Creating a UAT Strategy for Model-driven Apps

User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is a critical phase in the software development lifecycle (SDLC), where the end users validate whether a system meets their business needs and requirements. For Model-driven Apps in the Microsoft Power Platform, which include Dynamics 365 applications, UAT ensures that the solution is aligned with user expectations, functionality, and business goals before going live. A well-structured UAT strategy can prevent costly post-launch issues and improve the quality and usability of the application.

In this guide, we will discuss how to develop a robust UAT strategy for Model-driven Apps, with a focus on planning, execution, and best practices to ensure that the solution meets the needs of both the business and its users.

What is User Acceptance Testing (UAT)?
Why is UAT Important for Model-driven Apps?
Key Steps to Creating a UAT Strategy
- Step 1: Define UAT Objectives
- Step 2: Identify UAT Stakeholders
- Step 3: Plan UAT Scenarios and Test Cases
- Step 4: Prepare the UAT Environment
- Step 5: Select UAT Participants
- Step 6: Execute UAT and Capture Feedback
- Step 7: Analyze UAT Results and Make Adjustments
Best Practices for UAT in Model-driven Apps
Challenges and How to Overcome Them
Conclusion

1. What is User Acceptance Testing (UAT)?

User Acceptance Testing is the final phase of testing where actual users of the application verify whether the system is capable of handling required tasks in real-world scenarios. Unlike functional testing, which verifies whether the system behaves according to technical specifications, UAT is focused on validating that the system meets the business requirements.

For Model-driven Apps built on Microsoft Dataverse, UAT ensures that the system delivers the expected business outcomes by validating business processes, workflows, forms, and user interfaces. It also serves as an opportunity to confirm that the users can interact with the system efficiently and that the solution aligns with their workflows.

2. Why is UAT Important for Model-driven Apps?

Model-driven apps are often deeply integrated with business processes and workflows. Because they are used across various departments and business functions, the system needs to be easy to use, intuitive, and meet specific business needs.

Here’s why UAT is especially important for Model-driven Apps:

User-Centered Validation: It confirms whether the application supports the user experience and usability expectations of the end users.
Business Process Alignment: Validates that workflows and business processes are functioning correctly, ensuring that the application supports key business objectives.
Risk Mitigation: Catching critical defects or misalignments early before the app goes live helps prevent post-launch disruptions.
User Adoption: By involving end users in testing, it increases their confidence in the system, ultimately fostering higher adoption rates.

3. Key Steps to Creating a UAT Strategy

A well-organized UAT strategy ensures thorough validation of the system, leading to better quality and fewer issues after deployment. Here’s a step-by-step guide to developing your UAT strategy for Model-driven Apps.

Step 1: Define UAT Objectives

Before starting, it’s essential to set clear objectives for the UAT process. These should reflect the overall business goals and key success metrics for the Model-driven App.

Some common objectives might include:

Business Process Validation: Ensure that the app aligns with the established business processes.
Data Integrity: Verify that the data entered into the system is captured correctly and consistently.
System Performance: Test how well the system performs under normal usage, ensuring it meets user expectations for speed and reliability.
Usability Testing: Ensure that the system is user-friendly and that all relevant forms, views, and dashboards are accessible and functional.
Customization Validation: Ensure any customizations (business rules, workflows, plugins, or custom entities) work as intended.

By establishing clear objectives, you can create focused test cases and measurements for success.

Step 2: Identify UAT Stakeholders

To ensure that UAT is comprehensive and effective, it’s important to identify and involve the right stakeholders:

End Users: The people who will be using the application daily. Their feedback is crucial for determining if the system meets real-world needs.
Business Analysts: They ensure that business requirements are correctly represented and help translate feedback into actionable changes.
System Administrators: Their knowledge of the backend system ensures that the technical aspects of the application are properly tested.
Project Managers: They oversee the UAT process and ensure timelines and objectives are met.
Developers: While they typically don’t conduct UAT themselves, they will need to address any issues or bugs identified during testing.

