How can you apply agile methods to verification and validation?

1 What are agile methods?

Agile methods are a set of practices and values that focus on delivering working software or systems in short cycles, with frequent feedback, adaptation, and collaboration. It is not a specific methodology, but rather an approach that can be implemented through frameworks like Scrum, Kanban, or XP. It emphasizes customer satisfaction and value delivery, working software over comprehensive documentation, responding to change over following a plan, individuals and interactions over processes and tools, self-organizing and cross-functional teams, and continuous improvement and learning.

2 How can agile methods improve V&V?

V&V are often seen as distinct and consecutive phases in the systems engineering lifecycle, where verification checks if the system meets the specifications, and validation checks if the system satisfies the requirements of users and stakeholders. However, this approach can lead to delays, defects, and rework, as well as a lack of coordination and communication between developers, testers, and customers. Agile methods can enhance V&V by integrating activities throughout the lifecycle instead of at the end, carrying out V&V in small and frequent iterations instead of large and infrequent batches, involving customers and stakeholders in V&V instead of relying on assumptions and documents, using automated and manual testing tools and techniques rather than manual inspection and review, and focusing on the value and quality of the system rather than compliance and coverage of the requirements.

3 What are some agile V&V practices?

Adopting and adapting agile V&V practices can be beneficial for your context and needs. Some of the most common and effective ones are user stories and acceptance criteria, test-driven development and behavior-driven development, continuous integration and continuous delivery, pair programming and peer review, as well as retrospectives and feedback loops. User stories and acceptance criteria help to define the requirements of the system and guide V&V activities. Test-driven development and behavior-driven development ensure that the system meets the specifications and needs, while continuous integration and delivery reduce risks of integration issues. Pair programming and peer review improve quality and consistency, while retrospectives and feedback loops enable the team to reflect on their practices. All of these practices help to enhance learning, adaptation, satisfaction, and value of the system.

4 What are some benefits of agile V&V?

Agile V&V can bring many benefits to the systems engineering process and outcome, such as faster and more frequent delivery of working and valuable systems with higher quality and reliability. This approach also enables better alignment and communication between developers, testers, customers, and stakeholders. Additionally, it provides greater flexibility and responsiveness to changes in the requirements, expectations, and environment. Finally, it boosts motivation and productivity of the team with more autonomy and collaboration.

5 What are some challenges of agile V&V?

Agile V&V can also pose some challenges that need to be addressed and overcome. These can include cultural and organizational resistance to change, lack of skills and resources, difficulty in balancing speed and quality, complexity and uncertainty of the system, as well as regulatory and contractual constraints. All of these can limit the flexibility and adaptability of V&V.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?