1

Identify Preconditions

• Choose a scenario or quality of service requirement and begin writing a user acceptance test by documenting the preconditions.    
• Identify user acceptance test environment requirements. For example, does the test require a certain location to be conducted? Are certain software systems required to be running during the test?
• Identify user acceptance test resources that are required. Consult the test approach document to see if there is potentially reusable production data. Be sure that any resources identified are as realistic as possible for the user's real conditions.
• Identify user acceptance equipment and tools. For example, if the scenario requires the user to gain secure access with a cardkey, a cardkey reader must be available along with a cardkey. All equipment and tools identified should be an expected part of the user's environment, and not required as a special case to make the test work.

2

Write Steps

• Document each step the user must take to verify that the quality of service requirement or scenario is implemented as expected by the user.
• Write the steps from the point of view of the user because the user will perform these steps.
• Avoid writing steps that are overly specific about product details. For example, when testing an online mortgage service scenario, a good step would state that the user fill out the online mortgage application. A poor step would state where the user should click, and what the user should type.
• If there is not enough information to write the steps, revisit the quality of service requirements and scenarios. A lack of information is most likely due to a missing quality of service requirement or scenario.
• Save the user acceptance tests on the project portal.

User acceptance tests are written.