Virtual Persona Simulation for Faster Software Feature Acceptance Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing user acceptance testing methods are time-consuming and costly due to the need for real sponsor users, making it difficult to swiftly validate software modifications.

Innovation Solution

Simulate virtual sponsor users with persona type profiles to interact with software features, tracking interactions to determine acceptance rates, thereby performing user acceptance testing efficiently and cost-effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If real sponsor users are used for user acceptance testing, then the accuracy of acceptance prediction is improved, but the time consumption and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacceptance prediction accuracyVSAvoidtesting time consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates virtual sponsor users that copy and simulate the behavior patterns, preferences, and interaction styles of real target audience members. These virtual users are designed to replicate human decision-making processes regarding software feature acceptance, allowing accurate prediction without requiring actual human participants during the testing phase

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary analysis of real user behavior data before creating the virtual sponsor users. By pre-processing and analyzing actual user interactions, preferences, and acceptance patterns, the system builds accurate behavioral models that can be reused for multiple testing scenarios, eliminating the need to repeatedly recruit real users

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If real sponsor users are used for user acceptance testing, then the accuracy of acceptance prediction is improved, but the cost increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveacceptance prediction accuracyVSAvoidtesting cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The virtual sponsor users serve as disposable testing agents that can be created, used, and discarded without the ongoing costs associated with real user recruitment, compensation, and coordination. Each virtual user can be tailored to specific testing needs and then decommissioned, eliminating recurring costs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Productivity

If virtual sponsor users are used for user acceptance testing, then the time consumption and cost are reduced, but the complexity of the testing system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetesting efficiencyVSAvoidtesting system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a behavioral analysis engine as an intermediary layer between the virtual sponsor users and the software features being tested. This engine handles the complex simulation of human behavior, decision-making processes, and acceptance criteria evaluation, shielding the rest of the testing system from complexity while maintaining high productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system manages complexity by allowing flexible adjustment of virtual user parameters such as behavior patterns, preferences, and interaction styles. These parameters can be modified without changing the underlying system architecture, enabling adaptive testing scenarios while maintaining system stability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS12561236B2Predicting user acceptance of features and functions of software product

Publication Date: 2026.02.24 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

A computer-implemented method, system and computer program product for performing user acceptance testing. A virtual environment for virtual sponsor users to interact with a feature or a function of a software product is created. Such virtual sponsor users are virtual representations of actual or real sponsor users. Each of these virtual sponsor users are then assigned a persona type profile of a target audience. Such persona type profiles include the character traits of a user, such as a user or member of the target audience. Interactions of the virtual sponsor users with the feature or the function of the software product are then simulated and tracked. The rate of acceptance of the feature or the function of the software product is then determined based on such tracked interactions. In this manner, user acceptance testing is performed in a swiftly manner that is cost effective.