Software Verification and
Validation (V Model)
Software Verification and
Validation are two important phases in the software development lifecycle. They
ensure that the system meets the specified requirements and that it fulfills
its intended purpose.
- Software Verification: This is the process
of checking that a product meets specified requirements at each stage
during the development process. It involves reviewing design documents,
conducting inspections, walkthroughs, and other technical reviews. The
main question answered during verification is: "Are we building the
product right?", which means the product is being developed in the
correct way and adheres to specifications, designs, and requirements.
- Software Validation: This is the process of
evaluating software at the end of the development process to ensure it
satisfies the specified requirements. It involves actual testing and takes
place after verifications are completed. The main question answered during
validation is: "Are we building the right product?", which means
that the product fulfills its intended use.
V Model:
The V Model is a graphical
representation of the software development lifecycle. It is called the V Model
because it follows the sequential path of execution of processes. Each phase
must be completed before the next phase begins, and it bends upwards after the
coding phase is completed, thus making a "V" shape.
The V Model demonstrates the
relationships between each phase of the development lifecycle and its
associated phase of testing. The left side of the model is the software
development process (requirements analysis, system design, etc.), while the
right side represents different types of testing activities corresponding to
each development activity (user acceptance testing, system testing, etc.).
This model emphasizes the
importance of validation and verification in producing high-quality software by
planning for testing activities in parallel with each development activity. The
goal is to catch defects as early as possible when they are less costly to fix.
Software Quality Assurance and
Software Quality Control.
Software Quality Assurance
(SQA) and Software Quality Control (SQC) are both crucial aspects of
the software development process aimed at ensuring the quality of software
products. However, they refer to different processes and activities:
- Software Quality Assurance (SQA): This is a
process-oriented approach that focuses on the development process and its
improvement. The aim of SQA is to prevent defects by ensuring that
processes used in the development lifecycle are of high quality. SQA
involves activities such as process checklists, process standards, process
documentation, and process improvement methods. It's about creating an
environment where quality is inherent in the process, rather than
inspected into the product.
- Software Quality Control (SQC): This is a
product-oriented approach that focuses on identifying defects in the
actual products produced. It involves activities such as reviews,
walkthroughs, inspections, and testing, which are aimed at detecting and
fixing defects in the software. SQC is essentially the validation and
verification process of ensuring that the product meets specified
requirements.
While both SQA and SQC are crucial
for producing high-quality software, they serve different purposes and perform
different roles in the software development lifecycle. SQA focuses on the
processes used to create the software, while SQC focuses on the software
product itself. Both are integral parts of an effective quality management
system.