One of the most important phases of project management is known as validation. The process of validation generally occurs as one step or multiple steps of the process, usually in stages and is used to determine if the project is meeting specifications. The specifications of the project are highly detailed, and it is up to the project manger to evaluate the validation process to be sure the project is meeting the requirements. Experience in project management can assist supervisors in evaluating the different phases and steps of validation. Where validation is the technique to evaluate the stages of the project, verfication is the proof of compliance made by the project manager. This proof can be in the form of certification, or can be as simple as different area supervisors signing off on the phase of the project. Validation may be a complicated series of tests and controls, where verification is ensuring that those tests produced the expected results. A Project Manager monitors the results through the process and compares them to the stage of the project. The procedure of validation and verification helps advance the project and measures progress.
This term is defined in the 3rd and the 4th edition of the PMBOK.
understood, i desire to have an explanation on whether there a separate body for undertaking validation and verification in a project.
is the validation done in developing countries?
Hi, what do you mean by “separate body”? Validation is done everywhere where professional project management is being done!
Hi Tom, I Believe I have answered your question based on my perspective.
Validation(Inclusive of Design Verification) Entity, with the skill set of understanding design and as well as testing… needs to be independent of Design but part of the project (Reporting to Project Manager/Director).
Basically this is to ensure that in the SRS(System Requirements Specification) Attributed with Validation required have been defined clearly, what is required to be tested?(can be called as Test specification).
If what is to be tested is not clear or the acceptance criteria cannot be arrived ensuring the requirement has been successfully designed and demonstrated then the entity(Validation) can raise a flag to Project Manager/Director.
This will ensure that the Engineering(design) will not have any influence in altering a decision necessitating a change in design, requirement, specification,definition and thus reducing ambiguity and Interpretations that may occur during the Project Closure.
Now validation of project scope is done at what stage? i.e. before project implementation or during project execution? etc.