Software Quality Assurance Practice Exam

Which of the following describes who typically performs acceptance testing?

1. Program developers

2. Quality assurance team

3. Program's customer or end user

4. System administrators

The correct answer is: Program's customer or end user

Acceptance testing is primarily performed by the program's customer or end user to ensure that the software meets their requirements and is ready for real-world use. This phase of testing provides a final verification that the system aligns with the initially agreed specifications and satisfies user needs. Customers and end users bring a unique perspective during testing since they are the ones who will ultimately utilize the software in their daily operations. Their involvement ensures that any issues with usability, functionality, or performance can be identified and addressed before the product is released. The role of program developers, while crucial in earlier testing phases such as unit and integration testing, primarily focuses on coding and fixing issues rather than validating the system from a user’s perspective. Similarly, while the quality assurance team summarizes the product's overall quality and may contribute to test case development, they typically do not perform acceptance testing. System administrators tend to be involved in maintaining the software post-deployment and are not usually the individuals testing the software pre-release. Thus, involving the end users or customers in acceptance testing is critical to ensure the software aligns with their expectations and operational requirements.