Validation Vs Verification – What’s the Difference

Before starting with the difference between validation and verification, let’s get to the basics and understand what this means in software testing.

A dynamic process is a relatively object procedure of merely checking whether documents, codes, and designs are correct.

In software testing, a dynamic process checks if the system is free from error and is well engineered.

On the other process, the static process is a more subjective process that checks if the software stands right to the expectation of the customer.

Validation Vs Verification – What’s the Difference?

Let’s find the major difference between Validation and Verification.

Validation is the object of checking whether documents, codes, and designs are correct.

In software testing, it checks if the system is free from error and if it is tested efficiently.

On the other hand, in the validation, we check that the software is working according to the customer’s requirements and it stands right to their expectations.

What actually verification and validation are?

The product of the Software Development Life Cycle(SDLC) such as software requirement specification, Design Documents, Test cases, traceability matrix, database table design, etc all of these specifications is checked to ensure that it is meeting its specification.

Validation checks the software after the software is ready and the development process is completed.

In this process, we check that the software that has been developed meet the requirement of the customer and their expectations. By this, the validation process becomes more complicated than verification.

1) Coding

Those who verify the software don’t need any coding process for doing this.

On the other hand for validating the software one needs to execute the code to test the software and one cannot do complete validating of software without implementing code.

2) Types of checking the software

Verification is a manual process and it is done by humans to check all the documents, fields, and files of the software it makes this a static one.

Authentication is entirely a computer-based process and codes are reviewed. It makes it completely a dynamic one.

3) Common checking performed

It includes desk-checking, walk-through, and reviews while performing dynamic testing methods included by test engineers are:

• Gray Box Testing
• White Box Testing
• Black Box Testing

In the validation process of desk checking, the tester acts like a computer and follows an algorithm that refers to the logic that is applied to developing the software.

Black box functional verification testing is a type of software testing in which you can test the software without touching single internal code inner paths, and implementation details.

This process looks over the input and output of the software and isn’t concerned about its internal knowledge.

4) Basic Purpose

The end goal of validation is straightforward .this process checks whether the software meets the required specification or not. Verification on another is a complex process and checks if the software meets the user’s expectations and requirements.

5) Check for errors

Both the above process depends on each other. The defect that we can find by verification cannot be found by validation. Therefore while checking the software both processes should be used. It helps the tester to know all rounds of images of reality and what it will take to reach the set goal.

• What does this process help to achieve?

Both the process is important and they have their fixed end goal. The aim of the validation process is that everything is in place from software architecture and requirement specification to complete design, database design, and high level. On the other hand, verification targets the actual product and check if all module are integrated and the software works effectively and just as wanted.

• Who carries out the process?

The QA team is given the responsibility to conduct the verification process. They have to compare the software with the specifications that are mentioned in the SRS document. Since verification requires coding, the testing team carries out the process.

• When does the process take place?

Verification is done during the development of the software while validation takes place before verification and only if all requirements in the former process are meant, the latter process can be conducted.

The process of verification is a low-level exercise, and the cost of repairing errors that are found is less.

On the other hand, validation is a high-level exercise, and the cost of fixing errors identified during the process is very high.

Because validation is a high-level exercise, the results are more robust and valued as it ensures the high quality of the product.

Let’s understand verification and validation using the real-life example so we can understand the two-term better what it means.

We go to a restaurant and order the pizza How can know that what we order is actually the same as it should be. We would typically ask our-self questions.

Does it smell like pizza?

Does it look crispy?

If we are satisfied we would go ahead and eat that and if we are not happy with eating that then we will inform a waiter about it and ask him to bring fresh pizza.

The testing part is the validation process if we like the test, we will come to that place again and also give good feedback and tip to the waiter.

In case we don’t like the test, we won’t come to that place again since validation is a subjective process, we might not like it, but the person with whom we have gone to eat may like it.

Conclusion:

Even though the two procedures are very different, they depend on one another. There are two takeaway points away from this article:

1. Verification need not be carried out by the programmer, but validation must be carried out by one because it involves coding.
2. The process of verification might or might not include the product, but validation needs the product to carry on the procedure. Most of the time, verification is conducted on documents that present the final form of the software.