Verification and Validation

Question 1

What is verification?

Answer 1

Verification is the evaluation of whether or not a product, service or system complies with a regulation, requirement, specification or imposed condition. (Did we build the thing right? Will it do what it is designed to do?)

Question 2

What is validation?

Answer 2

Validation is the assurance that a product, service or system meets the needs of the consumer or identified stakeholders (Did we build the right thing? Does anyone want it?)

Question 3

What is a verification cross reference matrix?

Answer 3

It is a matrix which specifies in detail how each requirement will be verified. It usually has columns such as Requirement ID, requirement, verification method, allocation(the component/thing it is related to)and success criteria

Question 4

What are the 4 basic methods of verification?

Answer 4

• Inspection/Examination (non-destructive examination using at least one human sense)
• Demonstration (check that manipulation of the system in terms of its intended use does indeed result in expected results)
• Test (feed predefined inputs, check expected outputs are observed)
• Analysis (Verification using calculations, models and/or testing equipment to predict system characteristics)

Question 5

What are the 5 verification requirement attributes?

Answer 5

Objective (purpose of the verification)
Method 
Environment 
Special conditions 
Success criteria

Question 6

What is traceability?

Answer 6

Traceability means it is possible to link attributes of the complete systems to the requirements via a trace. This trace is through: requirements being carried forward to design specifications, which have then been implemented in detailed design, which have then been included in test plans, which have then resulted in effects of the requirements being made available to the stakeholders/end users.

Question 7

What are the 4 steps that are verified in traceability analysis?

Answer 7

• Requirements being carried forward to design specifications
• which have then been implemented in detailed design
• which have then been included in test plans
• which have then resulted in effects of the requirements being made available to the stakeholders/end users.

Question 8

What is Unit testing?

Answer 8

Automatic test suits that probe the system and compare actual system output against expected system output

Question 9

What are the six design tactics for verification and validation?

Answer 9

• Capture implicit (implied) and explicit (observable/obvious) requirements
• Ensure requirements should be testable (can be quantitative or use professional judgement)
• Consider the effects of redesign on requirements
• Use a risk based approach to design and testing
• Consider effects of product requirements, design and testing on process requirements
• Consider effect of process redesign on product requirements