The Difference Between a Test Scenario and an Acceptance Test Scenario

Test Scenario and an Acceptance Test Scenario: A test scenario is a testing method where different scenarios are built to test the application or any software instead of using the test cases. The main purpose of this is to test an application completely end to end for the given complex issues. Acceptance testing may use the test scenarios but they are tested by the end-users or clients. 

Test scenario and acceptance testing are two kinds of testing (among a large pool) that are performed on all the applications before it is used in the real world. Here below you will be reading about both scenarios in detail. 

Test Scenario

Test scenario is a software testing task that uses hypothetical stories to help through the testing of a complex problem.  It is a complete set of test cases that helps in figuring out the positive as well as negative outcomes of the project. It helps the testing team to see all the sides of the project. With the help of a test scenario, the team gets to know “what should be tested”. Test artefacts like SRS (Software requirement specification), BRS (Business requirement specification) help in deriving test scenarios. It is the best way to check for the end-to-end functionality of testing a project. Test scenario requires fewer resources to test. 

Example: 

If you consider an eCommerce application then some of the test scenarios can be 

Test Scenario 1: Logic functionality check

Test Scenario 2: Search functionality check 

Test Scenario 3: Payment functionality check

Need of Test Scenario

• To complete the functionality of your project you must “test the best” which means check for all the situations and make it work for all. 
• Different stakeholders like developers, customers, or business analysts approve the test scenario so that the testing is done thoroughly and efficiently. This helps to make sure that the application covers most of the use cases. 
• Testing an application will help you in making a good customer proposal because you will be able to show the different cases (complex or simpler) where your project worked.
• If you have finalized your test scenario then you can derive the test cases from these test scenarios. 

Prerequisites of Test Scenario

• In the test scenario, there are one-line statements that inform what is to be tested. 
• An understandable and simple description of the scenario is there. 
• The requirements given should be carefully assessed. 
• Before the process of testing starts you need to have all the tools and resources which are required during the testing. 

Test scenario mainly focuses on “what is to be tested rather than how it is to be tested”. There can be ambiguity while testing because the test scenarios are one-liners. They come from the artefacts like SRS, BRS, etc. A test scenario takes comparatively lesser time and fewer resources are needed to create a test scenario. 

Acceptance Test (UAT)

Before a software application moves into the production environment, end users or the client performs testing to accept the application. Once functional, integration, and system testing is done then comes acceptance testing as the final step.

To verify the complete business flow which doesn’t include any kind of system testing or any other cosmetic errors we perform this test. To perform acceptance testing there is a different kind of testing environment that has a data set up similar to the production.  

Why user acceptance testing? 

Once the application has been through the unit, integration, and system testing then comes the role of acceptance testing. It is important because when the software is made it is built based on the developer’s understanding of the documents (BRD) which may not include the changes while development was going on. So to test the final application, it is important to hold acceptance testing by the end-user or client. 

Acceptance Testing Prerequisites: 

These are the criteria for acceptance testing:

• BRD (Business requirement details) should be present. 
• Must have a complete developed code of the application. 
• An application must have been through unit testing, system testing, and integration testing. 
• Before acceptance testing, it is expected to be a zero error application, only cosmetic errors can be accepted.
• The application should have been through regression testing without any big issue or defect. 
• Before acceptance testing starts, deal with all the reported errors and defects. 
• For all testing, you must have completed the traceability matrix. 
• The environment for acceptance testing must be prepared beforehand. 
• To inform that the application is ready for acceptance testing execution, there should be a sign-off mail from the system testing team. 

How acceptance testing is performed

The acceptance testing is performed by the user of the application. This kind of testing is also called, “Beta Testing” as it is held at the client location. When all the criteria for acceptance testing are satisfied then testers need to perform these tasks: 

1. Analyzing the business requirement.
2. A test plan for acceptance testing is created.
3. Test scenario is identified.
4. Test Cases for the acceptance testing is created.
5. Production-like data is prepared (test data).
6. Run the test cases.
7. Results are recorded.
8. Business objectives are confirmed.

To exit from acceptance testing it is important that during the testing no defect is found, business processes must work in the best way and there should be a proper sign-off meeting with all the stakeholders.

To make acceptance testing successful you must keep the following things in mind:

• There should be an acceptance testing plan which should be ready, early in the life cycle of the project.
• Before acceptance testing starts have a checklist. 
• During the system testing phase, you must have a pre-acceptance testing session. 
• Must define the complete scope of acceptance testing and set the expectations. 
• Avoid system tests, test for the end-to-end business flow. 
• Real-world scenarios and data must be used to test the application. 
• Consider yourself as an unknown user while testing.
• Usability Testing must be performed. 
• Before you move into the production phase have a feedback meeting. 

Acceptance testing is one of the flavours of testing which has come out in the last thirty years. It gives an assurance to clients about what they can expect from the final application rather than imagining and cooking up their own story. The best part of acceptance testing is that customers have no surprises when the product is finally released on the market. 

Difference between test case scenario and Acceptance testing

Acceptance Testing	Testing Scenario
Acceptance testing is the kind of testing performed by experts who are generally clients or any representative of the client. This is simulated as closely to the end-user as possible. The tester is told to perform a certain set of actions in the new system, but they don’t have any guidance or instruction.	Scenario testing helps a tester work on complex testing scenarios. This kind of testing tests for the complicated combinations which may occur while actually using the system and often they even cut across many systems. Acceptance testing can even use scenario testing.
Example: Consider creating an airline site, they can ask you to register, log in, make payment, book a flight, check the flight status, check in, and many more.	Example of test scenario: System gets out of space (disk space) in the middle of the processing; then verify that the admin is informed that the process gets resumed after the space has been cleared and there is no loss of data.
Acceptance testing is the final business user trying out your application.  QA even does the acceptance testing when they have to check for the new functionality.	Test scenario has steps that will cover the big picture. Mostly they have cases on how the end-user will be using the application. But the only difference is that it is done by QA and not by the end-user.
Acceptance testing is a way to get confirmation that the system meets up the requirements of the customer or the product manager.	A high level of test cases is called a test scenario, the first classification is on the module testing then the module is divided into scenarios and at the end comes the small steps with the expected results. Test scenario is the group of test cases that are limited to the module.

Testing is a very tricky part. A single miss can cause big harm to the system. This is why nowadays everyone is preferring automation testing. Selenium Automation testing platforms like LambdaTest helps you to easily automate your test scripts and also finish your testing process in less time. 

Allow me to share a few features LambdaTest.

• You can perform parallel testing using this tool. Parallel testing helps in the execution of tests faster, more reliable, and more accurately.
• You can also seamlessly integrate with any of the CI/CD tools.
• It supports nearly all types of languages and frameworks. Now, you do not worry about language, just worry about the test cases.
• Get your hands on the fastest test execution platform – “HyperExecute”.
• Debug your test cases more scalable, using this tool. 
• Accelerate your release velocity with automated device testing on real devices.

Conclusion

Test scenario and acceptance testing are two important parts of the advanced testing process. Test scenarios are a set of test cases, which helps in testing, and QA can perform it well. Test scenario is used for testing when the project is going on (to refine errors) and acceptance testing is done when the project is completely developed.

Test scenario testing is done by an expert like QA but acceptance testing is done by the real user or customers. They both are important as test scenario testing checks the defect before delivering to the customer and acceptance testing is done when the project is finally delivered. Acceptance testing is done in real-world cases and test scenario testing is done on the created set of test cases. 

With all these words, I would like to end here. Thank you for reading. Happy testing.