Manufacturing Acceptance Testing
A structured procedure for conducting formal acceptance testing of production run deliverables against agreed criteria to verify that they meet the customer or stakeholder requirements before sign-off.
Purpose
To provide a rigorous and transparent process for verifying that deliverables meet the defined acceptance criteria, giving all parties confidence that the output is fit for purpose before formal acceptance.
Scope
Covers the preparation, execution, and documentation of acceptance testing for all major production run deliverables that require formal customer or stakeholder sign-off.
Prerequisites
- Acceptance criteria have been defined and agreed for each deliverable being tested
- Deliverables are complete and in a testable state within the designated testing environment
- Test participants including customer representatives have been identified and their availability confirmed
- Defect tracking and reporting mechanisms are in place
Designed to support ISO 9001 quality management, workplace health and safety regulations, and environmental compliance reporting under Australian standards.
Step-by-Step Procedure
Develop the Acceptance Test Plan
Create a detailed test plan that defines the scope of testing, test cases, test environment, roles, schedule, and pass and fail criteria.
- 1.1Define the test scope by listing all deliverables and features to be tested
- 1.2Write test cases for each acceptance criterion, specifying inputs, expected results, and pass criteria
- 1.3Identify the test environment and ensure it is configured to match the production conditions
- 1.4Define the schedule for testing including start date, duration, and key milestones
Prepare the Test Environment
Set up and verify the testing environment, ensuring it contains the correct version of deliverables and all necessary test data.
- 2.1Deploy the deliverables to the designated testing environment
- 2.2Load or create test data that supports all planned test scenarios
- 2.3Verify the environment is functioning correctly by running a basic smoke test
Conduct the Test Briefing
Brief all test participants on the test plan, their responsibilities, the defect reporting process, and the criteria for acceptance.
- 3.1Walk test participants through the test plan and their assigned test cases
- 3.2Demonstrate how to log test results and report defects in the tracking system
- 3.3Confirm the escalation path for critical defects that could block further testing
Execute Acceptance Tests
Carry out the acceptance tests according to the test plan, documenting results for each test case and logging any defects discovered.
- 4.1Execute each test case following the documented steps and record the actual results
- 4.2Log any defects with detailed reproduction steps, expected versus actual behaviour, and severity
- 4.3Track overall test progress against the plan and report status daily during the testing period
- Prioritise testing of high-risk and critical-path features early in the testing window
Triage and Resolve Defects
Review all logged defects, classify them by severity and priority, and coordinate their resolution with the production run team.
- 5.1Conduct a defect triage meeting to review all logged defects and agree on their severity and priority
- 5.2Assign defects to the appropriate team members for resolution
- 5.3Retest resolved defects to confirm they have been fixed and do not introduce new issues
- 5.4Track defect resolution progress and update the test status report
Compile the Test Summary Report
Prepare a comprehensive test summary report documenting the overall results, outstanding defects, and a recommendation on whether the deliverables should be accepted.
- 6.1Summarise the total test cases executed, passed, failed, and not executed
- 6.2List all outstanding defects with their severity, status, and any agreed workarounds
- 6.3Provide a clear recommendation on acceptance based on the test results and defect profile
Obtain Acceptance Decision
Present the test summary report to the customer or accepting authority and obtain their formal decision on acceptance.
- 7.1Present the test summary to the customer or accepting authority with a clear recommendation
- 7.2Facilitate discussion on any outstanding defects and their impact on acceptance
- 7.3Obtain formal acceptance sign-off or document the conditions for conditional acceptance
Quality Checkpoints
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Expected Outcomes
Percentage of deliverables that achieve acceptance on the first testing cycle without requiring additional rounds of defect resolution
Number of defects discovered after acceptance compared to those found during acceptance testing, indicating test coverage effectiveness
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should perform acceptance testing?
Acceptance testing should be performed by representatives of the customer or end users who understand the business requirements. They are best positioned to verify that deliverables meet their operational needs. The production run team should support the testing process but not perform the tests themselves.
What constitutes a valid reason to reject a deliverable?
A deliverable should be rejected if it fails to meet one or more of the agreed acceptance criteria that were defined during production run planning. The rejection should reference the specific criteria that were not met and the evidence from testing. Subjective preferences that were not part of the original criteria are not valid grounds for rejection.
How do we handle acceptance testing for non-technical deliverables?
Non-technical deliverables such as documents, designs, or process specifications should be reviewed against their acceptance criteria through structured review sessions. Use a checklist-based approach where each criterion is assessed and the outcome documented.
What if the customer does not have resources to conduct testing?
If the customer cannot allocate testing resources, discuss this risk early in the production run. Options include the production run team conducting testing on the customer behalf with documented results for their review, or engaging independent testers. Ensure the arrangement is documented in the production run plan.
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