By bringing these stakeholders together, you can ensure that all aspects of the app are tested and validated.

Step 3: Plan UAT Scenarios and Test Cases

Planning is crucial for ensuring that UAT is focused and efficient. Develop a list of test scenarios based on real business workflows and user stories. Each test scenario should include specific test cases that cover different aspects of the Model-driven app, including:

Scenario 1: Create a new sales order and verify that the order flows correctly through the pipeline.
Scenario 2: Update a customer’s contact details and verify that the data updates correctly across all relevant forms.
Scenario 3: Run a report on customer interactions and validate the data displayed against expected results.
Scenario 4: Ensure that business rules (like calculated fields or validations) work correctly for specific data inputs.

Step 4: Prepare the UAT Environment

The UAT environment should closely resemble the production environment. This includes:

Replicating Production Data: Where possible, use production data or a sample set of data that mirrors real-world conditions.
Configuring the App: Ensure that all business rules, workflows, and customizations are enabled in the UAT environment.
Access Control: Ensure that the correct roles and permissions are set up so that users can access only the functionality relevant to their roles.

Preparing the environment helps ensure that testing conditions are accurate and that issues discovered during UAT reflect what will happen once the system goes live.

Step 5: Select UAT Participants

Choosing the right participants is crucial for getting meaningful feedback. Select a mix of end-users who represent the different roles that will interact with the app. Ensure you have a good representation of:

Power Users: Users who will be highly engaged with the system and can provide detailed feedback.
Casual Users: Users who may use the system less frequently but still represent typical usage patterns.
System Administrators and IT Support: These stakeholders ensure that the technical aspects are properly validated.

Each user group should be given appropriate training or guidance on how to conduct tests and provide valuable feedback.

Step 6: Execute UAT and Capture Feedback

Once the test cases are ready and the participants are in place, it’s time to execute UAT. During this phase:

Track Test Results: Record the outcome of each test case, noting whether it passed or failed and any issues encountered.
Capture User Feedback: Collect feedback from users about their experience, including ease of use, system performance, and any difficulties they encounter.
Provide Support: Ensure that support is available to address any questions or issues that arise during testing.

Use tools such as Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, or even a dedicated feedback management tool to capture and document feedback in a structured way.

Step 7: Analyze UAT Results and Make Adjustments

After UAT execution, review the results with your stakeholders. Identify:

Critical Issues: Issues that prevent business processes from functioning correctly or block user tasks.
Minor Issues: Small bugs or inconveniences that may not impact core functionality but still need to be addressed.
Usability Feedback: Insights into how the application could be more user-friendly or intuitive.

Make any necessary adjustments to the app, including bug fixes, enhancements, and UI changes, before preparing for final deployment.

4. Best Practices for UAT in Model-Driven Apps

Start Early: Begin planning UAT early in the project lifecycle to ensure all necessary resources are allocated and all aspects of the app are considered.
Engage Stakeholders Regularly: Keep business stakeholders involved throughout the UAT process to ensure the app remains aligned with business goals.
Set Clear Expectations: Ensure that UAT participants understand what they need to test and the criteria for success.
Focus on Critical Use Cases: Prioritize high-value business processes and ensure they work as expected before testing less critical features.
Provide Adequate Training: Ensure UAT participants have the necessary training and knowledge to effectively test the system.

5. Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Challenge 1: Incomplete or Vague Requirements

Solution: Ensure that business requirements are fully documented and validated before the testing phase.

Challenge 2: User Availability and Time Constraints

Solution: Coordinate testing sessions early and provide flexible schedules to ensure key users are available.

Challenge 3: Poor User Feedback

Solution: Provide clear instructions on how to report issues and offer support to users during the testing phase.

Challenge 4: High Complexity and Customization

Solution: Break down testing into smaller modules and test key features individually to ensure full coverage.