Evaluating the effectiveness of independent verification and validation

The complexity of today's software systems mandates a structured approach to development and a verification and validation process that ensure that the right product is built and that it is built right. A V&V process is critical for those high-consequence systems in which a software failure can result in injury or death or where live testing is not feasible. NASA Langley Research Center funded a study to examine the effectiveness of the Army's Software Engineering Evaluation System (SEES). The project led to a study designed to examine the benefits of using SEES as an independent V&V methodology. The study consisted of two independent-development groups. Each was given an identical set of requirements that outlined a solution to a particular problem. The authors asked both groups to design, code, and test their software. The results indicate that IV&V provides a significant value-added component to the software development process.