| Criteria | Verification |
Validation |
| Definition | The process of evaluating work-products (not the actual final product) of a development phase to determine whether they meet the specified requirements for that phase. | The process of evaluating software during or at the end of the development process to determine whether it satisfies specified business requirements. |
| Objective | To ensure that work products meet their specified requirements. | To demonstrate that the product fulfills its intended use when placed in its intended environment. |
| Question | Are we building the product right? | Are we building the right product? |
| Evaluation Items | Plans, Requirement Specs, Design Specs, Code, Test Cases | The actual product/software. |
| Activities |
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It is entirely possible that a product passes when verified but fails when validated.
Example: A product is built as per the specifications but the specifications themselves fail to address the user’s needs.
References:
http://softwaretestingfundamentals.com/verification-vs-validation/
flickr photo by rosefirerising https://flickr.com/photos/rosefirerising/16319223902 shared under a Creative Commons (BY-NC-ND) license
