Software Quality Assurance Practice Exam

What does acceptance testing primarily compare?

1. Program execution time

2. Initial requirements to end user current needs

3. Code quality to standard guidelines

4. Database performance metrics

The correct answer is: Initial requirements to end user current needs

Acceptance testing primarily focuses on verifying that the software meets specified requirements and satisfies the end user's current needs. This testing phase typically occurs after the development and system testing phases have concluded, ensuring that the product aligns with the original business expectations and functional requirements. The essence of acceptance testing lies in confirming whether the software delivers the features and performance that users require in real-world scenarios. Subsequently, it highlights the necessity for a clear understanding of users' needs from the outset. Thus, the comparison made during acceptance testing is between the initial requirements specified at the beginning of the project and the actual expectations or needs of the end users at the time of testing. This approach ensures that the product is not only functional but also relevant and valuable to the end-users, validating that it meets their expectations before deployment. Other focuses, such as execution time, code quality, or database performance metrics, do not directly address this alignment between requirements and user needs, which is the primary goal of acceptance testing.