Course length - 3 days

Verification and validation address two important perspectives of software quality. Verification determines "Was the system built right?" while validation determines, "Was the right system built?" This course shows you how to understand and apply verification and validation in your organization.

IEEE standard 1012-1998 is a standard that provides a framework for performing verification and validation of deliverables on a project. The context of verification and validation (V&V) as conveyed in this standard is that of a life cycle approach. V&V is applied from project concept through maintenance.

This is a practical workshop with many exercises to help you immediately apply the concepts in the IEEE standards. Your instructor will be a certified instructor in the software engineering field.

You will learn the terminology, process, and challenges of standards in the real world. As a result of attending this seminar, you should have a good working knowledge of some of the most important and helpful software engineering standards and what it takes to make them a reality in your organization. From this workshop, you will leave with a practical understanding of IEEE Standard 1012-1998 for Software Verification and Validation and how to tailor and apply it in your projects.

Return on Investment

• Learn best practices in software engineering
• Learn how to develop a software verification and validation plan (SVVP)
• Learn what comprises an effective SVVP
• Learn a life cycle view of software and project quality
• Understand the key issues in applying the standards
• Learn how to tailor the standards to fit your own needs
• Quit reinventing the wheel and use proven approaches that have already been fully described for you
• Advance your career by reinforcing your knowledge of standards.

Who Will Benefit

• Test designers
• Test engineers
• Testers
• Software engineers
• Project managers
• Documentation specialists
• QA analysts

Prerequisites

• The program requires IT knowledge or experience.

• You will need to have a copy of the applicable IEEE Standards for your reference.

Program Information

This course is presented on an in-house basis only unless offered as a special public course. Contact us for information about how to bring this course into your organization.

Content and Structure

Module STDA - Introducing the IEEE Standards (1 hr.)

• Course Objectives
• What is Systems Engineering?
• What is Software Systems Engineering?
• Why Should We Use Standards?
• Basic Principles for Standards
• ISO Compared to IEEE
• How Standards are Developed
• Organization of the SESC Standards
• Clauses
• Normative vs. Informative
• What Is in a Standard?
• What Is Not in a Standard?
• Where Standards Can Be Obtained?
• How to Tailor and Apply Standards
• Final Thoughts
• Other Resources
  
  

Module VNVA - Introduction to IEEE Standard 1012-1998 for Software Verification and Validation (1.5 hrs.)

• Course Objectives
• Objectives of Verification and Validation (V&V)Key Concepts Introduced by this Standard
  • What’s in This for You?
  • Verification Goals
  • Validation Goals
  • Purpose of IEEE Standard 1012-1998
• Scope of Application
• Audience for the Standard
• Key Definitions
• Key Abbreviations
• Organization of the StandardManagement Processes
  • The Major Clauses of the Standard
  • V&V Integrity Levels (Clause 4)
  • V&V Processes (Clause 5)
  • V&V Processes Framework
• Acquisition Support V&V
• Development V&V
• Supply Process V&V
• Operation V&V
• Maintenance Process V&V
• Software V&V Reporting, Administrative, and Documentation
• Requirements (Clause 6)
• Software V&V Planning (Clause 7)
• SVVP Outline
• The Major Annexes of the Standard
• Forms of IV&V
• Annex D – Guidelines for Reusable Software
• Annex F - Example of V&V Organizational Relationship to Other Project Responsibilities
• Annex G - Optional V&V Task Descriptions
• Annex H – Other References
• Summary
  
  

Module VNVB - Defining Objectives for V&V Activities (1.5 hrs.)

• Module Objectives
• Determining the Software Integrity Level
• Determining the Project Scope and Tailoring Considerations
• Specifying Detailed Criteria for V&V Tasks
• V&V Tasks for Systems
• Determining the Scope of the Effort
• Understanding and Describing the Product and its Criticality
• The Role of Criticality Analysis
  • Where Criticality Analysis is Mentioned in IEEE 1012-1998 
  • What is Criticality Analysis?
  • The Process of Criticality Analysis
• Hazard Analysis
  • Methods of Hazard Analysis
• Risk AnalysisScales for Integrity Levels
  • The Goal of Risk Analysis
• Relating Integrity Levels, Risk and Consequences
• Determining Degrees of Independence
  • Forms of IV&V
  • IV&V Matrix
• How to Tailor the V&V Plan for the Size of Your ProjectWhere to Start With V&V
  • V&V on Smaller Projects
  • Strategies for V&V on Smaller Projects
• How to Grow V&V Processes
• Understanding Your Role in V&V
• Example of V&V Organizational Relationship to Other Project Responsibilities
• Summary
  
  

Module VNVC - Understanding V&V Processes (2 Hrs.)

