The Differences Between Usability and User Acceptance Testing and Why Both are Important for Successful Software Development
Conclusion:
Involving end-users in the software development cycle isn’t a new concept, yet reportedly, 78 per cent of IT project professionals believe business stakeholders need to be more involved in and engaged with the requirements process1. Commonly, software development project managers report problems with end-users’ ability to learn and use the new system and/or the end-users’ perceived quality of system functionality. While usability testing is meant to be a safeguard for system ease-of-use, user acceptance testing is designed to be a safeguard for the development of quality functionality. Both play a different role in the software development lifecycle.
This paper covers the differences between usability testing with end-users and user acceptance testing, also conducted with end-users and why both are equally important for the software development success.
About The Advisor
David Beal
David is an IBRS advisor specialising in corporate board advisory, business performance improvement, digital and customer experience strategy and operationalisation, program and project governance and agile capability development. David has expertise and a strong track record of successfully bridging the gap between digital, business and technology strategy and operations. He brings 20 years’ experience in leading transformative digital, ICT and business improvement programs across the financial services, government and not-for-profit sectors. As a trusted change agent and advisor, David has partnered with executives, corporate and program boards to deliver high impact, well informed business and customers outcomes across service delivery, business systems, digital and ICT operations. As a transformative senior executive, David has led major reform programs at a whole of government level, repositioning Queensland as a national digital leader. He was responsible for the revitalisation of the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages and the digital transformation in the Department of Justice. Most recently, David has spearheaded digital and business innovation within the superannuation industry as the General Manager, Digital Transformation and Analytics.