What is Validation?

Validation is a critical process in software development and automation that involves assessing a system or component during or after the development phase to ensure it meets the intended business requirements and objectives. It’s about confirming that the product will perform as expected in the real-world environment for which it was created.

What is the validation process of software?

The validation process in software involves several key steps:

1. Requirement Analysis: Understanding and documenting what the stakeholders need from the software.
2. Planning: Defining the validation strategy and criteria based on the requirements.
3. Design Review: Ensuring the software design aligns with the requirements before development proceeds.
4. Development & Testing: Writing and testing the code, including unit testing, integration testing, and system testing.
5. User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Having actual users test the software to ensure it meets their needs and expectations.
6. Review and Documentation: Collecting feedback, making necessary adjustments, and documenting the validation outcomes.

What is validation in system development life cycle?

In the system development life cycle (SDLC), validation is the phase where the completed software is evaluated to ensure it fulfills the intended business needs and user requirements.

It’s typically done after the verification process and is often associated with the testing and deployment phases. Validation answers the question, “Are we building the right product?”

What is validation in automation testing?

In automation testing, validation refers to the use of automated test scripts to verify that the software performs as expected. Validation checks the results of the tests against the expected outcomes, ensuring that the software’s functionality aligns with the specified requirements.

It’s an essential part of Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, allowing for frequent validation of the software’s behavior as new changes are integrated.