Verification and Validation are independent procedures that are used together for checking that a product, service, or system meets requirements and specifications and that it fulfills its intended purpose. These are critical components of a quality management system such as ISO 9000. The words "verification" and "validation" are sometimes preceded with "Independent" (or IV&V), indicating that the verification and validation is to be performed by a disinterested third party.
It is sometimes said that validation can be expressed by the query "Are you building the right thing?" and verification by "Are you building it right?"
In practice, the usage of these terms varies. Sometimes they are even used interchangeably.
The PMBOK guide, an IEEE standard, defines them as follows in its 4th edition:
- "Validation. The assurance that a product, service, or system meets the needs of the customer and other identified stakeholders. It often involves acceptance and suitability with external customers. Contrast with verification."
- "Verification. The evaluation of whether or not a product, service, or system complies with a regulation, requirement, specification, or imposed condition. It is often an internal process. Contrast with validation."
Read more about Verification And Validation: Overview, Activities, Categories of Verification and Validation, Aspects of Validation, Industry References, See Also, Further Reading, External Links
Famous quotes containing the word verification:
“A fact is a proposition of which the verification by an appeal to the primary sources of our knowledge or to experience is direct and simple. A theory, on the other hand, if true, has all the characteristics of a fact except that its verification is possible only by indirect, remote, and difficult means.”
—Chauncey Wright (1830–1875)