What Is Validation Testing? Software Testing Guide

Software developers and QA teams rely on a variety of testing techniques to validate that the software meets the necessary standards. Whether working on a new software product or updating an existing one, developers can perform validation testing at multiple stages to confirm that the product functions as expected. This is especially important in modern development environments, where the software product may contain complex integrations and rely on numerous external systems to function properly.

TL;DR

• Validation vs. Verification: Validation ensures the product meets user needs, while verification checks if the product is built correctly according to design specifications.
• Validation Testing Goals: Confirm that software meets business requirements, fulfills user needs, and operates under real-world conditions.
• Key Validation Testing Types: Includes functional testing, non-functional testing, user acceptance testing (UAT), system testing, regression testing, and beta testing.
• Validation Techniques: Black box, white box, and automation testing are commonly used to evaluate the software.
• Continuous Process: Validation testing occurs throughout the development lifecycle to ensure software quality and functionality.

Check also:

• What is Performance Testing?
• Why Should You Use data-testid Attributes?
• Best Selenium Practice Websites
• Selenium Cheat Sheet

Understanding Validation Testing

Validation testing is the process of evaluating a software product to ensure that it meets the intended use and satisfies business requirements. This type of testing ensures that the final product meets the expectations of end users, confirming that the software operates as designed.

In the software development process, validation involves testing the product after it has been built, typically during the later stages, such as user acceptance testing (UAT) or system testing. It answers the critical question: "Are we building the right product?" This is different from verification testing, which focuses on ensuring that the software is built correctly according to design specifications.

Validation testing, along with verification and validation testing practices, is fundamental to the software engineering discipline. While verification testing ensures the software is built according to design specifications, validation testing ensures the product works correctly and fulfills the needs of the users. This distinction highlights the importance of conducting both forms of testing throughout the software development life cycle to ensure software quality.

Key Objectives of Validation Testing:

• Confirm that the software meets business requirements.
• Ensure the software fulfills user needs and expectations.
• Validate that the product operates under real-world conditions.

The Difference Between Verification and Validation

One common area of confusion is the distinction between verification and validation in software testing. Both processes are critical to the overall software development life cycle (SDLC), but they serve different purposes:

• Verification checks if the product is built correctly by ensuring that the design specifications and coding meet required standards. It involves testing techniques like unit testing, integration testing, and functional testing. Verification ensures that the software functions as intended and adheres to the set guidelines.
• Validation checks if the right product has been built, verifying whether the software meets user expectations and business requirements. This process typically involves higher-level testing, including system testing, user acceptance testing, and beta testing.

In simpler terms, verification testing ensures the software is correctly built, while validation testing ensures the software is fit for use.

Types of Validation Testing

There are various types of validation testing that software teams can perform throughout the development process to ensure the software meets user needs:

1. Functional Testing: Ensures the software's features work according to the specified requirements. It involves testing individual functionalities of the application to ensure the software behaves as expected.
2. Non-Functional Testing: Assesses aspects like performance, security, and usability to ensure the software can handle real-world conditions. Accessibility testing, for example, ensures the product is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.
3. User Acceptance Testing (UAT): In this phase, real users test the software to verify that it meets their needs and expectations before release.
4. System Testing: Involves evaluating the software as a whole to ensure all components work together correctly. This includes end-to-end testing of the entire system.
5. Regression Testing: Ensures that new updates or changes to the software don’t negatively impact existing functionality. Validation can help confirm that the software update doesn't introduce new bugs.
6. Beta Testing: Performed in a real-world environment by end users, beta testing helps identify any issues that may have been overlooked during earlier testing phases.

Validation Testing Techniques

Various testing techniques can be applied to validation testing in software development. These include:

• Black Box Testing: Focuses on testing the software without looking at the underlying code. The tester inputs data and examines the outputs, verifying whether the software behaves as expected.
• White Box Testing: Involves testing the internal structures of the application, with a focus on understanding the code and how it functions.
• Test Automation: Tools can be employed to automate repetitive tasks in validation testing, ensuring consistency and efficiency. Automation testing is particularly useful for running large sets of test cases during regression testing.

Example of Validation Testing

Let’s consider an e-commerce website that allows users to purchase products online. Validation testing would involve checking whether the checkout process works smoothly, whether payment methods are functioning, and whether the final product meets the user’s needs. This might include UAT, where real customers simulate purchases to verify the system is user-friendly and performs as expected.

The Role of Validation Testing in the Development Process

Validation testing occurs throughout the development process, from the early stages of product design to the final stages before release. It is a continuous activity in the software testing process aimed at ensuring that the software not only works as intended but also fulfills user expectations.

By conducting validation activities at different stages—such as functional testing, integration testing, and non-functional testing—software developers can ensure the software product meets the requirements and functions correctly within the system. Ultimately, validation testing verifies that the software meets both the technical and user-centric goals.

Conclusion

In the software development lifecycle, validation testing is essential for ensuring the final product meets user needs, business requirements, and design specifications. It is the process of evaluating a software system to verify that it operates as expected and delivers the desired results. Validation testing involves various testing phases such as system testing, user acceptance testing, and regression testing.

By incorporating validation testing techniques throughout the development process, you can ensure that the software is built correctly and performs well in real-world scenarios. This ensures a high-quality software application that meets the requirements of both developers and end users, driving confidence in the final product.

Happy (automated) testing!