# UAT Planning

> Plan and execute User Acceptance Testing including test strategy, test cases, execution tracking, and sign-off processes

- Skill: `danhvb/uat-planning` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add danhvb/uat-planning`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/danhvb/uat-planning/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: danhvb (https://skillmd.com/u/danhvb)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/danhvb/uat-planning

---


# UAT Planning Skill

## Purpose
Plan and coordinate User Acceptance Testing (UAT) to ensure the solution meets business requirements and is ready for production deployment.

## When to Use
- Before production deployment
- After development and QA testing complete
- When business validation is required
- For regulatory compliance

## UAT Overview

### What is UAT?
User Acceptance Testing is the final phase of testing where actual business users verify that the system meets their requirements and is fit for purpose.

### UAT vs Other Testing
| Testing Type | Who | Focus | When |
|-------------|-----|-------|------|
| Unit Testing | Developers | Code components | During development |
| Integration Testing | QA | System interfaces | After unit tests |
| System Testing | QA | End-to-end functionality | After integration |
| **UAT** | **Business Users** | **Business requirements** | **Before go-live** |
| Regression Testing | QA | No new defects | After changes |

## UAT Planning Process

### 1. UAT Strategy

**Define**:
- Scope: What features/modules to test
- Approach: Script-based, exploratory, or hybrid
- Environment: UAT environment requirements
- Data: Test data requirements
- Timeline: Start/end dates, milestones
- Resources: Testers, support

**UAT Scope Example**:
```markdown
## In Scope
- New checkout flow (guest and registered)
- Payment processing (credit card, PayPal)
- Order confirmation and emails
- Order history viewing

## Out of Scope
- Admin functions (tested by IT)
- Existing functionality not changed
- Performance testing (separate test)
```

### 2. Entry Criteria

Before UAT begins:
- [ ] All development complete
- [ ] Unit and integration tests passing
- [ ] System testing complete with no critical bugs
- [ ] UAT environment set up and stable
- [ ] Test data prepared
- [ ] User credentials created
- [ ] UAT scripts reviewed and approved
- [ ] Training completed (if needed)

### 3. Exit Criteria

UAT is complete when:
- [ ] All critical and high-priority test cases passed
- [ ] No open critical or high-severity defects
- [ ] Medium/low defects documented with workarounds
- [ ] Sign-off from business stakeholders
- [ ] Go-live readiness confirmed

## UAT Test Case Template

```markdown
# Test Case: TC-UAT-001

**Feature**: Guest Checkout
**Priority**: High
**Prerequisite**: Products in cart, valid test credit card

## Test Steps

| Step | Action | Expected Result | Actual Result | Pass/Fail |
|------|--------|-----------------|---------------|-----------|
| 1 | Click "Checkout" with items in cart | Checkout page displays | | |
| 2 | Select "Checkout as Guest" | Email field displayed | | |
| 3 | Enter email "test@example.com" | Email accepted | | |
| 4 | Enter shipping address | Address validated | | |
| 5 | Select shipping method "Standard" | Shipping cost $5.99 shown | | |
| 6 | Enter card 4242-4242-4242-4242 | Card accepted | | |
| 7 | Click "Place Order" | Order confirmation displayed | | |
| 8 | Check email inbox | Confirmation email received | | |

## Test Data Required
- Product: "Test Product" - $29.99
- Credit Card: 4242424242424242, 12/25, 123
- Shipping Address: 123 Test St, San Francisco, CA 94102

## Notes
_Record any observations, issues, or deviations here_

**Tested By**: _____________ **Date**: _____________
**Result**: ☐ Pass ☐ Fail ☐ Blocked
```

## UAT Execution Tracking

### Daily Status Template
```markdown
# UAT Daily Status - [Date]

## Summary
- Tests Planned: 50
- Tests Executed: 35
- Tests Passed: 30
- Tests Failed: 3
- Tests Blocked: 2

## Progress: 70% Complete

## Defects Raised Today
| ID | Severity | Summary | Status |
|----|----------|---------|--------|
| DEF-101 | High | Payment fails for Amex | Open |
| DEF-102 | Medium | Wrong shipping address format | Open |

## Blockers
1. UAT environment was down 2 hours (resolved)
2. Waiting for test credit card for PayPal

## Plan for Tomorrow
- Complete payment testing
- Start order management testing
```

### Defect Severity

| Severity | Definition | UAT Impact |
|----------|------------|------------|
| Critical | System unusable, data loss | UAT blocked, immediate fix required |
| High | Major feature broken, no workaround | Must fix before go-live |
| Medium | Feature issues with workaround | Should fix, can go-live with workaround |
| Low | Minor issues, cosmetic | Nice to fix, doesn't block go-live |

## UAT Sign-off

### Sign-off Template
```markdown
# UAT Sign-off Document

**Project**: E-commerce Checkout Redesign
**UAT Period**: January 15-22, 2026
**Sign-off Date**: January 22, 2026

## Executive Summary
UAT for the checkout redesign has been completed. All critical functionality has been tested and approved.

## Test Summary
| Category | Total | Passed | Failed | Blocked |
|----------|-------|--------|--------|---------|
| Checkout Flow | 25 | 24 | 1 | 0 |
| Payment | 15 | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| Order Management | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| **Total** | **50** | **48** | **1** | **1** |

## Open Defects
| ID | Severity | Summary | Decision |
|----|----------|---------|----------|
| DEF-101 | Medium | Minor display issue on mobile | Go-live, fix in next sprint |

## Go/No-Go Recommendation
**☑ GO** - Recommended for production deployment

## Stakeholder Sign-off
| Name | Role | Signature | Date |
|------|------|-----------|------|
| John Smith | Business Owner | ___________ | |
| Mary Johnson | Product Manager | ___________ | |
| Sarah Lee | UAT Lead | ___________ | |

## Conditions/Notes
- DEF-101 to be fixed within 1 week post-launch
- Monitoring plan in place for first 48 hours
- Rollback plan documented and tested
```

## Best Practices

### Planning
✅ **Do**:
- Involve business users early in planning
- Create realistic test data
- Allow buffer time for defect fixes
- Train testers on new features
- Document expected results clearly

❌ **Don't**:
- Wait until last minute to start UAT
- Use production data with sensitive info
- Skip test case review
- Underestimate time needed
- Forget about regression testing

### Execution
✅ **Do**:
- Track progress daily
- Triage defects quickly
- Re-test after fixes
- Document everything
- Communicate blockers immediately

❌ **Don't**:
- Let testers create ad-hoc tests only
- Ignore "minor" issues
- Skip re-testing after fixes
- Delay communication of issues
- Rush sign-off

## Domain-Specific UAT

### E-commerce
- End-to-end purchase flow
- Payment methods (all supported)
- Shipping calculations
- Promotional codes
- Mobile checkout

### ERP
- Business process flows
- Approval workflows
- Report accuracy
- Integration with other modules
- Role-based access

### CRM
- Lead/opportunity workflows
- Sales process stages
- Email integrations
- Report accuracy
- Mobile access

## Tools

- **Lark/Notion**: Test case documentation
- **Jira/Azure DevOps**: Defect tracking
- **TestRail/Zephyr**: Test management
- **Lark Base**: UAT tracking database

## Next Steps

After UAT:
1. Final sign-off meeting
2. Go-live preparation
3. Production deployment
4. Post-go-live monitoring
5. Hypercare support

## References

- ISTQB Testing Standards
- Agile Testing Quadrants
- UAT Best Practices