Scenario Matrix Template

About

A Scenario Matrix Template for Acceptance Testing is a structured tool used to validate whether the entire system meets business requirements and is ready for delivery to the customer or deployment to production. Acceptance testing is typically the final phase of the software testing lifecycle and is often performed by end users, stakeholders, or QA teams simulating real user conditions.

This matrix ensures:

• All business-critical scenarios are verified against agreed requirements

• The system aligns with user expectations in real-world conditions

• Defects or gaps are identified before final sign-off

• Compliance, usability, and operational readiness are validated

Acceptance testing scenarios often focus on business flows, real-world data, user roles, operational readiness, and sign-off criteria.

Template

Scenario ID	Scenario Description	Preconditions	Test Data / Inputs	Steps to Execute	Expected Result	Priority	Remarks
AT-01	Validate primary business process	Fully deployed system	Valid real-world data	Perform complete business workflow	Process completes successfully and matches business requirements	High	Must-pass scenario for sign-off
AT-02	Verify alternative user paths	Fully deployed system	Alternate workflow inputs	Execute alternative navigation or process path	Workflow works correctly without errors	High	Covers real-world usage variations
AT-03	Confirm legal and compliance requirements	System with compliance rules configured	Test data with compliance constraints	Execute regulated workflow	All compliance checks pass	High	Critical for regulated industries
AT-04	Validate data accuracy	System with production-like DB	Valid input dataset	Execute workflow and verify output data	Output matches expected values	High	Ensures accuracy before release
AT-05	End-user usability evaluation	Fully deployed system	Test users	Perform daily operational tasks	Users find system intuitive and usable	Medium	Non-functional validation
AT-06	Test operational readiness	Production-like environment	Standard operating procedures	Run workflows per SOP	System supports expected operational activities	Medium	Ensures readiness for go-live
AT-07	Role-based scenario validation	Users with varied permissions	User login credentials	Attempt actions per role	Permissions enforced as per business rules	High	Prevents unauthorized access
AT-08	Performance under expected load	Test environment with expected user load	Simulated concurrent requests	Run workflows under load	Performance meets SLA	Medium	Final performance validation
AT-09	Recovery and failover validation	Failover and backup systems active	Simulated component failure	Execute workflow during failure	System recovers or fails over without data loss	Low	Confirms operational resilience
AT-10	Final acceptance sign-off scenario	Complete product build	Acceptance checklist	Execute full list of business scenarios	All acceptance criteria met for release	High	Required for customer approval