Testing Tips

Get the most out of your UAT testing time with these best practices.

Before You Start

Set Up Your Environment

• Use Chrome or Edge (latest version)
• Test in Incognito/Private mode for a clean session:
  • Chrome: Press Ctrl + Shift + N (or Cmd + Shift + N on Mac)
  • Edge: Press Ctrl + Shift + N (or Cmd + Shift + N on Mac)
• Open this guide in a separate tab or second monitor
• Have Teams open for questions

Block Your Calendar

• Schedule dedicated testing time
• Minimize distractions during testing
• Plan for 30-60 minutes per testing session

During Testing

Follow the Script, But Think Critically

• Complete each step as written
• But also ask: “Does this make sense for my real work?”
• Note anything confusing, even if technically “working”

Test Like It’s Real

• Imagine you’re doing actual work, not just clicking buttons
• Use realistic data when creating test records
• Think about your daily workflow

Document Everything

• Mark each step Pass/Fail/Skip immediately
• Add notes for anything unexpected
• Screenshot errors before dismissing them

Don’t Assume

• If something seems wrong, report it
• “That’s probably just the test environment” - maybe, but report it anyway
• Better to over-report than miss a real issue

Common Testing Scenarios

Form Validation

Try entering:

• Empty required fields (should show validation)
• Very long text (should handle gracefully)
• Special characters (!@#$%^&*)
• Copy/paste from Excel or Word

Navigation

• Use browser back/forward buttons
• Open links in new tabs
• Refresh the page mid-workflow
• Try deep-linking (bookmarking a specific page)

Performance

• Note if anything feels slow (>3 seconds)
• Try operations with large data sets
• Test during peak hours if possible

Marking Results

Pass

• The step worked exactly as described
• The result matched expectations

Fail

• The step didn’t work as described
• The result was different from expected
• An error occurred
• Always add notes explaining what happened

Skip

• Prerequisites weren’t met (e.g., dependent feature broken)
• Step not applicable to your role
• Add notes explaining why skipped

After Testing

Review Your Session

• Check that all steps are marked
• Ensure failed steps have notes
• Verify any issues were reported via Userback

Provide Feedback

• Share overall impressions in the Teams channel
• Mention things that worked well, not just problems
• Suggest improvements if you have ideas

Time-Saving Tips

1. Copy credentials - Click the credential values to copy them
2. Use keyboard shortcuts - Tab between fields, Enter to submit
3. Group similar tests - Do all authentication tests together
4. Take breaks - Fresh eyes catch more issues

Questions?

Stuck on something? Don’t spend more than 5 minutes trying to figure it out - ask in Teams!