What is the Business Analyst's role during User Acceptance Testing (UAT)?

All answers to this question.

The BA is the "Bridge" during UAT. Your primary role is to ensure the testing reflects the business requirements you elicited. You should lead the creation of "UAT Test Scripts" based on the Acceptance Criteria. During the testing, your job is to triage the feedback. You must distinguish between a "Defect" (the system isn't doing what we agreed it would do) and a "New Requirement" (it would be nice if the system did this new thing). By strictly enforcing this boundary, you prevent scope creep and guide the stakeholders toward a formal sign-off for the current release.

   Answered 2025-10-22 by Elizabeth Walker

Triage is vital, but what if the "New Requirement" is actually a critical missing feature that you, as the BA, missed during the elicitation phase? How do you handle that professional embarrassment while still keeping the project on track with the project manager and the steering committee?

   Answered 2025-10-24 by Mark Davis

• Mark, honesty is the best policy. If I missed a requirement, I document it as a "Gap Found in UAT" and present the impact to the Project Manager immediately. We then decide if it’s a "Go-Live Blocker" or if it can be added to Phase 2. Owning the mistake early allows the team to adjust the plan rather than trying to hide it and having the project fail after launch.

     Commented 2025-10-26 by Sarah Jenkins

I always facilitate a "Daily Stand-up" during UAT with the testers and the developers. It keeps the momentum high and ensures that blockers are resolved in real-time rather than waiting for a weekly report

   Answered 2025-10-28 by Lisa Thompson

• I agree with Lisa. Those daily touchpoints during UAT reduced our "Time to Resolve" for defects by almost 50% in our last software release cycle.

     Commented 2025-10-30 by Elizabeth Walker