06 Jul IV&V vs. Independent Test

I have lost count of the number of solicitations in this year alone where the title of the solicitation does not match the work in form, fit or function.  Here is an example of what I have found.

The title of the solicitation whether it be a Request For Information (RFI), a Request for Quote (RFQ) or a Request for a Proposal (RFP) is probably identified as a request for Independent Verification and Validation (IV&V)  Services.  However, in reading through the material it is easy to determine that IV&V services is not really what the organization is seeking.  What they really are looking for is someone to perform independent testing and preferably off-site. Typically the organization wants to perform independent testing at the system level and just before user acceptance testing will take place.

This scenario will benefit the organization only if all of the discrepancies found during component and integration test were actually resolved and not merely pushed forward; and if all of the engineering documentation created before coding took place was actually correct and without deficiencies.

It does not matter if the system being developed is using a waterfall, an incremental or an agile methodology the documents have to be as close to perfect as one can get if the code is going to be as error free as possible.  If not and if independent system test is viewed as the primary way to reduce the risk of failure then the project is likely to be over schedule and over budget.our

So before your organization places its solicitation for IV&V decide if you want independent test or IV&V.  If more information is needed about what is actually included in IV&V our taxonomy of IV&V services will help.

Or if you want more information feel free to contact us.

Eva Freund, President and CEO