Question
Check that it meets the specification and solves the real problem
You can build exactly what was requested and still miss what was needed.
When it fits
- A solution passes its tests but people still cannot complete the job it was meant to support.
When to avoid it
- A happy demonstration is not sufficient validation either. Include relevant constraints and exceptions without treating a small sample as every possible use.
A question to ask
Which requirement does this test verify? · Which real user task and operating conditions does validation represent? · What would reveal that the specification was satisfied but the job still failed?
Why it matters
Separate two questions. Verification asks whether the result meets the specified requirements. Validation asks whether it supports the intended use under relevant conditions. Keep evidence for both; passing a technical acceptance test cannot repair a requirement that describes the wrong outcome.
An example
An export contains every required column, but its users cannot identify rejected records. Format conformance passed; the operational need remains unresolved.
Check your result
The acceptance report distinguishes conformance evidence from evidence of useful operation.
Keep this limit in mind
- A happy demonstration is not sufficient validation either. Include relevant constraints and exceptions without treating a small sample as every possible use.
Evidence and sources
NASA distinguishes verification against specified requirements from validation of intended use in the relevant operational setting.
Passing one kind of check does not automatically establish the other; representative users and conditions must be chosen for the actual task.
5.3 Product Verification · Differences Between Verification and Validation Testing