Activity 7 – Functional Evaluation

Objective:

To assess the solution’s conformance to functional requirements identified in the Functional Requirements Document from the Requirements Analysis phase and approve the User Acceptance section of the Test Analysis Report.

Entry Criteria

The Functional Evaluation phase may begin once the solution delivery team produces an approved Test Report in the Integration and Testing phase.

Roles & Responsibilities

User Acceptance Test Writer – Stakeholders, solution delivery team members, or neutral third parties may fill this role. User Acceptance Test writers must document their testing methodology in a User Acceptance Test Plan. They must also generate human-readable User Acceptance Test Scripts that demonstrate conformance of the solution’s behaviors to the solution’s functional requirements. Finally, User Acceptance Test Writers must account for each script they write and analyze the results for inclusion in the User Acceptance Test Report. User Acceptance Test Writers should document any discrepancy between expected behavior and observed behavior and recommend a remediation strategy.

User Acceptance Test Developer – Use of automated testing requires a User Acceptance Test Developer to convert the User Acceptance Test Writer’s human-readable scripts into program instructions for the automated test tool.

User Acceptance Tester – Stakeholders, solution delivery team members, neutral third parties, or automated tools may fill this role. User Acceptance Testers must follow the supplied scripts and document their results. A script’s author may not also complete the test.

Project Manager – Resolve resource, scheduling, budget issues.

Implementation Manager – Assist with analysis of test results.

Customer – Sponsor and signs off team effort; review progress with the developers and the PM.

Review (Revision)

The solution delivery team will review the User Acceptance section of the Master Test Plan.  Revision of the User Acceptance Test Plan may occur if a later phase highlights missing or errant solution behavior or if the Test Report from the Integration and Testing phase changes.

Stakeholders and the solution delivery team will review the User Acceptance Test Report.  Revisions of a Test Report may occur if stakeholders rejected a previous version.

Project Manager, Customer, Implementation Manger and Solution Delivery team will review the Implementation Plan.

Approval

If stakeholders approve the User Acceptance Test Report, the solution can proceed to the Implementation phase. If the stakeholders reject the User Acceptance Test Report, stakeholders must itemize the reasons for rejection. The stakeholders and solution delivery team must determine the course of action to resolve each item cited and amend the Project Plan.

Exit Criteria

An approved User Acceptance Test Report, completion of Maintenance Manual and approval of Implementation Plan will allow the solution to enter the Implementation phase.

 

Next – Activity 8 Implementation