The
terms ‘Verification‘ and ‘Validation‘ are frequently used in the
software testing world but the meaning of those terms are mostly vague and
debatable. You will encounter (or have encountered) all kinds of usage and
interpretations of those terms, and it is our humble attempt here to
distinguish between them as clearly as possible.
Verification ensures that the system
(software, hardware, documentation, and personnel) complies with an
organization’s standards and processes, relying on review or non-executable
methods.
Validation physically ensures that
the system operates according to plan by executing the system functions through
a series of tests that can be observed and evaluated.
Verification answers the
question, “Did we build the right system?”
while
Validations addresses, “Did we
build the system right?”
Keep in mind that verification
and validation techniques can be applied to every element of the computerized
system. You’ll find these techniques in publications dealing with the design and
implementation of user manuals and training courses, as well as in industry
publications.