• Module Objectives
• V&V Process Background
• The Relationship Between Processes in IEEE 12207 and 1012
• Compliance to the Standard
• V&V Process Performance
• Mapping to the Project Lifecycle Processes
• Management Processes
  • How Management Processes Supports V&V Processes
  • The Role of Change Control in the Management of V&V
  • The Role of Change Control in the Planning of V&V
  • Evaluation of V&V
  • Minimal V&V Management Tasks
• Acquisition Process V&V
  • Minimal Acquisition V&V Tasks
  • Example Acquisition V&V Processes
• Supply processes
  • How V&V Supports the Supply Process
  • Example Supply V&V Processes
• Development ProcessesTest V&V Objectives
  • Installation and Checkout V&V
  • Concept V&V Objectives
  • Requirements V&V Objectives
  • Design V&V Objectives
  • Implementation V&V
• Operation V&V Objectives
• Maintenance V&V Objectives
• Timephasing of V&V Test Products and Test Execution Tasks
• Framework of V&V Processes, Activities, and Tasks Hierarchy
• Annex A - Mapping of ISO/IEC 12207 to IEEE Std 1012 V&VAnnex J – Mapping to 12207
  • The Objectives of Mapping
• Summary
• Resources
  
  

Module VNVD - Software V&V Reporting, Administrative, and Documentation Requirements (1.5 hrs.)

• Module Objectives
• V&V Reporting
• V&V Reporting Requirements
• Which Reports are Included?
• V&V Task Reports
• V&V Activity Summary Reports
• V&V Anomaly Reports
• V&V Final Report
• Example V&V Task Reports
• V&V Activity Summary Report Contents
• What is an Anomaly?
• V&V Anomaly Report Contents
• Anomaly Tracking - Things You Need to Know
• Characteristics of Good Anomaly Reports
• Examples of Optional Reports
• V&V Final Report Contents
• V&V Administrative Requirements
• Anomaly Resolution and Reporting
• Task Iteration Policy
• Deviation Policy
• Control Procedures
• Standards, Practices and Conventions
• V&V Documentation Requirements
• V&V Test Documentation
• SVVP Documentation
• V&V Reporting Flow
• Knowing Your Audience
• Questions to Ask and Answer
• How Can This Data be Used?
• Summary
• Helpful Resources
  
  

Module VNVE - Creating the Software V&V Plan (2 hrs.)

• Module Objectives
• Purpose of the SVVP
• SVVP Guidelines
• SVVP Outline
• SVVP Sections 
• What Drives SVVP Development?
• Sizing the Plan
• Changes to the Plan
• Estimating V&V
• V&V Staffing
  • Example – V&V Scheduling
  • Determining the Level of Effort (LOE)
  • Estimation Factors
  • Using Models for Estimation
• Reviewing the Plan
• Publishing the Plan
• Maintaining the Plan
• How to Start Developing V&V Plans
• Summary
• Resources
  
  

Module VNVF - Process Assurance (1 hr.)

• The Purpose of Process Assurance
• Who Performs Process Assurance?
• The Importance of Oversight
• Techniques of Process Assurance
• The Role of V&V in Process Assurance
• How Process Assurance Can Fail
• The Product Delivery Process
• How Process Quality Works
• When Process and Product Assurance are Performed by the Same
• People
• The Balance of QA and Test
• What are the Risks?
• How Can These Risks be Mitigated?
• Summary
• References
  
  

Module VNVG - Product Assurance (1 hr.)

• The Purpose of Product Assurance
• Techniques of Product AssuranceThe Role of V&V in Product Assurance
  • Verification
  • Validation
• Ways to Assure Product Quality
• A Helpful Illustration - The Coffee Pot Analogy
• Quality FiltersDistribution of Test Stages
  • How Many Filters are There?
  • Software Filters
• Dependency Analysis
• V&V of Reusable Software (Annex D)
• What if Reusable Software Can’t be Verified or Validated?
• Summary
• Resources
  
  

Module VNVH - The Role of Software Quality Assurance (1 hr.)

