Fully remote UAT across the Americas and EMEA — pitfalls and attention points?
Carl RasquinSr. Project Manager| SilverIntelligence.aiAllen, Tx, United States
Does anyone here have experience running a completely remote/virtual UAT?
My project is heading into Train-the-Trainer sessions, followed by a two-week UAT window. This is the first time I'm running UAT entirely remotely — all my previous UATs have been onsite, with consultants and customer testers in the same room and immediate face-to-face interaction when something broke. I'll be honest that I feel a little uneasy about losing that.
The project spans the globe, with testers across the Americas and EMEA. My current plan:
15-minute stand-ups in the morning, midday, and evening to cover the time zone spread
A dedicated Teams channel for testers to raise issues and share workarounds in real time
For those who've done this before:
What worked, and what would you do differently?
Where does remote UAT typically break down — defect triage, tester engagement, evidence capture, something else?
Any attention points on keeping testers active across time zones when there's no one physically looking over their shoulder?
Grateful for any lessons learned.
Looking forward to your feedback,
Kind regards,
Carl Rasquin
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Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Well, I am doing this type of things from long time ago. Including when we only have a phone bridge to run remotelly UAT. Generally speaking think the UAT in the same way than you have people on the same room. You have great collaboration tools to create virtual rooms to simulate the same schema you use then everybody were present. For example each room could simulate a table where UAT testers are doing their job. We are doing that to run lean portfolio management meetings. On the other side, I think you do not need that. You can "leave your kids along" and delegate testing responsabilities to each team then make some sincronization meetings with all the teams. Except you like to manage UAT as a war room meeting. Saving Changes...
Robert SnyderFounder & President| Innovation Elegance, LLCChicago, Il, United States
Hi Carl. Considerations for you …
Four cultural pillars: synchronization (pacing), low latency, simplicity, clarity.
·Obsess about your Finite Productivity and avoid wallowing in Infinite Activity.
·Smooth is fast.
·Frantic is not fast.
Here are the mechanics I recommend.
Inventory all the formal documentation you expect. My default list is this.
1.Test Approach (governing more than UAT)
2.Test Conditions (could be 1000 of these)
3.Test Cycles (partitioning a large test into manageable partitions to start, stop, backup, restore)
4.Test Scripts
5.Test Data (to ensure branching logic covers every permutation)
6.Actual Results
7.Defect Log
Have these Five Verbs in mind: Draft, Review & Revise, Approve, Distribute.
Assignments for DRAFT … steer toward junior employees.
Assignments for APPROVE … steer toward the senior employees who should have authority and accountability.
Assignment for the middle (REVIEW & REVISE) … steer these toward stakeholders who should have a SAY in the work although someone senior to them should be the ones who get their WAY.
Assign DISTRIBUTE to stakeholders who should see the assets but NOT contribute.
I’ll pause for reactions. I’ll try to share more ideas.
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Robert SnyderFounder & President| Innovation Elegance, LLCChicago, Il, United States
Let’s say your Train the Trainer sessions are July 27 – August 7. Perhaps UAT execution is supposed to start Monday, August 10.
Test Approach Draft. July 27. Review & Revise. July 28. Approve. July 29. Distribute. July 30.
Test Conditions Draft. July 29. Review & Revise. July 30. Approve. July 31. Distribute. August 3.
Test Cycles. Draft. July 31. Review & Revise August 3. Approve. August 4. Distribute. August 5.
Test Scripts Draft. August 3. Review & Revise. August 4. Approve. August 5. Distribute. August 6.
Test Data. Draft. August 4. Review & Revise. August 5. Approve. August 6. Distribute. August 7. Saving Changes...
Robert SnyderFounder & President| Innovation Elegance, LLCChicago, Il, United States
OK, so 10 days to fit Test Execution.
Quantity of open defects should follow a bell curve.
Day 1 might be quiet. Day 2 should spike in new/open defects. Day 9 hopefully has minimal new defects.
Percentage of passed test conditions should follow an S-curve.
Day 1 might have not many test conditions pass. By Day 3, after a round of bug fixes, your pass rate should be hockey-sticking. By Day 8, your pass rate should eclipse 90%. By Day 9, your pass rate should be plateauing at 95% or higher.
You can’t proceed in the project unless ...
1.The quantity and nature of open defects is mild (e.g., under 10) 2.Your percentage pass rate is 90% (and know what did NOT pass) Saving Changes...
Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
A very relevant question. In a fully remote UAT, the greatest risk may be less the physical distance itself than the loss of continuity between test execution, evidence capture, defect triage, decision-making, and retesting. The Teams channel and regional checkpoints can help, but I would avoid relying too heavily on synchronous meetings. Clear entry and exit criteria, standardized evidence, regional or functional leads, a defined defect taxonomy, protected tester capacity, and disciplined handoffs across time zones may be even more important. Perhaps the real objective is not to recreate the onsite room virtually, but to design a testing system in which context, decisions, and accountability continue to flow even when participants are not working at the same time. Saving Changes...
Robert SnyderFounder & President| Innovation Elegance, LLCChicago, Il, United States
Actual Results & Defect Log
Day 1. Try Pass 1 but fail. Environment shakeout. Often, no real productivity because a new test environment has bugs itself.
Day 2a. A true Pass 1. Execute as many test scripts as possible. Record results. Record defects.
Day 2b (e.g. overnight for some timezone). Fix bugs. Update Defect Log.
Day 3a. Pass 2. Execute scripts. Record Results. Updated defect log.
Get the team to find a rhythm.
1.Execute scripts.
2.Record Results + Defect Log.
3.Discuss Defect Log.
4.Fix Bugs + Update Defect Log.
5.Repeat.
What are meetings?
Singular agenda: walk methodically through Defect Log. Review & Revise Defect Log.
Share/voice metrics of defect log: new, open, ready for re-test, closed.
As a default, inspect Actual Results OFFLINE … not in precious meeting time.
In precious meeting time, smoothly hammer on the Defect Log.
Open as many bugs as possible, as early as possible.
Get on the other side of the bell curve (of open defects).
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Robert SnyderFounder & President| Innovation Elegance, LLCChicago, Il, United States
Do NOT rush your meetings. Keep everyone relaxed and safe in every meeting. Find the fun. Everyone is doing great work except any spectator cracking a whip, saying, “Hurry!” Don’t fall victim to a cliché of “We didn’t test enough.”
A 60 or 90 minute meeting feels healthy to me. Deep thinking. Zero stress. 100% pride in the teamwork.
A Teams channel signals “Infinite Activity.” It does not signal “Finite Productivity.” Fine for informal banter, but it represents typing AT each other, not real collaboration, authority, and accountability.
Encourage sleep. A ten-day window can and likely will feel like a War Zone. Testers who feel psychologically safe will do an amazing job on Actual Results and a Defect Log.
Welcome the junior employees to schedule meetings and pace themselves.
Perhaps reserve Day 10 as a final script runthrough.
Perhaps set as a default Days 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 as execution days.
Perhaps default Days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 as fix days.
A senior employee APPROVES the Actual Results every day.
A senior employee APPROVES the Defect Log every day.
If a senior employee fails to APPROVE the work, it’s now unsponsored work.
It has an authority void, an accountability void, and a leadership void.
In the project plan, formalize who is approving the Actual Results.
Hi Carl, I've found that remote UAT works best when each region has a local UAT lead who keeps testers engaged and answers simple questions. Daily check-ins help, but I also try not to micromanage. Give each team ownership of their test cases and use Teams to collaborate when issues arise. Finally, ask testers to include screenshots or short screen recordings with every defect. it makes triage much faster. Saving Changes...
Robert SnyderFounder & President| Innovation Elegance, LLCChicago, Il, United States
What constitutes completion is the math of Finite Productivity. I see 7 assets. I see Five Verbs occupying 4 rows in the project plan. 7 x 4 = 28. What constitutes completion is that the project plan … ·has names on every row ·shows the interdependencies ·shows duration & the dates that the work (productivity & activity) happened ·shows 100% complete MS Teams is not a good place for evidence. Those seven assets are going to be valuable to your next team. Meetings and email are wonderful servants. They are horrible masters. Meetings and message are “Infinite Activity.” They don’t define “done.” “Finite Productivity” defines “done.” Saving Changes...
Robert SnyderFounder & President| Innovation Elegance, LLCChicago, Il, United States
Carl, my posts purposely tried to err on the side of being overly-structured. My intent is that my “DRAFT” it makes it super easy for you to “REVIEW & REVISE.” You then can present the structure you see fit to your team to ALSO “Review & Revise.” Then have your manager APPROVE the approach. You and your manager can DISTRIBUTE this to whoever you wish. And this whole body of work will be helpful to your next UAT effort.
The right documentation, governed with Five Verbs, qualifies as a love letter to your future team. 😊
Test Preparation July 27 – August 7. Test Execution August 10 - 21.
Draft. Robert. July 27. Review & Revise. Carl. July 28. Review & Revise. Carl’s team. July 29-30. Approve. Carl’s manager. July 31. Distribute. Carl’s spectators. 😊 August 3. Saving Changes...
