Joep Schuurkes (Posts about verification and validation)https://smallsheds.garden/categories/verification-and-validation.atom2023-11-26T10:50:53ZJoep SchuurkesNikolaThree arguments against the verification-validation dichotomyhttps://smallsheds.garden/blog/2015/three-arguments-against-the-verification-validation-dichotomy/2015-03-24T20:53:24+01:002015-03-24T20:53:24+01:00Joep Schuurkes<div><p>Last week while talking with two colleagues, one of them mentioned the verification/validation thing. And I noticed it made me feel uneasy. Because I know well enough what is meant by the distinction, but on a practical level I simply can't relate to it. When I think about what I do as a software tester and how verification versus validation applies to it, nothing happens. Blank mind. Crickets. Tumbleweed.
So after giving it some thought, I present you with three arguments against the verification-validation dichotomy.</p>
<p>First of course, we have the obligatory interlude of defining these two terms. A place to start is the Wikipedia page on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_verification_and_validation">Software verification and validation</a>. Unfortunately it contains conflicting definitions, so if anyone cares enough, please do fix. Luckily there's also the general <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verification_and_validation">Verification and validation</a> page of Wikipedia, which gives us (among others) the tl;dr version of the distinction:</p>
<ul>
<li>Verification: <em>Are we building the product right?</em></li>
<li>Validation: <em>Are we building the right product?</em></li>
</ul>
<p>Finally there's the <a href="http://www.istqb.org/downloads/finish/20/145.html">ISTQB glossary v2.4</a> that borrows from ISO 9000:</p>
<ul>
<li>Verification: <em>Confirmation by examination and through provision of objective evidence that specified requirements have been fulfilled.</em></li>
<li>Validation: <em>Confirmation by examination and through provision of objective evidence that the requirements for a specific intended use or application have been fulfilled.</em></li>
</ul>
<p>Now on to the three arguments.</p>
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