With coding, testing, and software inspections complete, it is now time to demonstrate that your software meets its requirements by performing a formal acceptance test. In a previous phase, you created a software acceptance test document. Now it is time to run through this test with the TA and Professor.
Prior to the acceptance test, groups should perform a dry run of the entire acceptance test, ideally involving at least one person from outside your group. Prior to the test, the acceptance test plan, requirements document, and software should all be consistent. If they are not, the documents and source code need to be changed so they are all in agreement. Note that any changes to your requirements document or acceptance test plan must be approved by the TA. That is, if you find that your software does not meet its requirements (or its test plan), this does not imply you change the requirements to match the functionality of the software. Quite the opposite, it is the software that typically must be changed to meet the requirements, since the requirements constitute an agreement on functionality between your team and your customer (i.e., the TA and Professor). Changes to requirements or acceptance test plan without the approval of the TA will result in a loss of points.
Towards the end of class, groups will schedule a one hour time slot to perform the acceptance test. The TA and Professor will both be present for the test. Bring two paper copies of the acceptance test for the TA and Professor, and at least one copy for the people running the test.
Not all group members need to be present for the acceptance test. Minimally, there should be one team member who operates the software during the test, and one team member who describes to the customer what test step is to be performed next, and instructs the operator to perform the operations of the test.
Deviations between the test plan, and the observed behavior of the software are noted. If you do not initially pass your acceptance test, your group must revise the software or the test (depending on the source of the observed problem) and then re-run the acceptance test. Failure to pass the acceptance test after two tries will have significant adverse affect on the "acceptance test plan performance" component of your class grade.
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