• What is Software Quality Assurance?
  • The Purpose and Role of SQA
  • The Dimensions of SQA
  • The Components of SQA
• SQA Components
  • Pre-project Components
  • Software Project Life Cycle Components
  • Infrastructure Components
  • Management Components
  • SQA Standards, System Certification and Assessment Components
  • Organizational Components
• The SQA PlanSummary
  • The SQA Plan and What to Address in it

Module VNVI - The Role of Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V) (1 hr.)

• What is Independent Verification & Validation?
• Where is IV&V Addressed in IEEE 1012-1998?
• How Independent is IV&V?
• Managerial Independence
• Forms of Independence
• Which Form of IV&V is Right For You?
  • Classical IV&V
  • Modified IV&V
  • Internal IV&VEmbedded IV&V
    • How Independence May Be Compromised in Internal IV&V
    • Internal IV&V Benefits and Uses
• Summary
  
  

Module VNVJ - The Role of Testing (1.5 hrs.)

• Module Objectives
• How Testing is Addressed in IEEE 1012-1998
• Minimal Requirements V&V Tasks
• Addressing Testing in This Module
• The Objectives and Purposes of Testing
• Functional vs. Structural Testing
  • Functional Testing
  • Structural Testing
• Phases of TestingTypes of Testing
  • The Relationship Between Test Phases and Scope
  • Unit Testing
  • Integration Testing
  • System Testing
  • User Acceptance Testing
  • Test Phases by Lifecycle Phase
• IEEE Std 1061 Factors and Sub-factorsThe Relationship Between Test Phases and Test Types
  • What Does This Mean for Testing?
  • How Do We Know Which Software Qualities to Test?
  • Example - Determining Qualities to Test
• The Bottom Line for Testing in V&V
• Test Processes and Deliverables
  • Test Documentation Structure
• The Core Testing ProcessPrerequisites for Test Evaluation
  • Relationship of Test Documents to the Testing Process
  • When Testing Tasks are Performed
  • When Testing Deliverables are Created
• Summary
• Resources
  
  

Module VNVK - The Role of Reviews (1.5 hrs.)

• Module Objectives
• How Reviews are Addressed in IEEE 1012-1998
• Management of V&V Minimal Tasks
• Software Verification and Validation Plan (SVVP) Generation
• Baseline Change Assessment
• Management Review of V&V
• Management and Technical Review Support
• Interface With Organizational and Supporting Processes
• Addressing Reviews in This Module
• What are Reviews?
• The Objectives of Reviews
• Reviews and IEEE 1012-1998
• What Can be Reviewed?
• When Reviews Happen
• Practical Guidelines for Reviews
• Types of Review-based ActivitiesWhich Type of Reviews are Right for Your Project?
  • Walkthroughs
    • The Process
    • Roles and Responsibilities
  • Checkpoint Reviews
    • What are Checkpoint Reviews?
    • The Process
    • Roles and Responsibilities
  • Inspections
    • What is a Formal Inspection?
    • Introduction to the Formal Inspection Process
    • Roles and Responsibilities
    • Guidelines for Roles
    • Project Retrospectives
• Summary
• Resources
  
  

Module VNVL - V&V Metrics - Annex E (1.5 hrs.)

• Module Objectives
• Terminology
• The Objectives of V&V Measurements and Metrics
• IEEE 1012 – 1998, Annex E
• Metrics for Evaluating Software Development Processes and Products
• Metrics for Evaluating V&V Tasks
• Effective V&V Metrics
• How V&V Management Uses Metrics
• Benefits of Testing Metrics and Measurements
• Tools and Techniques for Measuring Testing Activities
• How Metrics Can Be Misused
• References
• Summary
  
  

Module VNVM - Content Map to IEEE/EIA 12207.1-1997 (IEEE 1012.1 - 1997) (.5 hr.)

• Mapping to IEEE 12207 (Annex J)
• Points of CorrelationSummary
  
  • Terminology
  • Process
  • Life cycle data – V&V plan
  • Document Compliance
    
    

VNVN - V&V Course Summary (.25 hr.)

• Top Ten Points
• Final Questions and Answers
  
  

Resources

• Glossary
  
  

Deliverables

• Course notebook with slides, worksheets, checklists, complete examples and supporting text

• You will have the basic information needed to perform verification and validation throughout the project life cycle for your projects and organization.