Design a user acceptance test for a client simulation

UAT asks whether the service supports the business task under realistic conditions. It should be run by the role that accepts the outcome, even in a fictional simulation.

Preserve a failure

The delivery lab compares two authored scripts.

from delivery_cases import uat_case

result = uat_case()
assert result["failed"] == ["U2"]
assert result["scripts"][0]["pass"] is True
assert result["accepted"] is False
assert result["client_fictional"] is True

Define role, precondition, representative fixture, steps, expected visible and downstream result, evidence and severity. Cover normal, duplicate, invalid, approval timeout, dependency failure and recovery. Use a safe environment and no production credentials.

Let the simulated business user execute without developer coaching. Record actual result, comments, defect owner and retest. Do not rewrite the expected result to make a run pass. Acceptance follows closure of critical defects and an explicit decision.

The FDE for Freshers course grades capstone behaviour through client-facing simulation.

Exercise

Write eight UAT scripts and ask a peer to act as finance reviewer. Fix one failed exception path and retain both run records.

Continue learning

This article is part of the FDE career entry and client-delivery practice sequence. Use the neighbouring tasks when you need the prerequisite or the next application.

• Review the prerequisite or neighbouring task in Record an architecture decision and its trade-offs.
• Continue with Build a portfolio around evidence rather than screenshots.

Reference: GOV.UK QA guidance.