Validation

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Validation is the evaluation of an identified subject against defined Validation Criteria for a stated purpose.

Validation determines whether available information supports a Validation Decision concerning the evaluated subject.

Validation can evaluate:

• Suitability for an intended use
• Satisfaction of stakeholder needs
• Satisfaction of operational objectives
• Satisfaction of specified capabilities
• Behavior under defined conditions
• Interoperability
• Performance
• Reliability
• Security
• Compliance
• Another defined validation purpose

Validation can use:

• Inspection
• Analysis
• Demonstration
• Testing
• Modeling
• Simulation
• Measurement
• Observation
• Expert evaluation
• A combination of evaluation methods

Validation can consider:

• Applicable Validation Criteria
• Applicable Acceptance Criteria
• Applicable Test Definitions
• Applicable Test Runs
• Applicable Test Results
• Applicable Verdicts
• Applicable Evidence
• Applicable Baselines
• Applicable Policies
• Applicable Governance Policies
• Applicable exceptions and limitations

Validation should preserve Provenance and Traceability among the evaluated subject, validation purpose, Validation Criteria, evaluation activities, Evidence, and Validation Decision.

evaluation of an identified subject against defined Validation Criteria for a stated purpose

Adapted from:

• ISO/IEC/IEEE 15288:2023, Systems and software engineering — System life cycle processes
• ISO/IEC 17029:2019, Conformity assessment — General principles and requirements for validation and verification bodies
• Validation Criteria
• Validation Decision
• DIDO Reference Implementation Conceptual Model
• DIDO-TE draft Requirements Register

ISO and systems-engineering usage associate Validation with evaluating suitability or satisfaction for an intended use or stated purpose.

This definition applies that purpose-oriented evaluation to DIDO-TE while separating the Validation activity from the resulting Validation Decision.

Validation differs from a Validation Decision:

• Validation is the evaluation activity
• A Validation Decision records the resulting determination

Validation differs from testing:

• Testing performs defined test activities and produces Test Results
• Validation evaluates whether the available information supports satisfaction of the Validation Criteria for the stated purpose

Testing can provide Evidence for Validation. Validation can also use inspection, analysis, demonstration, modeling, simulation, or expert evaluation.

Validation differs from verification:

• Verification evaluates whether a subject satisfies specified requirements
• Validation evaluates whether a subject satisfies Validation Criteria for a stated purpose or intended use

The same Test Results and Evidence can support both verification and Validation when the applicable criteria require them.

Validation does not establish universal validity. A positive Validation Decision applies only to:

• The identified subject
• The stated validation purpose
• The applicable Validation Criteria
• The applicable Baseline
• The evaluated conditions
• The available Evidence
• The applicable effective period
• The recorded limitations and exceptions

A subject validated for one purpose, configuration, environment, or operational context is not necessarily validated for another.

Validation can produce a positive, negative, conditional, or inconclusive outcome. An authorized Actor records the authoritative outcome as a Validation Decision under the applicable Governance Policy.

DIDO-TE performs Validation of a selected Node Set for use in a defined distributed transaction scenario.

The Validation:

• Identifies the Node Set and its Versions
• Identifies the stated validation purpose
• Selects the applicable Validation Criteria
• Selects the approved Test Definitions
• Reviews the applicable Test Runs
• Evaluates the resulting Test Results and Verdicts
• Reviews the supporting Evidence
• Accounts for applicable limitations and exceptions
• Preserves Provenance and Traceability

An authorized Evaluator uses the Validation output to make and record the applicable Validation Decision.