SYSTEM TEST

There is some confusion in the IT world when it comes to differentiating between a System Test and User Acceptance Testing. I have seen Application Development Managers signoff on System Test plans, have them executed by members of their Technical team and at the end of the test pass it along to Users for executing the User Acceptance Test!

So what's a System Test and how does it differ from a UAT?

A System Test is executed to ensure that the System is performing to specifications stated in the System Design and the Functional Specifications, whereas a User Acceptance Test ensures that the  Application addresses and satisfies the Business Requirements and the Workflow.

There are of course other stages of testing such as Unit Testing and Load Testing which we will discuss at a later date. One may think that a Unit test is well understood and does not need to be discussed. Believe me it does, because the Unit of Test has changed over the decades leading to gross misunderstanding of the term.  

So here are the artifacts of a System Test:

Screen Navigation –  

• Ensure that the sequence of screens adheres to the workflow.     
• Ensure that each Tab on a primary screen corresponds to a Business Process and each Tab on a secondary screen corresponds to a Business Function. I base this nomenclature on Structured Analysis which denotes a business process to consist of one or more Functions.     
• Ensure that the PF keys perform to standards. Ensure that the correct Error Message is displayed on the correct screen, for a "correct error".     
• Ensure correct processing of the error as stated in the Functional Specifications.     
• Ensure that data entered on a screen is wholly or partially carried forward to the next screen in the sequence, if it is needed on that screen. The User does not have to re-key the same data.     

Screen Design & Content –  

• Ensure that the screens are not cluttered. 15 data items = complex screen, 5-10 items = medium complexity and up to 5 items = simple screen.     
• Ensure that field definitions are adhered to, in that a filed is numeric or alphanumeric as stated in the Functional Specification and filed lengths are consistent throughout all screens that display that data item. It is also good practice to apply the "auto-skip" feature, especially to pure data-entry screens.     
• Ensure cursor performance complies with industry standards.     
• Ensure that the color scheme is the one chosen by the Users or it displays corporate colors.     
• Ensure that field names are meaningful and consistent on all screens that contain the field.    

Exception Processing –  

• The system should manage the processing of exceptions as detailed in the Functional Specification.       

Response Time – 

• This is not a substitute for a Load Test. An initial test should be done just by hitting the Enter key to ensure that the response time between screen displays is within acceptable limits. Fine tuning can be done after the Load Test results are obtained.    

Note that the testing of the abovementioned functions is NOT a User responsibility. We as technical professionals should hand over a correctly working "System" to the Users that will efficiently support their business application. They will then run their UAT Test Cases against it. 

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