comprehensive instructions, walkthrough sessions, and feedback forms that make participation straightforward for non-technical participants.
• Testing in artificial environments gives false confidence. Many teams conduct UAT with clean, limited data that doesn't reflect the messiness of production. Your testing should incorporate realistic data volumes, integration points, and network conditions.
• Focusing exclusively on happy paths misses critical edge cases. Encourage testers to try unusual combinations and scenarios beyond the prescribed test scripts to discover potential issues before release.
• Underestimating time requirements leads to rushed testing and incomplete validation. UAT invariably takes longer than anticipated, especially when accounting for multiple testing cycles, bug fixes, and retesting. Build generous buffers into your schedule to accommodate unexpected challenges and thorough analysis.
• Neglecting clear acceptance criteria creates confusion about what constitutes "passing" UAT. Before testing begins, document specific, measurable conditions that must be met for approval. These criteria should be included in your user acceptance testing checklist template and agreed upon by all stakeholders.
• Some teams become defensive when users report issues or suggest changes. Instead, view this feedback as precisely what you asked for — insights that help refine the product before it reaches a broader audience.

The mistakes we've discussed might cost your company significant time and budget — delayed launches, emergency fixes, and unhappy users all impact your bottom line. Conducting proper UAT is challenging for the in-house team, іщ you might need an expert-driven outside perspective of a trusted QA services company to ensure your UAT process runs smoothly.

We begin by studying your requirements and developing a comprehensive testing approach. Our experts create detailed UAT scripts that align with your business objectives and user needs. When appropriate, we offer automation QA services to accelerate repetitive tasks combined with manual QA testing services for scenarios requiring human judgment. 

During implementation and verification, we conduct testing that examines functional and non-functional aspects of your system. Our team performs regression testing to ensure new changes don't break existing functionality, documenting all findings in accessible formats. After successful completion, we deliver UAT testing reports and recommendations for improvement.

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Tools and technologies to run UAT like a pro

The following ten instruments represent the cream of the crop for teams seeking to elevate their UAT. When implemented correctly, these solutions bridge the gap between development and real-world usage. 

• A session replay solution boosts development teams' understanding of user behavior. FullStory captures every interaction during testing. When testers encounter bugs, developers review the preceding 30 seconds of activity, making resolution significantly more efficient. The platform's autocapture functionality automatically logs environmental data and user interactions, eliminating guesswork from the debugging process.

• Feedback collection is simple with Marker.io, which turns screenshot annotations into actionable tickets. Testers highlight issues with arrows, text, shapes, and even emojis. The platform excels at capturing environmental data and sending bug reports to project management tools like Jira or GitHub. The two-way integration ensures that when issues are marked "Done" in the PM tool, they're automatically "Resolved" in Marker.io. 
• For teams seeking precise UAT tracker functionality, TestRail offers test case management with robust traceability. The platform allows teams to map test cases to user stories and requirements, and its permission-based access management system lets you assign roles to stakeholders, testers, and end-users. Integration with tools like Jira, GitHub, and Slack accelerates the testing workflow.

• Behavioral analytics at scale becomes possible with Amplitude, which tracks specific events across entire user populations. The platform identifies patterns in user behavior that indicate usability problems or functional limitations. Amplitude provides a macro view of how users interact with applications, making it invaluable for identifying issues that only emerge at scale or under specific conditions. 

• Real user testing with demographic targeting distinguishes UserTesting from other user acceptance testing tools. The platform connects teams with actual users matching specific demographic criteria, providing video, audio, and written feedback about their experiences. This approach delivers insights about how different user groups perceive and interact with their websites, mobile apps, prototypes, or even conceptual designs.
• Error tracking is precise with Sentry, which reports issues as they occur during testing. The platform integrates source code directly into stack traces, allowing developers to immediately understand the context of errors without switching between tools. Unified issue tracking consolidates errors across multiple projects into a single dashboard. The workflow ownership feature assigns issues based on code files, URLs, or event tags.

• It’s easy to create testing prototypes with Maze, which supports diverse testing methodologies across live websites, prototypes, and moderated and unmoderated testing sessions. The platform's click tracking visualizes user interactions, and real user testing capabilities provide insights into authentic user behavior. The intuitive drag-and-drop features and pre-built templates accelerate the testing process.
• Test management with exploratory capabilities distinguishes SpiraTest as a versatile UAT automation solution. The platform integrates requirements management and bug tracking into a unified system, and its requirements traceability functionality links test cases to specific requirements. The platform also supports exploratory testing, enabling testers to discover new issues that might not be covered by predefined test cases.

• Visual interaction analysis is possible with Contentsquare, which offers analytics for understanding how users engage with websites and applications. The platform tracks metrics like click-through rates at various levels of granularity, time before first click, and exposure rates, providing actionable insights for optimizing user experiences. Its unique crash trend analysis identifies specific user actions that trigger application failures.

• Open-source flexibility makes TestLink an accessible option for teams with technical expertise. It provides a centralized system for organizing test plans, assigning testers, tracking execution progress, and generating comprehensive reports. Its customizable test plans can be tailored to specific project requirements, while collaborative testing features facilitate communication among team members. 

These top solutions streamline testing, enhance collaboration, and provide valuable insights, empowering teams to deliver high-quality products with confidence. 

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FAQ

How early should UAT planning begin in the development lifecycle?

UAT planning should begin immediately after requirements are finalized, even though the actual testing happens much later. This early planning allows you to develop test scenarios that align perfectly with user expectations.

What should be included in a comprehensive UAT plan?

A comprehensive UAT plan should include testing strategies, timeline expectations, necessary resources, entry/exit criteria, environments needed, team responsibilities, test scenarios, and clear documentation procedures.

Which type of testing is conducted by business customers?

User acceptance testing is conducted by business customers or end users who will ultimately use the system. Their role is to validate that the software meets business requirements and works effectively in real-world scenarios.

How can I measure the success of my UAT process?

Success can be measured through metrics like test case pass/fail percentages, defect identification rates, severity classifications, test coverage, and ultimately, user satisfaction with the final product. The UAT acceptance rate — the percentage of test cases passed — is a key metric to determine readiness for launch.

What tools are best for smaller teams with limited UAT experience?

Tools like Usersnap and Marker.io offer user-friendly interfaces that require minimal technical expertise, making them ideal for smaller teams. TestLink provides a free open-source option, while TestRail offers a straightforward approach for teams seeking structure without overwhelming complexity.