Engineering practice
What is the difference between verification and validation?
LAST REVIEWED
| Verification | Validation | |
|---|---|---|
| Question | Did we build it right? | Did we build the right thing? |
| Reference | The specified requirements | The intended use and operating context |
| Typical activity | Review, analysis, unit and integration test against requirements | Field, vehicle or operational trials, user and scenario testing |
| Typical evidence | Traceable test results per requirement, coverage reports | Scenario results, operational acceptance, residual-risk judgement |
The practical failure mode is a programme with excellent verification and no validation: every requirement is closed, and the requirement set itself was never checked against the hazard analysis or the way the product is actually used. Traceability from hazards to requirements is what makes that gap visible.
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