User acceptance testing underway
User Acceptance Testing (UAT) is now well underway for the new CRM, marking a significant milestone on our journey towards go-live. In the first two weeks of testing, more than 50 colleagues across the UK and our international teams completed over 1,200 test scenarios, helping us validate the system and identify opportunities for improvement.
UAT is the final phase of testing before launch. During this stage, colleagues across the University work through realistic scenarios to confirm that the system supports our processes, meets user needs, and is ready for day-to-day use.
The focus of UAT is not on finding technical faults. That work has already taken place. Instead, UAT is about ensuring the system works as intended in our environment, for our colleagues, and for the way we work.
Feedback from testers is already providing valuable insight and helping us refine the solution ahead of go-live.
What our testers are saying
Having worked at UofG for more than a decade I was, to say the least, sceptical. Great claims have been bandied about regarding the problems the new CRM will solve. In my second week of testing, I can say that it actually looks like it’s going to be a massive improvement, and it’s reasonably intuitive once you get your head around the associated language.
Like with any new system or portal, it usually takes some time to get used to it and become familiar with all the features. But so far, I really love the idea of having everything in one interface, where you can see all the details of a lead on a single page, especially the timeline section!
I also really like the status pipeline. Being able to jump to the status you want with just one click is so convenient and makes the whole process feel much more efficient.
Overall, I find the system very user-friendly. I’m sure there are still many features I haven’t explored yet, but I’m really looking forward to trying them out. I hope there are even more useful functions and shortcuts that will continue to impress me as I become more familiar with the system!
I've really enjoyed being involved in the UAT over the last few weeks. It's been a great introduction to the CRM, and it's been exciting to finally see it in action after hearing about it for so long.
Having colleagues from across different teams involved in the testing has been a real benefit. It's given us the opportunity to get hands-on with the system before the formal training, while also making sure it works well for the people who'll be using it every day.
The feature that's impressed me most is being able to see a complete picture of each prospective student in one place, from their initial lead through to every enquiry, event and interaction with the University. Coming from an enquiries background, I can already see what a difference that will make in helping us provide a more joined-up, personalised experience for our applicants, and I'm really looking forward to using it.
UAT Progress
Testing is progressing through a series of business-critical processes, with colleagues from across Future Students and other stakeholder groups helping to validate workflows and identify improvements ahead of go-live.
Testing has been sequenced to focus on key functional areas:
- Lead Capture
- Confirmed that core processes work end-to-end using our data, workflows and business processes.
- Enquiries
- Events
- Marketing Communications
- Lead Nurture
As each phase progresses, findings are reviewed with the project team and prioritised for resolution, helping ensure the system is ready for launch.
What we hope to achieve
By the end of UAT, we aim to have:
- Identified and resolved any issues or gaps that could impact colleagues or students.
- Increased user confidence through hands-on experience ahead of formal training.
- Gathered evidence to support a successful go-live decision.
- Used tester feedback to inform training materials and support resources.
Feedback from our testers is instrumental in shaping both the final system configuration and our training approach. This ensures the solution is refined by the people who will use it every day.
Have a question?
If you have any questions or feedback, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the project team.
routestoenrolment@glasgow.ac.uk
Every comment helps us improve the experience and prepare for a successful launch, so please continue to share your thoughts and observations throughout the testing period.