User acceptance testing and sign-off

Planning UAT with the project manager, preparing scenarios, guiding users, managing findings and getting formal sign-off.

In this lesson

The UAT plan
Running UAT and managing findings
Formal sign-off

Key points

UAT plan: scope, people, environment, schedule, entry/exit criteria
Users test real-looking scenarios; guide first runs
One findings log: severity, class, owner, status, traceability
Written sign-off with known issues listed

Real-world example

A client's finance director refused to sign UAT because of '50 open issues'. The log, classified, showed 4 defects, 6 configuration items, 3 data items, 31 training questions and 6 change requests. Fixing the 13 real items and running a training session got sign-off in three days, with the change requests scheduled for phase 2.

Questions and answers

Why list accepted known issues in sign-off?

So everyone knows what goes live with limitations and the plan to fix them.

Who owns the UAT plan?

The project manager, supported by the consultant.

Read the full lesson, worked example and quiz